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“One minute. That’s all I ask.”
She sent him a straight look under her marked brows. They were dark for a woman of her blondness, adding an intriguing severity to her face. “But that isn’t all you ask, is it?”
“Diana…”
She released an impatient sigh. “I want to see the antiquities. I’m not going home yet.”
With that, he must be content. He gave a sharp nod and snatched her hand. He pressed a brief kiss like a brand of possession on the back of her glove. For one tantalizing instant, he felt the living heat of her flesh through the thin kid. He watched with satisfaction as her pupils dilated in helpless response, in spite of her defiant words.
She tried to play games with him. That was fine. He could play games with the best of them. Nothing could make him doubt the genuine attraction drawing them together.
He let a confident smile curve his lips, partly because he knew it would make her seethe. Without another word, he turned on his heel and followed his aunt into the next room.
Chapter Fourteen
Diana sucked in a shuddering breath and collapsed against the case behind her. The edge of the glass dug into her back, but she wasn’t sure her knees would hold her if she tried to stand unsupported. One shaking hand lifted to press against her breast as she tried to quiet her heart’s wild race.
“So that’s Ashcroft,” Laura said softly, coming forward.
“Yes.” Anything further was beyond her.
Only five days since she’d seen him. How had she forgotten his physical impact? The way her senses flared in response to his voice or the touch of his hand. The spark in the air when he was with her.
“He’s…impressive.” Laura’s voice was neutral. Which was odd, given how strongly she opposed Burnley’s scheme.
Diana fought to regain her equilibrium. She was a mature woman of twenty-eight. She was a widow. She’d run the Cranston Abbey estate for the last ten years. She wasn’t a silly green girl in a flap after her first encounter with an attractive man.
“I’m sorry I didn’t introduce you.” Her voice was unsteady.
Her friend’s lips curled in a wry smile, and her dark eyes were alight with curiosity. “You were otherwise occupied.”
Diana straightened, drew another shaky breath—she kept forgetting to breathe—and flexed her tingling fingers. He’d kissed her hand. Given what else he’d done, that should hardly register. Something about the gesture’s possessive gallantry pierced right to her heart. Nor could she forget the brief heat of his mouth, burning even through her glove.
Laura paused thoughtfully. “He isn’t what I expected.”
Diana released a short, unamused laugh. Gradually, the world stopped wobbling and returned to its normal orbit. “He isn’t what I expected either.”
“I thought he’d be cold, vain, self-obsessed. I thought he’d treat you with contempt. That’s far from the truth.” Again she paused, as though considering whether to continue. Her voice lowered. “He’s besotted with you.”
Dizziness returned with a vengeance. For a second, the room revolved before Diana remembered to gulp a breath. “Don’t…don’t be ridiculous.”
Laura shrugged. “I know what I saw.”
Diana tried to adopt a careless tone. “He’s a rake. He’s had more women than I’ve had hot breakfasts. I’m just one more.”
“If you say so. After all, you know him better than I.” Laura’s eyes focused on a spot over her shoulder. “He’s back.”
Diana whirled, her heart hammering wildly. Ashcroft stood in the doorway, watching her. He was dressed in the height of fashion in a dark blue coat and biscuit-colored trousers. He carried his stylish high-crowned hat in one hand, and his hair was disarmingly ruffled. As there wasn’t a hint of breeze inside or out, she guessed he’d run his hand through it in frustration at dealing with that fearsome aunt. That shouldn’t strike her as endearing, but somehow it did.
“Besotted,” Laura murmured sotto voce at her side.
“You waited,” he said softly, striding toward her and stopping a few paces away.
“Yes.”
“Good.”
The words they spoke belonged to a different world from the silent communication flowing between them. She resisted the overpowering urge to step forward and fold her arms around him, rest her head on his shoulder.
