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“I have come to help.” He motioned his head toward the animal. “There are some things a woman just should not do, especially when she’s damp and cold.” He touched her hand, stopping her from trying to unhook the reins. “Please, Regina. Allow me. You go inside and get warm, and I shall finish this for you.”
She shook her head. “What if you are spotted by one of the servants or my father?”
“Did your father have something planned tonight that would keep him out late?”
“Not that I know.” She switched her attention to one of the other stalls. Seconds later, she sighed, and her shoulders relaxed. “His horse is here, as well as the coach. Both of my parents are in the house.”
“Then there is no reason for anyone to see me.” He took her hand and lifted it to his mouth, brushing his lips across her gloved knuckles. “It was a pleasure to have you with me tonight, but please, go inside.”
Her cheeks turned pink, and she smiled softly. “Wayne, you must leave.”
“I shall as soon as I’m finished with your horse.”
Slowly, she pulled her hand away and stepped back from the animal. “Be careful going back home.”
“I will.” He grinned. “And you be careful as well. We don’t need your parents to ask questions as to why you were out by yourself tonight.”
“I plan on sneaking in through the servants’ doors. My parents won’t see me, I assure you.”
He leaned on the horse and watched her take slow steps toward the stable doors. He loved how she couldn’t seem to take her eyes off him, either. He also loved the sparkle in her eyes and the bashful smile touching her tempting mouth.
“Mr. Nichols,” she said with laughter in her voice. “Will you stop watching me?”
Shrugging, he grinned. “I cannot, my lady. There is nothing else I would rather look at.”
She stopped and stood akimbo. “I told you to stop calling melady. That is not my title.”
“But you are a lady to me, Regina. Don’t ever forget that.”
Her expression softened. “If that is what you want to believe.”
“It is.”
“Just make certain that nobody else is around when you say that to me.”
“It will stay between us, I assure you.”
He enjoyed the fast rhythm of his heart as she watched him instead of turning and heading for the house. However, if she didn’t move after five more minutes, he would again take her in his arms to show her that their passion was real.
“Regina?” he asked in a deep voice.
“What?”
“Will you meet me somewhere tomorrow?”
Her eyes widened, and she shook her head. “I dare not. One of these times we will get caught, and I cannot allow that to happen.”
A question swam around in his head, and although he should keep his mouth closed, he couldn’t. Not this time. “Regina? If I withdraw from my proposal with Lady Jane, will you... can we...” He sighed. “I cannot stop thinking about you. I have never thought of Jane the way I think about you.”
She gasped and rushed to him. At first, his hopes rose in anticipation, but when noticing the way she looked at him with sadness in her eyes, he realized she wasn’t coming toward him to be in his arms.
“Absolutely not, Wayne.” She grasped his hands tightly. “Jane has been my friend since we were children. If she knew you wanted to start seeing me, she would never forgive me. It’s bad enough to know what the two of us have done behind her back. I don’t know if I can ever get rid of this guilt.”
Her words made sense, but he didn’t like the way his heart felt, as if it had been ripped out of his chest. Releasing her hands, he nodded. “You are correct, of course. There is no way I could be the reason your friend hates you. Please, forgive me.” He nodded toward her house. “Now go inside and let me see to your horse.”
“I thank you, Wayne. You don’t know how much this means to me.”
This time as he watched her leave, he felt the emptiness of a lonely life filling his soul. How could he have fallen in love so quickly only to have it end so abruptly?
