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CHAPTERSEVEN
Parker knew he should stop.
Millie was not his. Never mind that he’d not be marrying Tillie.
Did she know that? That he’d not marry her sister? Likely not.
Should he tell her? But he’d promised Tillie that he’d not say a thing. He drew back a bit, wondering. What would Millie think of him if he did kiss her when she believed him to be considering her sister?
When had he started to think like a woman?
He had to admit he cared about Millie and her opinion of him. Much as he wished to kiss her in this moment, to know her taste and leave her a memory of himself… The man who’d spent the last four years of his life working to be better knew he couldn’t.
It was more important to act with honor.
And to not jeopardize her opinion of him for some momentary bliss. He’d begun to harbor hopes that even if he couldn’t court her now, he’d be able to at some point in the future.
But even as he pulled back, she moved closer, her lashes fluttering closed and her warm breath fanning his face in the most delightful way.
His other hand crept to her waist, her body drifting toward his. The moment stretched on, growing more charged with each slight movement until he thought he might break from the tension growing inside him.
That was when a horse neighed just outside.
Turning, he saw Lord Smith ride up to the cottage, looking half drowned by the rain.
Millie saw him too and she let out a gasp as she tried to jolt backwards. He held her, making a soft shushing noise. “It’s all right. I’m going to step outside to help him with his horse. You stay in here where it’s warm and dry.”
“But…” her breath gasped in. “We were alone. We almost…”
And then her face flamed, her eyes filling with fear and regret. Her expression tore at his insides. This is what he’d been afraid of, that he’d leave her feeling worse by sharing a moment of intimacy but he held her still. “Nothing happened and we’ve only just arrived, Millie.” He didn’t want her to lie. It was the truth.
She gave a tentative nod, catching her bottom lip. He wanted to hold her even closer, wrap her in his arms and comfort her. Confess that he had no intention of marrying Tillie and he’d like nothing more than to court her.
Would she welcome his attention the way she had his embrace?
He ached to think of it.
“What…” she whispered, “is your given name?”
The idea of his name on her lips made him ache all the more as he did pull her closer. “Parker.”
And then he let her go. Grabbing his jacket, he shoved his hands in the sleeves as he dashed for the door and out into the rain once again.
He couldn’t even listen to her repeat his name. If she had…
He might have confessed everything. The man he’d been. The one he hoped to be. Where his heart was quickly leading him…right to her.
Lord Smith raised his head where he unsaddled his horse. “You made it here, too.”
“Only just,” Parker answered. “I’d just stepped inside after taking care of our horses.”
Lord Smith nodded, his eyes straying to the cottage. “You got a fire going.”
“Lady Millicent did that part.”
Lord Smith’s mouth pressed into a straight line as he straightened, his gaze fixed on the cottage. “She’s something, isn’t she?”
Parker didn’t trust himself to answer. He’d just held her in his arms. He didn’t wish to hear another man discuss how special she was. And he had no grounds to be jealous. Instead, he began brushing down Smith’s mount.
