Page 16 of A Talent for Temptation

“Then have Gregory’s gig brought around at once.”

Nunley hurried to do as she asked, and a few minutes later she was driving the gig, scouring the street for Quinn. It didn’t take her long to find him. He was walking slowly along, seemingly deep in thought.

She pulled up next to him. When Quinn didn’t even look up, she called out his name. He halted to glance over at her.

“Get in,” she said.

“I don’t think that’s wise,” he said, pain in every word.

Oh, Lord, she’d really hurt him. “Get in, or I’ll abduct you. And this will be a real abduction. I have a knife, you know.”

“The one I left lying on your steps?” he said dryly.

“I picked it up on my way out the door,” she lied.

“Damn it, Meriel—”

“You did say you would let me stab you a thousand times if it would get me to forgive you for deceiving me.”

He stared hard at her, then came closer. “So you’re planning to take me up on that, are you?”

Her heart was in her throat. “I’d prefer that you got in so I could say my piece in private.”

He glanced away, clearly distraught. “Meriel, I can’t go through this anymore, with your doubts and—”

“I want to marry you, Quinn.”

For a moment, his throat worked convulsively. Then his eyes hardened, and he cocked his head at her. “This isn’t some plot of Fulkham’s to gain a spy inside Raines Bank, is it?”

She supposed she couldn’t blame him for thinking that. “If it is, he didn’t tell me. And I wouldn’t go along with it anyway. I told him I’m done with spying forever.” She planted her hands on her hips. “Now, would you please get in this carriage before I really do have to abduct you?”

“I have a better idea.” Taking her by surprise, he hoisted her down from the gig, then kissed her fervently, making her toes curl and her body turn to mush. When he drew back, he murmured, “Say what you’re going to say. Right here, right now.”

She gazed up into his eyes. “I love you. I forgive you. What else do you need me to say to make you stay?”

The look that came over his face was full of love and tenderness. “That’s all I need,” he answered, and brushed a soft, tender kiss to her lips. “If you mean it.”

“I do.” She cupped his head in her hands. “I’ve been so afraid to let you in, to let my heart have free rein. But much as I hate to admit it, your pretend abduction made me realize that I would be lost without you.”

He broke into a grin. “Nowthatis a decidedly better answer than before.”

They kissed again, this time in an expression of love and, yes, hope for the future. When at last they broke apart, she teased, “I may abduct you anyway.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “Why?”

“Because I can think of no other way to have you to myself for the next few hours.”

“Darling,” he said, tugging her back into his arms, “all you have to do is ask.”