could have sent a smaller sum.” She looked around her, awestruck by the exquisite carvings littering the chamber. He wasn’t merely a carpenter; he was an artist. “I liked the box even better,” she confessed in a throaty voice she hardly recognized. “Did you make it yourself?”
He halted right in front of her, his raw masculinity as compelling as it was daunting. His sweetish, musky scent instantly reminded her of their brief kiss on the bench. Everything came back to her: his quickly drawn breath, his warm, supple lips molded to hers, and then his tongue flicking shockingly, erotically at hers, branding her with his whiskey-spiced taste forever.
A sharp tremor shot through her body. She wanted to kiss him again, and touch him, very badly, but she didn’t dare risk another rejection.
His eyes darkened. “Christ, Isabel! Why won’t you let sleeping dogs lie?” he growled, as though he had read her mind. “Nothing good will come of this. Believe me.”
She didn’t want to hear that. “I need to know—what made you change your mind?”
“I didn’t change my mind. You solicited active participation. I gave you money.”
“Still, you were quite adamant the—”
“The message on your card was effective,” he bit out grudgingly. “You are a formidable sharpshooter, Isabel Aubrey. When you take aim, you hit your mark at its softest spot each time.”
“I apologize. My intention was—”
“Don’t apologize to me. Ever. God knows I’ve a lot more I ought to apologize to you for.”
She flushed to the roots of her hair. He was alluding to that infernal kiss he had scorned. Damn him. “I came to convince you to join our cause.” She was all businesslike from then on. “I know you said you didn’t attend Parliament or move in Society anymore, but I would greatly appreciate your commentary on this.” She offered him the leather brief.
“What’s this?” He took the brief and quickly thumbed through it.
“Our bill proposal. I told you about it. I haven’t had a chance to read it myself yet, but—”
“What makes you think I know anything about legislation?” He skimmed the pages.
“In Will’s words—you are the man with the special skills.” She smiled challengingly.
“My skills are many and varied, but you already have my answer.” He returned the file.
Blast. “There is something else. We need the army’s lists.”
“Go up to my library.” He shrugged nonchalantly. “I’ve the army lists, the navy lists…”
“You don’t seem to understand. We need the lists of casualties, including terms of service, ranks, salaries, and other pertinent details to prepare an estimate of the cost the new bill should entail. You’re the only person I know who might have access to army personnel files.”
“Army personnel files? That’s classified information! No one would give you those files.”
She felt like stomping her foot. On his. “How in blazes is a civic-minded person expected to improve anything in this country?”
“You’re not. Which is why we have Lords and Commons and a monarch.”
She eyed him irately. “You won’t lift a finger to help me?”
“My contribution to your cause ended with the five thousand pounds donation.” When she fell silent, duly chastised, he sauntered to a side table. He uncorked a semi-full wine bottle and poured red wine into two glasses. “Look, I’ve had my crusade,” he explained. “Now all I want is to enjoy my private existence, despite its drawbacks.” He returned to put a wineglass in her hand and knocked his glass against hers. “Cheers.”
They drank in silence, sustaining eye-contact. Did he find the experience as intimate and titillating as she did, she wondered as the flavorsome elixir glided down her throat. Long ago she would have sold her soul to the Devil to share such a moment with him. Say something! “What sort of wine is this? Not Madeira, I daresay.” Delicately she licked a red drop off her lip.
Her subtle gesture riveted him. “Madeira is for debutantes and well-manicured dandies.”
Intrigued, she took another sip. “You may think me silly, but this wine is…”
“Multifaceted? Like a person.” He nodded. He whirled the remaining wine in his glass and inhaled the fumes. “It’s Navarrese. Fruity, provocative, smooth, and full of hidden meaning…I bought dozens of cases in Spain and had them shipped home.”
“Listening to you, I feel so green and uninformed,” she confessed, blushing.
“Don’t. It makes me feel old and jaded.” He tipped his head back, emptying his glass.
The sight of a red drop gliding down his bare throat enticed her beyond reason. She shook herself. “What sort of drawbacks do you find in solitude?”
“Several.”
Perhaps that was the key. If she knew what he missed most in life, she could offer to fulfill this void, get closer to him, and thus keep him in her life. “Name one.”
“Celibacy.”
She sputtered her wine.
A wicked glow spread in his sea green irises. “You asked.”
Perhaps he might not be as unresponsive as she had assumed if she undressed before him, but there would be no victory in that. According to her knowledgeable friend, Sophie, a man who desired women and a man who desired a woman were two very different beasts. “I had luncheon with one of your former officers today,” she mentioned casually, returning sideways to her old topic. “Ryan Macalister. He’s a major now. Even he thought you’d make the best sponsor to our cause, and I haven’t told him anything—”
“Is he courting you?”
His harsh tone startled her. “What if he is?”
“You don’t want Macalister, Isabel. Stay away from him.” He set his empty glass aside.
“My lord, I do not appreciate vague hints and arbitrary commands.”
He stared at her. “You want a reason? Fine. Ryan Macalister will break your heart.”
Was he serious? Didn’t he have an inkling of what he had done to her heart? Of course not. Charming rakes never did, particularly when the hearts they crushed were too young to be of any import. Suppressing her old resentment, she dissembled, “I had no idea you predicted futures, my lord. How very clever of you.”
He took a step toward her. “I mean it, Izzy. Stay away from Macalister. He’s not for you.”
He almost sounded jealous, which didn’t make sense. Looking up into his eyes, she asked, “Are you warning me off because he is penniless?” All she got in return was a fierce, unreadable glower. She set her empty glass next to
