Page 11 of A Spinster's Guide to Landing a Lyon

Even from where she stood, two feet away, her skin prickled. No man of her choosing had ever returned her affections.

Yet here was the man destined to be her sister’s husband, and he was eyeing her as if she were an edible available for consumption.

“Amelia,” he drawled, “do you really think that I would let you take me home to marry your sister when you’re the one I want.”

Her chest heaved. Shook. Rattled. While her fingers trembled at her side, she mustered her will to resist him. “It’s not meant to be between us.”

“I was never one to be fond of fate.”

“But you can’t—”

“I can do whatever I want. So can you. You’re a free person, Amelia. Right here with me. Alone. You can do whatever you want.”

She knew it wasn’t true. She was a lady. An elder sister. She had responsibilities. She had duties. She had gales of winds worth of expectations that drove the ship she sailed. And try as she might to fight the wind, at some point, it was futile.

“I can’t,” she mumbled.

Hope flickered in Benedict’s face. “Can’t what? Tell me.”

Why was this happening? Right. This was a dream. Her dream. He was fulfilling her deepest desires, yet at the most inopportune time. For the first time in her life, the man she was attracted to was seemingly attracted to her. Desired her. But she couldn’t act on it. He had to marry her sister to save her from the scandal she was in. It would do no good for Amelia to have spent all this money on a duke to save them, only for her to take him as her own.

But…

This was a dream.

And it was her dream.

And it would never become a reality.

So…was there any harm in just thinking about it?

“I can’t have you, Benedict.”

“Ah…so you do want me?”

At her lack of response, Benedict continued. “I thought perhaps I had seen a woman with a backbone. The determined type who would stop at nothing to get what she wanted.”

“You thought wrong. Though I am determined, I’ll stop at nothing to save the ones I love.”

“And what about you?” He stepped closer, drew a finger up to her cheek, and let it trail down her neck. “Shouldn’t you love yourself as well?”

“I-I can’t.”

“Can’t or won’t?” His hand snaked around her back. “Hmmm?”

Her head tilted back to gaze up at him as she felt herself losing against her will.

“I think I know the real problem. Perhaps you simply don’t know how to take what you want.”

Well…that much was true, but she wasn’t about to say that.

“Just let yourself feel.” He stepped closer, pressing himself against her, and tingles rose up along her limbs.

“Feel the warmth? The heat?”

In an attempt to answer in the affirmative, she whimpered. Yes. She could feel it. It was practically singeing her skin. The juncture between her legs was hotter than it had ever been before.

“How does it feel?”