Page 26 of A Scandal In July

“You’re just annoyed you didn’t think of it yourself,” she said, and was rewarded with a curl at the corner of his lips.

“True enough,” he conceded. “I would have done exactly the same to him, if our positions were reversed.”

In truth, Lenore wasn’t all that dismayed at being locked in another gloomy space with Rhys, but any hope that they could resume kissing was dispelled by the way he started to prowl around the space, looking for an alternative exit.

Her spirits deflated a little.

Was he tired of kissing her already? Had once been enough to satisfy his natural male curiosity? Had he not enjoyed it as much as she had?

He stomped to the back of the shed and stood, hands on hips, looking up at the small, semicircular window set high up on the back wall.

The slope of the hill meant that although the window was about six feet up the back wall of the shed, it was only a couple of feet above the grassy hillside outside. The bobbing heads of foxgloves and cornflowers could be seen tapping against the glass.

“You’re going to have to climb through that,” Rhys said decisively. “My shoulders are too big.”

Lenore smiled, delighted by the way he didn’t question either her ability or her willingness to do such a thing. The fact that he regarded her as a capable member of his team, as opposed to a fragile female who would be scandalized at the thought of climbing out of a window, made her inordinately happy.

She dragged the chair from the side of the room, and stood on it, but while she could reach up and undo the window latch and push open the large pane, she wasn’t high enough to climb out.

She glanced at Rhys over her shoulder and found him studying her back view, and bit back a grin. Hopefully he was enjoying the view.

“You’re going to have to give me a boost.”

He nodded, and she sucked in a breath as his strong hands slid around her waist. “No,” he muttered pensively, “that’s not going to work. You won’t get high enough. I’m going to have to lift you from lower down.

“Go on, then.”

He bent and wrapped his right arm around the front of her knees, pressing her legs together. The position put his cheek flush against the outside of her thigh, her bottom resting on his shoulder.

“This should do it. Up you go!” He straightened, and Lenore grabbed the window frame with both hands. She pushed her shoulders through the open casement, then her upper body, as Rhys pushed her lower half, his hands gripping her legs.

It was definitely not the most elegant position, and she struggled not to laugh as he abandoned all attempt at propriety and gave her bottom a firm push. His hands lingered much longer than necessary, too, and her stomach flipped at the feel of his broad palms cupping her hips, then sliding over the rounded curves of her arse. He gave them a gentle squeeze.

“Sorry!” He muttered from behind her. “Can’t be helped.”

Lenore kicked her heels to try to wriggle through the gap, and her left foot connected with something hard.

“Ow!” Rhys yelped. “Bloody Hell, woman, that was my nose!”

“Sorry!” She called back.

With one final push to her ankles, she managed to pull herself fully out of the window and collapsed, panting, on the grassy bank. She turned and peered back in at Rhys. He was holding his nose, and her eyes widened at the trickle of blood that seeped from beneath his cupped hand.

“Oh no! I’m so sorry!” she gasped again, filled with genuine remorse. “I couldn’t see what I was kicking. Is it broken?”

He felt along the ridge with his fingers, then wiped away the tiny smear of blood with his thumb. “It wouldn’t be the first time,” he said, “But no. Not from a little tap like that.”

She studied his nose intently, trying to see if there was a telltale kink in it, but he seemed to be telling the truth. His nose was as straight and as perfect as ever. Although he’d probably look just as handsome with a crooked nose.

Their positions, with him below, and her above, made her think of the scene from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, but Rhys was hardly the sort of man to linger outside a maiden’s bedroom window mooning over her beauty. He’d be more likely to scale the walls and claim a kiss, and more.

He waved his hands in an impatient gesture. “Don’t just stand there looking at my nose. It’s fine. Go around the front and see what Morgan’s barred the door with.”

Lenore scrambled to her feet, embarrassed at having been caught gazing at him like a lovesick puppy.

The doors had been barred with a stout log, angled to prevent their opening from within, and with a grunt she managed to roll it aside. Rhys emerged and she let out a shocked shriek as he caught her by the waist and spun her round in a celebratory little dance.

“Excellent work,” he said, his eyes crinkling at the corners.