Page 18 of Snowed In with the Runaway Bride

Hugo winced, but kept the smile on his face. “Someday, perhaps. For now, I am still a post-captain.”

“Ah, well.” The innkeeper clapped him on the shoulder. “A little patience, eh?”

Still smiling, Hugo steered the man out of the room, gently pushed Penny further inside, and closed the door, wincing as it scraped a little against the foot of the bed. He turned the key in the lock and faced Penny.

She was looking around the tiny room, clearly aghast. “I knew I should have said you were my brother.”

“And have me sleep out in the stables while you stay alone in an inn full of strange men? No. Not ever.” With a few brisk motions, he unbuttoned his snow-dampened greatcoat and tossed it onto the bed, followed by his hat. He glanced over at Penny, still clad in her bonnet and cloak, radiating resentment as she tugged at the ribbon tied beneath her chin with clumsy fingers.

“What’s the matter?”

“I can’t get my bonnet undone.”

She fumbled with the fastening of her cloak, her hands shaking, and he stripped off his gloves.

"Here. Allow me."

"All right." She tilted her chin back to give him a better view. The ribbons of the bonnet had tangled and knotted in the wind before becoming caught on the hooks of her cloak, creating quite a mess.

"Sit down. This may take a few minutes."

After a moment's hesitation, she seated herself on a stool in front of the fire, huddling in her cloak. She tilted her head back and he knelt in front of her, frowning slightly as he contemplated the knot.

"Would it be easier to cut it?"

"Not at all." He gently tugged at one loop. "If there's one thing sailors know, it's how to deal with a stubborn knot."

She sighed but sat patiently still with an occasional shiver, and he suppressed a smile. He knew how difficult it was for Penny to sit in one place, to be quiet and demure and act as a gentle young lady.

But after her long illness, it was for her own good. No one knew why or how a rheumatic fever caused damage to the heart, but she ought not to exert herself so.

He could not take that chance with her life. Not with Penny.

"Are you almost done?"

"Almost."

His bare hands hovered over the soft skin of her throat as he worked, warmth trickling up in the chilly room. He would only need to curl his fingers a tiny bit to caress her, to stroke his fingers against her and feel her response to him...

No.

His fingers flinched away from her, and he cursed softly as the knot tightened once again. He must control himself if he was to survive being in this close proximity to Penny.

She tilted her head down to look at him, hazel-green eyes full of innocent curiosity. He would only need to tilt his own head up by a few inches to brush his lips against hers.

"Is there anything I can do?"

Her gaze was mesmerizing, but he tore his away with an effort of will.

"No," he said, and nudged her chin back up to refocus on the knot until it came free at last.

After removing her bonnet, Hugo stripped off her damp gloves. He took her bare hands in his and frowned. They were still clammy and a little grey, and small shivers continued to rock her frame. He touched the cuff of her gown and found it was damp and cold despite her seat next to the fire.

“We need to get you out of these wet clothes and into bed before you fall ill.”

Her half-lidded eyes snapped open. “We can’t do that!”

“We must.” He pushed the unfastened cloak off her shoulders and helped her to her feet. She seemed even more unsteady than he had expected, and he caught her around the waist as she swayed.