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She could practically feel the smile stretching over his face. “I will not pretend that I am disliking this situation at all.”
“Well, I am absolutely hating it,” she quipped. She must turn to humor or the situation would grow far too serious. “Handsome gentlemen are constantly throwing themselves at me. It is really rather tedious.”
“Quite.”
“You don’t believe me?”
His lips drew nearer to her ear, brushing along her skin as he spoke. “I heard nothing beyond you calling me handsome.”
Drat. She should have phrased it differently. Words utterly escaped her, and Pippa considered for a moment how it would feel to turn her face just enough to meet her lips to his. She heard nothing besides the roaring waves and her own heartbeat thudding heavily in her ears.
“I’m certain you’ve been called handsome before. It really ought not to be such a shock.”
“Perhaps I have. But never before by a woman I care about.”
Cared about? Her? In what way had he even had ample opportunity to grow his regard for her? She felt anxious, nervous energy buzz about her body like an angry honeybee, and suddenly his arms around her and his head bent toward hers meant more than protecting her from Mr. Ainsworth.
She slid her hands up his chest and felt the moisture, his greatcoat dripping with water. How had she not noticed before how wet he was? Ah, the darkness. Of course.
William’s chest expanded quickly under her fingers, and he lifted his head away from her ear. “I think he’s gone.”
“Or was he never really near?”
His low chuckle washed over her. “He was near. But I must thank you for the idea. Perhaps next time I find you alone on this beach I will likewise believe Mr. Ainsworth to be on our tails.”
“I would not disapprove of that,” Pippa said.
William’s hand came up to cup her cheek, fumbling before it curved around her face, and his thumb brushed lightly over her cheekbone. “I can hardly see you, yet I can perfectly imagine your devious little smile.”
Pippa longed to lean into his hand, to lift her face for his kiss, but she could not remove from her mind exactly how little he’d trusted her today. They had a ways to go yet before she would trust the man with her heart. To say nothing of the fact that Lily believed she had a claim on him as well. “If the way is clear, should you not go after your smuggled goods?”
William’s thumb stilled. “I suppose you are correct. Though I will see you safely home, first.”
“I know this beach and these paths better than anyone. Your father and your cousin might need you, William. You need to go.”
He had no further argument for her, instead dropping his hold on her and stepping back. She cursed her own blasted tongue for stopping the man from kissing her. He took her by the hand and gently pulled her along behind him. They made their way toward the wide path up to the lane and Pippa pulled his arm when she heard footsteps above them. They waited a moment longer.
“Will?” a familiar voice called out quietly.
William’s hand tightened on hers. “Who goes there?”
“’Tis only Samuel,” he called.
Pippa leaned closer to William. “Samuel Caney?”
He grunted what she believed was a confirmation.
Pippa broke free of his grasp, but he stopped her. “You don’t want to be seen.”
“John Caney already saw me—”
“Yes, but not alone with a gentleman in the dark.”
“You cannot honestly think my reputation would suffer for this.”
“Why are you alone with a man in the dark on a secluded beach, Pippa? Why did you arrive at the cove at all in the middle of the night? Can you answer these things with good reasons?”
She couldn’t. She’d awoken from the storm and seen the ship’s light and followed the impulse to go to the beach. None of which were good reasons.
