Page 41 of How to Wed a Courtesan

Now he need only prove to her that he would not hurt her as he had before.

‘Good morning, Evander.’ Lottie’s attempt at a smile was not entirely successful. ‘Forgive me for leaving your ball without bidding you farewell. I’m afraid I felt rather ill and didn’t wish to ruin your enjoyment.’

He settled on the settee beside her. She smelled of a sweet perfume, something floral with a musk to it that he found appealing. Again, the urge to nuzzle her neck teased at him, to brush his lips over the warmth of her skin and breathe in that wonderful scent.

Her gaze slid towards the teapot. ‘Would you like some tea?’

‘I want to speak with you.’

He reached out tentatively and took her hand in his. She didn’t pull away from his touch, and for the first time in six years her smooth skin lay against his.

As if realising the poignancy of it, she glanced at where their fingers were locked together before returning her attention to him once more.

He had meant to say he understood why she had been upset, that he didn’t care and she need not allow it to trouble her. But now that he was in such proximity to her, cradling her slender hand in his, those were not the words that came from his mouth.

‘I’m grateful for the time you were there,’ he replied. ‘And I do regret my inability to spend more time with you. I’m afraid there were more guests than I had anticipated when I extended the invitation to you.’

She looked down again to watch their linked hands and said nothing.

‘Seeing you there was a dream,’ he continued. ‘Holding you so close to me, dancing with you, hearing your laugh, seeing your smile. God, you looked so beautiful.’

A flush of colour washed over her cheeks.

‘I wish I could have spent the entire night with only you.’

He reached up, tentative, expecting her to pull away. When she did not, he ran the back of his forefinger down her petal-soft cheek. Her lashes fluttered closed on the look of someone savouring a caress.

‘It can’t work,’ she whispered.

‘It can.’ He leaned closer to her.

Her lips were red and full. Sensual. His fingertips gently lifted her chin, angling her face towards his. The beat of his heart slammed in his chest like a drum. He lowered his mouth to hers and their lips met in a tender brush. Her lips were smoother than he remembered, sweeter. Sheer heaven.

She lifted her hands to his face, but rather than kiss him, she rested her forehead against his. ‘I can’t.’

When she drew back there were tears shining in her blue eyes, making them all the more brilliant. He pulled the handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to her. She accepted it with both hands and kept it crumpled between her palms.

‘Because of what others say?’ he asked.

She pinned on a false smile. ‘Are you sure you don’t want tea?’

‘I don’t want tea.’ He kept his gaze locked on her. ‘I want you.’

‘The world you want me in will never accept me.’ She turned away from him.

‘You overheard those women being malicious towards you?’ he said.

She bowed her head slightly forward and exhaled slowly.

‘I don’t care about them, Lottie.’ He carefully drew her attention back to him with his fingertips. ‘I don’t give a fig about anyone’s opinion. I only care that I love you.’

‘And what of your family? Your friends? They too will be cast aside because of who I am. What I’ve done.’ She shook her head and the curl tumbled across the shoulder of her gown.

‘None of them care.’ He reached for her hand once more, and she did not pull it away. ‘You shouldn’t either.’

She didn’t reply.

‘Do you know what will improve your spirits?’ he asked.