Page 16 of Sir Hugo Seeks a Wife (Cinderellas of Mayfair #1)

I surrender myself to you.

All I have and am I yield.

Promise you’ll be ever true.

Your love will make me healed.

The prospect of Hugo walking out of this room and out of Athene’s life had jammed the breath in her lungs until she was dizzy.

However right her decision might be, his rejection would destroy her.

While she waited in agonizing suspense for his answer, she couldn’t help remembering how stubborn he was.

His assent, even if grudging, left her tottering with relief. She wanted him so much. Her desire made a mockery of caution. Perhaps this was another mistake, but the chance to scale the heights of pleasure with Hugo made the risk worthwhile.

In the meantime, he might have yielded, but he wasn’t happy. “I assume you have more conditions.”

He didn’t like losing, although when he returned to his senses, he’d concede that she’d made the only choice possible.

If as a girl, she’d obeyed the rules of the world that she’d been born into, she would be a fitting bride.

But she hadn’t. That little word “if” carried such terrible power. “You can’t ask me to marry you again.”

He shook his head. “I don’t agree to that.”

She laced her fingers together at her waist. “What hope of happiness will we have if you’re always pestering me for something I can’t give you?”

That jaw set in its familiar mulish line. “You’re afraid that I mean to nag you into the ground. I don’t. I’ll ask once a day.”

“No. Once a week.” Only when she saw his smirk did she realize that he’d played her.

“Agreed.”

Despite everything that she’d said, he hadn’t given up the idea of marriage. One day he would. After he realized that on this matter, she could not be swayed. She could be stubborn, too. “If I want to end our liaison, you’ll let me go without protest.”

“Don’t be a nuisance, in other words,” he said sourly.

“If that’s how you like to put it.”

“And what if our liaison never ends?”

“All liaisons end, one way or another. I don’t just write poems for courting gentlemen. I write poems for those same gentlemen to send to their mistresses.” She paused. “What?”

It rankled that Hugo regarded her with what looked like pity. “I hate the way life has beaten all the hope out of you. You’re too young to be this cynical.”

She stiffened, although she admired his gallant heart, even if it did nothing but cause her trouble. “And you’re too clever to be such a romantic.”

He didn’t remark on that. “Is that the last of your terms?”

Athene cast around for some other condition. She’d gone to a man’s bed as defenseless as a newly hatched chick when she was a girl, too overcome with her first taste of passion to protect herself. Was there something else she should demand? Nothing came to mind. “I…I think so.”

“You don’t ask for much.”

“I could ask you to guard my reputation and treat me with respect, but if I didn’t believe you’d do both of those things, we wouldn’t have this conversation.”

“Thank you.”

She spread her hands in inquiry. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Do you have any demands?”

To her surprise, that elicited a low laugh so full of sensual anticipation, the hairs rose on her skin. “Of course I have demands, my darling.”

“Not those sort of demands,” she said, blushing again. The way he called her his darling made her want to melt. A warning, should she need it, that her emotions were involved here as well as her physical needs. The prospect of eventual devastation loomed closer.

But she’d been desolate without him this last fortnight. Since she’d sent him away, she’d ached to call him back. Now even though they negotiated like a pair of lawyers, she felt complete again.

Hugo shrugged. She could tell he forgave her for coming out ahead in their wrangling. “I want you, Athene. That’s enough to go on with for now. I imagine we’ll work things out.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re such an optimist.”

“And you’re such a pessimist.”

A heavy sigh escaped her. “I don’t know how this affair will ever succeed.”

“Of course it will succeed.” He smiled at her as if she held up the sun in the sky.

She’d missed that unstinting admiration, much as she knew she didn’t deserve it. She’d worked so hard to go unnoticed in London, so it made no sense to revel in Sir Hugo’s appreciation. But whenever she saw that light in his eyes, her lonely heart expanded with joy.

Somewhere the discussion had moved from a prickly negotiation of terms to the sort of back and forth that marked their earlier interactions. Despite her worries, she relaxed into his presence. He had a magic ability to smooth her sharp edges.

“More optimism?”

“It’s my middle name.”

She couldn’t suppress a short laugh. “You’re a sentimental fool, Hugo Brinsmead.” With every second, her tension eased. Apart from the tension she felt because she was frantic for him to touch her. “Do you think you might kiss me?”

His smile broadened as he advanced. “Only a fool would say no.”

As she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest, she couldn’t contain a sob.

She’d just endured two abysmal weeks. She’d feared that she’d never see him again.

She’d feared that those few kisses were all she’d have.

Knowing that they were together now, however long their union lasted, filled her with choking gratitude.

His encircling embrace provided an immediate sensation of safety.

Which was preposterous, when today’s plans put her in danger as she hadn’t been in danger for years.

But that didn’t stop her nestling closer.

The memory of his warm body and his clean male scent had haunted her, ever since she’d sent him away at Sylvie’s.

Now that warmth seeped into her, when she’d been so cold without him.

She breathed in that spicy scent, seeking to capture his essence and keep it forever.

“Athene, sweetheart, don’t cry,” he murmured with such care that her vulnerable heart cramped.

“I can’t help it,” she admitted in a constricted voice. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“Silly girl,” he said, his bass voice a lovely rumble in her ears. “One word from you and I’d have been here faster than lightning.”

“I’m sure you didn’t expect to start our affair with me weeping all over you,” she said, struggling to sound as if her uncharacteristic fit of tears meant nothing.

He gave a grunt of amusement. “I’m made of solid Yorkshire rock, built to withstand snow and wind and storm. A few tears won’t hurt me, lass.”

“I love it when you call me lass.” It made her bones dissolve like sugar.

He settled her closer. “Then I’ll do it all the time, lass.”

“It’s less of a mouthful than Athene.”

“Believe me, Athene’s better than Aphrodite.”

She gave a watery giggle. “My father had a taste for Greek mythology. I thought I’d continue the tradition when it came to an alias.”

“You sound like you’re fond of him.” Hugo seemed surprised.

She pulled away far enough to stare into his rugged features. “He spoiled me when I was a little girl, so of course I loved him. I ran wild for most of my childhood. I’m sure he’s regretted his lenience since.”

“It’s been a long time. Have you tried to make contact?”

Wry humor lengthened her lips. “More sentimentality, Hugo? Imagining family reunions?”

He cupped her jaw with a tenderness that penetrated her soul. “Your family has missed out on a treat, not knowing you.”

She turned her face to kiss his broad palm. “You’re too kind.”

Athene saw that he didn’t like her making light of his praise. “You know, one day soon you’re going to have to tell me the whole story.”

“No more secrets?”

“No more secrets.”

“That’s rather alarming.” It was utterly terrifying.

When his eyes focused on her mouth, excitement gripped her. “It’s alarming how much I want to kiss you.”

“That I can help with,” she whispered, surging up on her toes.

The heat of his lips made her feel alive.

She tangled shaking hands in the thick silk of his hair.

He brought her flush with his powerful body and kissed her as if he starved.

With a throaty sound, she parted her lips.

His tongue slipped through to explore her mouth with devastating effect.

By the time he raised his head, she hung off him because her knees had turned to water.

“We should talk.”

His purposeful voice made her heart sink. She’d much rather keep kissing him. “Must we?”

His eyes sparked. “Athene…”

This kiss lasted longer. Hugo angled her back, but only as her bottom bumped the desk did she realize what was about to happen.

Her heart raced, and her blood was on fire.

It was a struggle to remember why they had to stop.

Demand throbbed in the pit of her stomach, and her body softened in readiness for his.

On this desk, she’d written so often about other people’s passions.

The idea of Hugo taking her here crashed through her like a tidal wave.

With a last grab for prudence, she pulled away. Struggling to drag air into her lungs, she flattened her palm against his chest. “We can’t, Hugo. Not here. Sylvie has customers.”

Heaven help her, Sylvie could walk in on them at any time.

Hugo leaned into her hand, focusing on her face. A flush marked his cheeks, and his eyes glittered with barely contained desire. He looked fierce and overwrought. How she loved her effect over him. Given he could destroy her with a word, it made her feel more like his equal.

“I want you,” he grated out.

She knew he did. When they’d kissed, his hardness had pressed against her stomach. Her attention dropped to the tented front of his breeches. She’d long ago realized that he was big all over.

“Don’t,” he said on a groan, briefly closing his eyes.

She blushed to realize that she’d licked her lips at the prospect of all that potent maleness filling her. “I want you, too,” she confessed and gave a cracked laugh at his flare of interest. “No, don’t kiss me again. Not here.”