Page 56 of Once Upon a Midnight Dream

He might not know his name or where he came from, but at his core, he knew he was an honorable man.

More importantly, Lilly was a lady, and he would not treat her like a dockside harlot and take her upon the dining room table.

Imagine the scandal.

Her eyes wide and still slightly dazed, Lilly put two shaky fingers to her lips.

With a single glance, anyone with an iota of common sense would comprehend what had occurred between them.

“I…I did not know a kiss could be like that,” Lilly whispered, dazed.

Most kisses are not, darling.

Unrepentant masculine pride roared through Zander’s veins.

Out of sheer preservation against giving into his baser instincts, he tore his gaze from her and picked up the letter. “Shall we see what it says?”

Shifting her befuddled attention to the small rectangle, she gave a reluctant nod, the lock of blonde hair bouncing near her temple. “In my office, though.”

Because she wanted to protect his privacy, or because she did not want to chance a servant seeing her response? As stalwart as she had shown herself to be these past weeks, Zander still suspected the latter.

They strode in silence to her office.

Was she reliving their torrid kiss? For he sure the hell was.

Shoulders squared, chin up, she marched slightly ahead of him.

Why did it feel as though this was a march to the gallows?

Despite the somberness of the moment, Zander could not help but admire her composure and strength.

And the marvelous sway of her plump derriere.

A delectable derriere he yearned to smooth his hands over, preferably sans her clothing.

You are a hopeless libertine.

Part of Zander wanted to seize the letter and toss it into the fire, and another part could not wait to see what it said. He may not remember who he was, or if he was married, but by God, he absolutely knew that never had a woman had him at such sixes and sevens before.

Once inside Lilly’s office, she closed the door.

Rather than sit behind her desk, she sank onto the oak framed settee, covered in dark blue worsted wool.

She gestured to a nearby armchair.

“Please, make yourself comfortable, Zander.”

She had never taken on airs with him or any of the other staff.

Just another thing to raise her in his esteem.

Zander took a position near the unlit fireplace. Though the middle of October, to save on fuel, Lilly only permitted fires lit in occupied rooms.

Her diligent management and economizing ensured the continuation of the children’s home. Many formally trained men could not attain and maintain what she had. That spoke to her intellect, entrepreneurial spirit, and keen insight and perception.

“No, thank you.” He clasped his hands behind his back. “If you do not object, I would rather stand.”

“Not at all.” She cracked the seal and swiftly scanned the letter.