Page 39 of The Earl’s Entanglement

Now she was confused. Emma had only come here to apologize. And she’d done that, so it was time for her to—

“You said one other thing to Alex and Clara.”

Emma tried to swallow again, but her throat was too dry. The tightness in her chest was getting worse. Why did he have to be so blasted good-looking? So self-assured yet intense.

And what else had she said? Emma couldn’t remember. She’d told Clara—

“You said there was nothing to fear from me.”

Oh. That.

“But you already know that isn’t true.”

“It’s not?” She refused to believe him. Emma had no idea what the stirring deep inside her meant, but it was certainly not fear.

“It’s not. And I mean to show you why.”

* * *

To hell with restraint.

There was only so much of it to be had, and Garrick had used up his share during that hellish meal. While it was true he had no desire to see Emma and Graeme together, it may have been preferable to imagining it.

He stopped thinking. He broke every rule of his training, both on the battlefield and off, and pulled Emma into the room. Closing the door behind her, he restrained himself enough not to kiss her at least. Instead, he gave in to another impulse and reached up to touch the hair that lay across her shoulders.

“Beautiful.” Silky, as he’d imagined. “Are you nervous?”

“Nay.”

“You’re not afraid of me, Emma?”

“Nay,” she said, her voice both strong and sensual.

“I am,” he said. “Afraid.” He’d never spoken such a raw truth in his life.

“Why?” She tossed back his earlier question.

“Because this cannot be.” He dropped the strands of hair, which fell back onto her gown.

“Then why did you pull me in here?”

Rather than wait for an answer, Emma reached up and placed her palm on his cheek. His body jolted as if it had been asleep for a lifetime. Her touch branded him.

She held her hand there for a moment longer and then moved her thumb just slightly. With that simple touch, so innocent and slight, his cock hardened as if she’d just offered to climb atop him.

God’s gates.

Nay, he’d never be allowed entry to heaven. But if hell had gates . . .

“For the same reason I kissed you before.”

Emma dropped her hand, and they stood there staring at each other. Every instinct told him to reach for her, pull her toward him. Kiss her, ravish her. Make love to her until she moaned with every pleasure he could show her. But there was a thin ribbon of restraint left in him yet.

“Why did you allow yourself to come inside?” he asked.

“You know why.”

Oh God. “Emma, this is so wrong. More so than the kiss I stole in that darkened corridor. I am to be married. You are an innocent under my protection. Not deserving of this treatment from me. If we were to be discovered here . . .”