“What I would like,” she said, “is to return to my friends.”
“Not an option.”
“Perhaps you’re not clear on the concept of being disposable.”
“You’ll have more fun with me.”
She gaped at him in astonishment. “Do you realize how pompous that sounds?” she asked, sounding more amazed than off ended.
He merely shrugged. “I’ve only the vaguest of notions, actually. It’s part of being a duke.”
“You are really quite unbelievable.”
“Thank you.”
“That wasn’t intended as a compliment.”
“A small oversight on your part, I’m sure.”
She looked at him curiously. “Do you know, there’s a very good chance if your head grows any bigger, there won’t be enough room for both of us on the terrace.” As the terrace extended the entire length of the house, this was saying something. “I’m a little frightened for you.”
“I’m touched. Does this mean you’ve decided to remain out here with me?”
She shot him a scathing glance and walked over to lean against the far railing. “I believe you decided I’d be staying.”
“Fortunately, that amounts to the same thing.”
“I’m deciding how best to go about detaching your enormous head from your body.”
Alex smiled and followed her to the rail. “You may try if you like, but by your own account it’s too big for you to get your hands around. You’d never be able to get a proper grip.”
She struggled to hide a smile. “How bloodthirsty you must think me—”
“Well, if your choice of entertainment is decapitation—”
“—ripping your head off with my bare hands,” she continued.
“—I think the description is justified,” he finished.
“—and Lord Heransly right inside with a perfectly good saber.”
“Sophie.”
“I’m sure he wouldn’t mind my borrowing it for a few minutes. He was most attentive before you scared him off. Perhaps I’ll just pop back inside and see if I can find him.”
Alex’s amusement had faded, then faded further, then disappeared all together.
“You’re not to have anything to do with Heransly.”
“And why is that?” she murmured thoughtfully.
“Because I forbid it.”
“Hmm,” she mumbled, tilting her head assessingly to one side. “Perhaps the swelling process is a delayed one….”
Alex took her chin in his hand and forced her to meet his eyes. “Listen to me, Sophie. This is not a game. Lord Heransly is not a man to be trifled with. You may have your fun with your new admirers.” He nearly choked on the lie. “But keep clear of Heransly. He’s a bounder, a rake, and—”
“So are you,” she said breathlessly.
“And he’s a personal friend of your cousin.”
She blinked at that, a shadow fell over her face for a split second before she righted her features into a mask of nonchalance. She reached up and pushed his hand away.
“Why should that matter?” she asked with assumed indifference. “You’re a friend of his as well.”
“I’m an acquaintance. And you tell me why it should matter. What happened between you and Loudor?”
“Surely you’ve heard. It’s nothing remarkable. He’s lived alone for years now and wasn’t comfortable with all the commotion caused by two women.” She said the words calmly, but failed to meet his gaze.
“One could argue that as your nearest male relative, his comfort should not have taken priority over your safety.”
“Oh, Mrs. Summers and I are perfectly safe. We’ve two dozen servants at least, some of them quite burly.”
She was safer, Alex thought, with Loudor out of the house, but there was more to it all than a man desiring his space.
“Sophie,” he said quietly. “Sophie, look at me.”
She looked up a little reluctantly. Alex knew she was hiding something. She seemed nervous, maybe even a little afraid. He wanted to pull her into his arms. He wanted to kiss her lips, her ear, her neck, until the little furrows in her brow eased away. But most of all, he wanted her to trust him.
He reached up and gently grasped a lock of hair that had been strategically left loose to curl seductively down the side of her face. He rubbed the strands between his thumb and forefinger, marveling in the softness, before tucking it behind her ear as if to keep it safe. He pulled his hand back slowly and caressed her cheek and jaw with his thumb.
“I want you to know you can come to me for anything, Sophie,” he whispered. “Anything at all. There is nothing I would deny you.”
“I…”
“Nothing I would not do for you.”