Page 74 of An Extraordinary Lord

That stung. Yet he deserved it for not trusting her sooner. “I wanted you to have them, that’s all.”

“Why didn’t you just give them to me yourself?”

“You’ve been away from society for too long.” He feigned exasperation with a long, loud sigh. “You have no idea how dangerous it is for a bachelor to give jewelry to an unmarried miss.”

From her expression, she wasn’t falling for his act. “Even a baron?”

“Especiallya baron.” To distract her from taking the conversation in the direction of his peerage, he trailed his hand lazily down her body and thrilled when he elicited a tremble from her.

She arched wantonly into his touch. “Well, I won’t hold the ruse against you.”

“No,” he countered in a wicked voice and slipped his hand between her legs. “Please hold everything against me.” When his fingers grazed against the sensitive nub buried at the top of her folds, her hips bucked. He growled appreciatively and nipped at her ear. “Everything.”

He wanted her, and he would have her again before morning broke—repeatedly, if he had any say in the matter.

But for now, he didn’t want to overwhelm her and slowly pulled his hand away. At the whimper of loss that fell from her lips, he nearly relented and made love to her again right then. Instead, he gave her a long, lingering kiss that promised more to come and rolled onto his back beside her to tuck her protectively into the hollow between his shoulder and his chest.

He’d never been happier in his life.

Her lips tickled against his chest as she whispered, “That was the most wonderful gift I’ve ever been given.”

His pulse spiked. She wasn’t talking about the earbobs.

No.Nowhe’d never been happier.

She rose up onto her elbow and stared down at him. “Filipe knows the truth about you.” Concern edged her voice. “I had to tell him about the riots and the Home Office, about you and the pardon.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Not when he and the men of the Armory had less than twenty-four hours to stop the slaughter Liggett had planned for the rioters. Exposing his identity to the King of Saffron Hill meant nothing in comparison.

“It does matter,” she corrected. “We might still need his help.”

We.Notyou. Most likely nothing more than a slip of her tongue, but he couldn’t allow her to continue thinking she would still be involved with stopping the riots. Her role in this was over. He wouldn’t place her in danger again.

“The investigation is moving in a different direction now,” he dodged and reached up to loop a ginger curl behind her ear.

She stilled, then replied knowingly, “One that doesn’t involve women in ball gowns, you mean.”

Or one wielding swords.“Yes.”

“So it’s all over, then.”

The finality of her whisper was cutting, but he didn’t regret his decision. If anything happened to her…dear God, it would end him. “You’ll receive your pardon. Clayton will make certain of it.”

“I don’t care about that.”

“You should. A pardon gives you the chance to start over, free and innocent.” He paused, coming as close as he dared to declaring his feelings when he murmured, “To permanently make London your home.”

Her face fell as if he’d struck her. Good Lord, what had he said wrong? He reached to caress her cheek—

She edged away. “No, I—” When he frowned, she explained, “London can’t be my home now.”

Now…after they’d made love, or after he’d placed her life in danger? Either answer would devastate him. “Why not?”

“I’ve been cast out of the Court of Miracles,” she confessed with a touch of shame. “Filipe ordered me to go. That’s why I came here tonight. I’m leaving London.” Her voice cracked. “I wanted to say goodbye.”

She slid off the bed and slipped through his fingers.

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