Part 12 (1/2)

”George? What's going on?” Rose looked from Julian to George and back. ”Why is he threatening you?”

Julian glared at George, folding his arms over his chest. ”Talk to her.”

Rose stepped toward them, her forehead wrinkled. ”Talk to me about what?”

Behind her, Emma pressed her lips together and her eyes were bright. It did wonders to lift the fury tensing the muscles across Julian's shoulders and down his back. She looked as if she was fighting off a smile, but as George remained silent, the urge to hit him roared back.

”George, isn't there something you wanted to say to Miss Adams?” Julian had to push the words out.

”I-er-that is, I-”

m.u.f.fling an oath, Julian jabbed him in the back. George stumbled forward, b.u.mping into the piecrust table nestled against the arm of a sofa. Julian winced as a small porcelain figure wobbled then hit the floor, where it shattered on contact.

”I beg your pardon,” George stammered, kneeling to pick up the shattered remains of the figurine.

Julian rubbed one temple as George set the pile of china bits on the table with utmost care. It wouldn't take much for him to break another figure over George's head, if he didn't say something soon.

Then George cleared his throat. ”Yes, Rose. May I have a word with you?”

”About what?”

”About-well, about-”

”Just say it,” Julian gritted.

”Mr. Hadley, what do you want?” Emma slid her arm about Rose's shoulders, as if to protect her.

”I need to speak with Miss Adams.”

He said it without even a hint of that annoying stammer. He sounded so much stronger than he had only minutes earlier. Julian stared at him as if he'd never seen him before.

She folded her arms over her chest and stared up at them, not smiling. ”What makes you think I wish to speak with you?”

Julian ducked his head to hide his grin. For a moment, she sounded exactly like Emma, although Emma would have hit him by now.

”Miss Adams, please...it will only take a moment.”

Julian's grin faded. What if he'd managed to get George to admit the truth about Darcy, only to have Rose decide she was done with him altogether? Emma would never let up if she couldn't fix what she saw as her doing.

Rose stared at George, her lips pursing and then returning to normal. ”What's this about, George?”

”I want to explain...” He rubbed the back of his neck and shuffled his feet. ”About Miss Penrose.”

”I see.”

The silence in the room grew uncomfortably long, broken only by the gentle tap of Rose's forefinger on her arm. ”What about her?”

”Well, I-” George cast a glance at Julian, as if he was afraid Julian would poke him again.

”Miss Adams, please...Just hear me out.”

”Very well. What is it?” Rose asked, her voice tight.

Emma came around Rose and her fingers brushed Julian's. He caught himself before he sucked in a sharp breath when her hand slipped into his. Aside from that first jolt, it felt natural, as did her fingers threading through his, but as their skin touched, electricity crackled between them.

Rose glanced over at them through narrow eyes, and Julian took the hint. Privacy. Very well. That was fine with him, as he had no desire to witness this anyway. Tugging gently on Emma's hand, he murmured, ”They can figure this part out on their own. I think it safe to say we've done all we can do here.”

”Thank you,” Rose called as Julian steered Emma back toward the door. He raised a hand in response then guided Emma through the doorway. There, he pulled the door closed to lean against them. ”I think we might have been successful. If neither decides to be stubborn, anyway.”

But instead of smiling, Emma looked downcast. ”I'm not so certain that's a good thing now. She seemed quite insistent to me that Miss Penrose was doing her a great favor by trying to nab George from her.” The skin between her brows creased. Her fingertips went white as she pinched the bridge of her nose. ”And now she's having second thoughts about him.”

”Well, it's in their hands now.” He fought to keep his gaze from wandering down to the enticing slope of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. It wasn't easy, as the low scalloped neckline of her gown offered up such an enticing view. He could almost feel those small, firm mounds in his palms, could almost feel her soft nipples as they hardened beneath his thumbs.

Now was not the time to be thinking such scarlet thoughts, but unfortunately, once the floodgate opened, he couldn't stop them. He wanted to kiss the frown from her lips and smooth that crease between her brows. He wanted to peel the layers of silk and linen from her body, to pin her beneath him, to feel her wrap all around him as he drove into her.

He rubbed his forehead as if that would make the l.u.s.ty thoughts leave his mind. It did nothing of the sort. If anything, the ache inside him worsened. His breeches grew tighter. The empty corridor stretching in both directions served as a reminder that it would be too easy to pull her into one of the empty rooms and ravish her until they were both breathless and sated.

”Julian?” Her voice broke through the fog steaming his mind as her hand came to rest on his forearm, and his entire body snapped to attention. ”Are you all right?”

He cleared his throat. ”I'm fine. It's been a long day, and the next few don't promise to be any shorter.”

Her hand remained on his arm. Her warmth seeped into him. l.u.s.t wove through it, growing stronger as it spread through him. An odd buzzing filled his head, made it spin. A heaviness settled into his groin. d.a.m.n it. It was going to drive him mad if he wasn't careful. Every bit as mad as gossips hinted he was.

That broke the stranglehold of l.u.s.t on his body.

”Are you still planning on leaving for Boston?”

When Darcy looked up at him through lowered lashes, he felt nothing. But when Emma did it, it made thinking clearly almost impossible. His tongue felt thick, sluggish to form sounds.

”Yes.” He managed to push out.

The tip of her tongue darted out to touch the middle of her bottom lip, and the fist tightened on him again. So much for relief. ”Don't do that,” he gritted.

Her eyes widened with innocence. ”Do what?”

Without thinking, he caught her by the chin and dragged his thumb over her bottom lip.

It was soft and supple and he didn't miss the sharp intake of her breath or the sudden stiffness of her spine. Her eyelashes fluttered, lowering to lay against her cheeks like sooty crescents. When she peered up through the fringe, he almost groaned. Did she have any idea what that heavy-lidded gaze invited?

Desire spilled into him like boiling water into a mug, scorching him from the inside out.

As he grazed her lip again, she caught his thumb between both lips to gently suck. It was as if being struck by a bolt of lightning. Heat smoked through him, and when she looked up at him without a hint of shyness, he couldn't keep the groan held back any longer.

”d.a.m.n.” The whispered oath slipped free before he could halt it. ”Emma...”

Her tongue was like a ribbon of damp velvet as it caressed the side of his thumb.