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A frustrated sound fled her before she could hold it back.
“The docks are vast, Cassie. I doubt you will come upon this company straight away.”
“I would have thought someone would have heard of it.”
“I’m no stranger to shipping companies but a small one might have passed my notice.” He gestured around. “Orit does not exist, and you should give up on finding it and allow me to escort you home.”
“I am not giving up, Luke.”
“It must be an important reason indeed that you might wish to find this company, yet I cannot fathom why. It is strange, though, that you should be inspired to find this company after speaking with Miss Parsons.”
“I have no idea what you mean.”
“You have been acting strangely ever since the death of her brother.”
Cassie lifted her chin. Her mother’s investigative activities had only continued because no one of importance knew of them. How scandalous it would be for a duchess to be seen meddling in the affairs of others.
For the most part, the requests had been small and delicate—problems like trying to catch a thieving maid or prevent a husband’s mistress from taking the family jewels. Matters ladies would not want a man involved in. Her mother’s naturally caring nature involved her in such matters until it had become clear she needed help and thus the Duchess’ Investigative Society had been born.
If Cassie were to continue her mother’s excellent work, Luke could not see her activities as anything other than someone helping a friend.
“It is a sad time for Jane, and I can only imagine the pain she must be going through. I would be devastated if something happened to Anton.”
His gaze arrowed in on her. “And he would not be impressed if he knew you were traipsing around this untoward place. Or that I was letting you.”
She offered a swift smile. “Who says you are letting me? I am my own person, you know, and you are most certainly not my keeper.”
“For now I am.”
Any response was cut off when he snatched her arm and hauled her sideways into a darkened alley. She scarcely had time to draw a breath before he pressed into her, urging her up against the wall and into the shadows. The rough brick scraped against the delicate fabric of her pelisse and caught on the brim of her bonnet.
“What…?”
The breath from her lungs escaped as he peered down at her, his gaze searching.
Cassie held what little air was left in her body and stared up at him, wide-eyed. He was going to kiss her, was he not?
***
SOUNDS OF THE scuffle he’d tried to avoid vaguely infiltrated his mind. Raised voices faded swiftly, however, when he glanced down at Cassie and became aware of her slender body crushed between the wall and his chest.
Even through the layers of his shirt, waistcoat and jacket, her gentle curves niggled at him, barely covered by the thin pelisse she wore. Her gaze, lined up perfectly with his mouth thanks to her height, kept flitting to his lips, and damn it, he could not help but believe she must be having the same thoughts he was.
But it could not be, surely? Her demand for a kiss over a week ago had been a moment of vulnerability—her needing comfort and nothing more.
She needed no comforting now, of that he was certain.
He wanted the question repeated, though. Maybe this time he would give in and conquer the regret eating away at his insides. Just one kiss. What harm would it do? Then he could forget his desire for his friend’s sister and be the gentlemen he purported to be.
Damn it.
Even one kiss was a kiss too many. Anton had placed his trust in him, and a kiss was enough to ruin a woman, even if the chances of them being caught were minimal to none. He would not consign Cassie to a life with him when it seemed she had a duke ready and waiting for her. He would not ruin her future.
He ground his teeth together, eased away and jerked his head toward the fracas nearby. “I did not want you to be hurt,” he said, aware of the gritty quality to his voice.
Her eyes widened and she jolted away from the wall to peer out from their hiding spot. “Oh.”
He saw disappointment spark in her gaze. But that could not be. He was no innocent, and enough women were charmed by his position, personality and looks, but Cassie was different—she had the world and hardly needed him in it. Whatever he thought he was seeing, he was fooling himself, and he did not like that one jot.
