Page 69 of Rogue Lyon

“You are a skilled player. There will be few opponents you cannot beat now. I wish you luck, though you will barely need it.”

He grinned suddenly. He really was a very handsome man. “I thank you for your kind words.” He tipped his hat and left the room.

Meredith reset the board for her next student. Each move of a piece had her heart rate picking up and when she heard the deep rumble of male voices filtering toward her, she had to beat down a wave of nausea.

This was the first time she would have been in Jules’s company since their return from Paris.

He entered the room moments later, shutting the door with a resounding click.

Instead of turning to him, Meredith busied herself with lighting a fresh candle to replace one that had burned down.

“Meredith,” he said.

“Please sit. We will commence the lesson.”

He didn’t answer.

Instead, he came up close behind her, his breath tickled her cheek, and heat from his body surrounded her.

She breathed deeply, inhaling the slightly leathery, spiced scent of him. A hundred memories dropped into her head as she was reminded of his flesh against hers.

“I am sorry,” he said quietly.

“For what?” Her mouth had dried.

“For taking you to Paris.”

She closed her eyes, squeezing them tightly. “You regret me being there?”

“No, no, not for a moment.” He touched her shoulder, his fingers sending a shockwave of awareness through her and tightening her chest. “I loved that you were there, but I know that you regret it.”

“Why would you think that?”

“You threw the wedding ring out of the carriage window the first chance you got.”

She turned to face him. The dark temptation in his eyes almost had her reaching for him, but she steeled herself. “You were quite clear that it was a deception for Paris, nowhere else, and we had left Paris at that point.”

He nodded stiffly.

“So what else should I have done?”

He closed his eyes, as though not wanting her to see into their depths for another moment.

She stepped away, her spine rod-straight. “We should begin. This is your last lesson before the tournament.” She sat primly and ignored her odd-tasting wine.

Jules walked to the decanter and poured himself a large glass. He then sat opposite her.

“You have some tough competition,” she said sternly. “Concentrate and use all the tips I have taught you for mental agility.”

He gave a brisk nod, took a slug of drink, and then said, “You go first.”

“Are you sure? I will have the advantage.”

“You may not think me a gentleman in many aspect of life, but please give me this. Ladies first.”

Meredith pressed her lips together and shook up her usual first move with a slide of a pawn. This was likely to be the board he’d come up against the most in the tournament.

His dark eyebrows pulled low and after a few moments of concentration, he slid into a defensive countermove.