Twice Tempted by a Rogue (Stud Club #2)(55)

She stared at him. A whole parade of emotions marched through those silvery eyes. Surprise, desire, vulnerability, disappointment … something he fancied might be genuine affection.

“How can you say such things to a woman and not take her directly to bed?” she asked. “It’s cruel, I tell you. Cruel.”

“It’s a cruel, cruel world,” he teased. In a serious tone, he added, “It’s not only about bedding you, I hope you know. I want to take care of you. I can’t bear to see you working so hard.” He cast a glance around the humble kitchen. “Once we’re married, I’ll rescue you from all this.”

“But I don’t want to be rescued from all this. This is my life. I enjoy working here, just as you’ve enjoyed building that house.” Her hand went to his wounded head. “If anyone needs rescuing, it’s you. You’re in danger here, the longer you stay.”

“I keep telling you—”

“You keep telling me you’re indestructible. And I’m telling you, I just scraped your unconscious body off the floor.” Her hands laced behind his neck. “Don’t go back to the moor alone. Stay with me tonight.”

“I can’t.” He stood, setting her on her feet as he did. “I should be going.”

He couldn’t imagine staying under this roof without bedding her. And this night was not going to be their first night. Just as well. With his throbbing head, he wouldn’t have been in top lovemaking form.

“It’s all right out there,” he assured her. “Just two more weeks, two more rises—and the walls will be done. The paring and timbers … another week, maybe. Then all it will need is some thatch and a few coats of limewash. Well, and window glass, doors, shutters. And furnishings. I’ll be making some trips to Plymouth over the next few weeks, to place orders.”

Calming, she made a slow circle of the room. “There are things I’ll be needing for the new guest rooms, too.” She smoothed her hair with her hands. “When you go, may I send a list with you?”

“I suppose.”

She began ticking items off on her fingers. “Old Mr. Farrell will make me the furniture, but I’ll be needing mattresses. And washbasins, chamber pots, fabric for bedding and curtains …”

“Wait, wait. I know nothing about fabrics.”

“I know nothing about Plymouth. I’ve never been farther than Tavistock. And …” She bit her lip. “And I don’t really know what a guest of quality expects, anyhow. I mean, I try to ask roundabout, when travelers come through. But you’re a lord. You’ve traveled all over England and the Continent besides. You’ll know far better than I how to select quality goods.”

The idea struck him—so swift, so brilliant—his head ached with it. A smile pulled at his mouth as he massaged his pounding temple. “You’ll have to come with me,” he said.

“To Plymouth?”

“No, not to Plymouth. If you want guest rooms fit for people of quality, you ought to go where they go, shop where they shop. You’ll come with me to Bath.”

Oh, it was so beautiful—that bright shimmer of excitement in her eyes, before her practical nature doused it.

“Are you mad? I can’t go to Bath. It must be two days’ journey in either direction.”

“I’ll hire a coach to drive us straight through. If we leave before dawn, we can manage it in one day.”

“And what of the inn? Who’ll take care of the inn?”

Rhys looked toward the bar. “Who’s taking care of it right now? You said yourself Cora’s doing well. Between her and Darryl and your father, they’ll manage without you for a few days.”

She crossed her arms. “We can’t travel alone together. It’s not proper.”

“Who in this village is going to care? But if you’re anxious about how it will look to strangers, we’ll present ourselves as a married couple at the hotel. For appearances only.”

“For appearances only?” She arched a brow.

“I’ll be a perfect gentleman. You did want romance.” Oh, yes. This was how he was going to get everything he wanted. Meredith’s body and her troth. By giving her a taste of her future life as Lady Ashworth.

“A perfect gentleman? Truly?” She leaned one hip on the counter. “Do you really think you’ll be able to spend all day with me in a private coach, then night after night in the same room, with one bed, and still resist temptation?”

He pretended to think on it. “No.”

She shook her head and laughed.

“You’ll come with me, then?” he asked.

“Yes. Yes, I’ll come with you. Fool that I am. I’d like to see Bath once in my life.”

“It’s only the beginning,” he told her. “There are so many places we could travel together. We could see the country, Merry. The Continent too, if you like. There’s a whole world out there to be discovered.”

“Funny. There’s a whole world out there. And the one place I’m interested in discovering with you is the underside of a bedsheet.”

“I understand they have bedsheets in Bath.”

She smiled. “One night, Rhys. Your perfect gentleman act won’t last. You’ll be sharing my bed before the night’s out.”