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“Well, it was a little amusing, but your aunt’s friends are quite the handful. And to think I thought I had rambunctious friends.”

“I would have thought they would need to be to keep up with you.”

Her lips pursed but her eyes remained twinkling gemstones of amusement. “You really have me marked as quite the unruly woman, do you not, Mr. Hunter?”

“I think you quite like the label.” He inched closer, forcing her to lift her chin to meet his gaze. “I think you would loathe being called boring.”

“For someone who has only known me a short while, you certainly do declare to know me quite well, Mr. Hunter.” She folded her arms in front of her chest, and he could not help drop his gaze briefly to eye the swells of her breasts that were framed perfectly with tiny stitching on the neckline of her yellow gown.

“I think you can call me Reuben now. After all, I know you quite well.”

“Not Roo? Or Roo Roo?”

He lifted a brow. “Not if you want an answer.”

She tilted her head. “Reuben,” she said experimentally. The sound of his name on her lips gave him more pleasure than it should have. “You know, you believe you have me all figured out, but I do not think I understand you.”

“What is to understand?”

“Well, my first day here, you were ready to have me flung out of the house and sent back to wherever I came from. Butnow…now you are being practically nice to me! It is quite strange indeed, Reuben.”

“Believe it or not, I am capable of being nice,” he said, aware his tone had turned gruff due to her proximity. “And I am actually usually a good judge of character. Perhaps…just perhaps I misjudged you, Angel.”

Her eyes widened, and her lips parted. When her gaze locked onto his and he saw the darkening of her pupils, he knew he should never have admitted such a thing. Yes, he had misjudged her, and yes he liked her now, but that did not mean she was not entirely wrong for him. Hell, he still didn’t understand why she was here. Maybe it was all one big game for her.

Except any hint of amusement had gone. It grew difficult to breathe, each inhale and exhale felt weighted with anticipation. He leaned closer, just an experiment, but she did not move back. He couldn’t fathom how or why, but she wanted him to kiss her.

And he’d be damned if he could deny her a kiss.

Reuben put a hand to her cheek, a featherlight caress. He heard her inhale. Tracing a path down, he curved his hand around her neck, never breaking eye contact. As he moved closer, her lids fluttered closed. He savored the image of her lashes fanning across her cheeks briefly before—

A crash followed by a scream came from the drawing room. He jerked back, and Angel’s eyes flew open.

“Oh no!” She dashed into the drawing room before he’d even managed to get his thoughts straight.

He followed her in, his palms clammy to spot his aunt clutching her hand, blood welling between her finger tips. A broken cup sat nearby.

“Reuben, do you have a handkerchief?” Angel demanded.

He swung his gaze to her and nodded. “Yes.”

“Then give it to me!” She thrust out a demanding hand.

Reuben tugged the handkerchief from his pocket and pressed it into her hand. Angel made swift work of binding what looked like a deep cut and urged his aunt to hold her hand in the air.

“This will help the bleeding slow,” Angel explained, while his aunt’s friends fussed and squawked and generally got in the way. Which was how he was feeling right now.

In the way.

Angel had already taken care of anything and was now uttering soothing words to Aunt Jean.

“I think we need a doctor, Reuben. Can you send for one?” Angel asked.

He blinked and nodded. “Yes. I’ll go myself.”

He stole one last look at Angel clasping her aunt’s hand and stroking her hair. Yes, he had to admit it. He’d been entirely wrong about Lady Angel Templeton.

Chapter Nine