Chapter Twelve #2
His upper lip briefly curled before he remembered himself and fought his way back to composure. “If you were exclusively mine, I’d give you whatever you wanted, keep you in my house and never let you go.”
Dear God. Gooseflesh raced over her skin, and it wasn’t a pleasant experience. “I appreciate that, but you need to leave me alone, Mr. Littleton. Forget about me. It doesn’t matter why I’m with Captain Buckthorne, but I am, and because of that, I am staying true to him. None of it concerns you.”
“I’ll wager it does; I only want your happiness. Can the captain say that?” When she remained silent, he shook his head as he slowly pursued her around the bench. “He doesn’t deserve you.”
“What the hell don’t you understand, Littleton? The lady asked you to leave her be.”
At the sound of Evan’s voice, Hannah looked over and as the captain rapidly approached their location, her heart gave a fluttering leap. “How did you know I was here?”
He didn’t answer her. Instead, possession flared in his eyes, and when Mr. Littleton didn’t clear the area, he closed the distance between them. Seconds later, he landed the other man a facer. “Stay away from Lady Mirabelle or my fists will become the least of your problems. Do you understand?”
“You don’t own her, Captain,” Mr. Littleton shot back as he worked his jaw. “I knew her well before you did.”
“I rather doubt that.” A growl in his voice rang with warning.
“She belongs to me, and that is all you need to know. For the past week, she has been under my protection and mine alone, and I intend to defend her against all interlopers.” He propped his fists on his hips, glaring at Mr. Littleton.
“If I have to repeat myself, you won’t like it. ”
The other man bounced his gaze between Buckthorne and her. “This isn’t over, Captain, and I won’t give her up to the likes of you.”
“I have nothing to hide, but if you think to continue this gammon, there will be consequences.” When he took a few steps toward Mr. Littleton, the man fled back to where his horse grazed on grass beneath an oak tree.
Throughout the exchange, Hannah’s chest tightened while her pulse raced.
For the first time in her life, someone defended her merely for her.
No matter that it was for the wrong reasons, it made her proud that Evan felt the need to do so.
Clearly, he didn’t have to; she was naught but a mistress, a not-so-reformed and expensive courtesan with no place in society regardless of her breeding.
Yet he had, and that defense set loose a piece of heart, which promptly flew into his keeping.
Once Mr. Littleton rode away, Evan slipped his gloved hand around the upper portion of her arm. “What the hell were you doing with that man?”
“I wasn’t doing anything! I’d simply come here for peace; he found me.”
His eyes flashed but she couldn’t read the emotions in those icy blue pools. “I asked you to leave that life behind. Which means not seeing former clients.”
“I did.” Why was he showing himself for such an arse? “As I said, I didn’t seek him out, and he isn’t a man I would do that with, regardless. He’s in danger of making a nuisance of himself, and quite frankly, I’m a bit fearful about it.”
As they spoke, Buckthorne led her up the path and toward the entrance arch. “You weren’t making plans for an assignation?”
“Of course not. Are you not listening to me?” Her ire was valid.
“This possessive side you’re showing is wearing thin.
Also, I don’t belong to anyone.” She slowed her steps, peered up into his face.
“Do you understand?” When he didn’t answer, she shook her head.
“What is wrong with you, Evan? You aren’t acting like the man I used to know. ”
“Perhaps I’m not that man any longer.” With a huff, he set them into motion once again.
“I fear my life is coming apart at its very seams. Nothing is familiar to me except you, so when it seemed that you had disregarded what I wanted, what I asked of you…” He shook his head. “Disobeying orders is dangerous.”
Hot anger rose in her chest despite his defense of her. “It would behoove you to know that I’m not a member of your crew.”
“No, you are not. Thank the heavens for that.” He didn’t speak again until he’d handed her into a closed carriage, waiting in a short line of similar conveyances.
Had he rented it or borrowed it from a friend?
“You are fairly simmering like a kettle close to boil. Why?” he asked as he joined her inside the vehicle.
She watched with narrowed eyes while he took up the steps and closed the door himself. “I am not an object to be owned, regardless of what I have done in my life.”
“Don’t you think I know that?”
A knock on the roof of the carriage interrupted them. “I need a direction, Captain,” said the driver into the sudden silence.
Evan peered at her through the dim illumination, but she didn’t quite trust the wicked glimmer in his eyes. “Drive about Mayfair a time or two. Go around Hyde Park. It matters not to me, as I would like an uninterrupted conversation with Miss Ulrich, and it might take some time.”
“Very well, Captain. The Duke of Averly said you have the use of this carriage for as long as you wish.” Then the vehicle lurched into movement.
Ah, so it was borrowed, then. Had it occurred to him that he should settle himself in this new life? “Why the highhanded treatment back there? I’m already your mistress. There is no need to ‘win’ me.”
“I’m not trying to win you, but I do want you to remember that you are mine.”
“As if I could forget?” Fury mixed with heated lust in her chest until she panted from her efforts at remaining calm. “You tell me that each time we come together.”
“There is nothing wrong with that.” His eyes glinted in the dim light. “Yet you think there is. Why the hell are you out of temper with me? You were the one talking with a former client.”
“Not by my choice!” Hannah shook her head.
“I would think that a man trying to regain a ducal title would at least try to keep a low profile until he can curry society’s favor instead of acting pigheaded and challenging a man clearly his inferior to a fist fight!
Scratching about like a peacock is not attractive. ”
Laughter from the driver further annoyed her.
Evan glared at her. “I am not a peacock, but I do know where I stand in the pecking order.”
“Then act like it. You are a duke, for God’s sake. Stop making trouble by fighting over a mere mistress.”
“You aren’t a mere anything, Anna.” That small grin, coupled with the forming bruises on his face, drove her completely to distraction.
“Stop shrinking into corners or comparing yourself unfavorably to others. You are who you are; I am who I am. Those are the paths we’ve chosen to walk, but that doesn’t mean we are terrible people. ”
“Damn your eyes, Buckthorne.” Heat rose into her cheeks, for his words made her feel all too feminine and flattered.
“Why must you be so charming yet arrogant?” Before she could change her mind, she left her bench, and then leaning over, she smashed her lips to his in an attempt to distract him with a searing kiss.
He pulled away, breathing as heavily as she, and for the space of a few heartbeats, they stared at each other.
When she tried to return to her bench, Evan snaked a hand about her nape, dragged her to him, and when she sprawled awkwardly in his lap, he proceeded to kiss her senseless, and he wasn’t subtle about his intent.
The faint scent of his cologne blended with the primal smell of man invaded her senses, making her crave every part of him.
With a moan mixed with a cry of annoyance that she needed to break the kiss to shift positions, Hannah stirred.
The captain hauled her more firmly into his lap so she straddled him with the navy serge skirts of her walking dress rucked up about her thighs and hips.
“Why are you like this?” she breathed against his sensuous lips that cradled hers all too well. Though he was a harder version of the man she used to know, that didn’t detract of his charm.
“Why are you?” He framed her head with his hands then once more a series of frantic almost desperate kisses were exchanged. “What happened to you in the ten years we were apart that has made you so wary, so guarded? Especially around me.”
“I…” She blew out a breath of frustration. “Now is not the time to talk about it.”
“Fine.” A growl escaped him. “But I meant what I said. I don’t want you in any other man’s company except mine, for I have not had my fill of you yet.”
Well, that was outside of enough, but a thrill went down her spine all the same.
“You have no right to dictate my life. In fact, you gave that up when you left me and I thought you dead.” Then, because she wanted to tease him, she squirmed against him and felt the not-too-subtle hardness of his arousal.
Why do I want him as if he is the answer to everything?
“Damned tart mouthed woman,” he said on the heels of a groan.
In short order, he removed his gloves then tossed them to the bench beside him.
“I might not have that right, but you don’t deserve to be with a man who doesn’t appreciate you, the woman you never show anyone because you’re afraid of being vulnerable.
The woman I used to know.” Once more he claimed her lips, and there was so much authority in that gesture and the way he held her head steady that said far more than his absent words ever could.
Tears welled into her eyes, but there was no time for a reply.