Page 150 of Snowbound Surrender

Did she know that when she leaned in as she was now, she was giving him a full view of her breasts? Probably not, and he wasn’t going to say anything.

“No, that was not the only reason,” he said gruffly. “While his summons is what provided me with the impetuous to return, there was more to it. I was hoping to convince you to be my wife in more than name, to return to London with me.”

He could read her through her eyes, the way they darkened when she was angry, or when the gold in them sparked when she was pleased, as she had been when he began his sentence, though she looked down at her soup now, shutting them off from him completely at his words regarding his return.

“I am not returning to London.”

“Let’s not speak of it now,” he said, not wanting to argue. He reached across the table and covered one of her hands with his. “At the moment, we’re here together. It’s Christmas. And we have much to celebrate.”

“Oh?”

“Indeed,” he said, his lips widening in a suggestive smile. The footmen came and went, removing the soup course and replacing it with goose. Hunter found the knife and began toslice it, plucking a piece from the serving tray and placing it on Scarlett’s plate.

“I believe we have made progress,” he continued. “You no longer run from the room when I enter. You actually respond to me when I speak to you. And, Scarlett, I think you may actually be feeling something for me.”

She started at that, nearly jumping out of her chair.

“Why would you think that?” she asked, her voice just over a whisper.

“You haven’t turned me away. You haven’t run.”

“I want to.”

“Why?”

“Because…” Her voice broke slightly.

The goose forgotten between them, Hunter surreptitiously waved away the footmen, who nodded and slipped out the door into Oak Hall. Hunter picked up Scarlett’s hand, which was still underneath his, clasping it, palm to palm, wrapping his fingers around it in silent encouragement for her to share more with him.

“Because I decided that even you, Hunter Tannon, deserve a Christmas gift.” She grinned, and confusion spread through Hunter at her obvious coverage of what she had been about to say. She continued to deliberately avoid him, to push him away — but why? Though he supposed he should take the teasing, jesting wife over the sullen and cold one she had been before.

“I’m a lucky man, then,” he said, squeezing her fingers, “for I have received not only my gift of a pocket watch, but my wife as well.”

Her eyes flashed at him as she seemed to understand what he was saying and a slight smile crossed her face.

He had come to realize that smile was part of her defense, and he wasn’t surprised when she leaned back from him, pulling her hand away. Her emotions were guarded once more, but hehad made inroads into her thoughts, had begun to develop a connection that — he hoped — would only strengthen over time.

“Do you fancy some dessert?” she asked.

Did he ever.

CHAPTER 15

Because I don’t wantto fall in love with you and spend the rest of my life like my mother.

The truth had been on the tip of her tongue. Just as the words had been about to cross her lips, however, she caught herself, coming to the sudden realization of just how close she had allowed herself to grow to him. She was moments away from allowing him to see into her most innermost thoughts, which would have been the most foolhardy decision she could have made. But it seemed that the more she tried to push him away, the more she enjoyed his company, looked forward to the next time that they would see one another.

What was she doing, flirting with him, spending all of these precious moments alone together? Christmas was magical, but behind every magic trick was a practical explanation. In this case, it was simply the fact that the two of them were ensconced alone in this estate, with a staff apparently intent on them finding their way together.

“I suppose dessert can be arranged,” he said, calling out the door for a footman, who entered moments later with a tray of gingerbread, fruit cake, and bowls of plum pudding.

“My goodness,” said Scarlett, her eyes widening. “If we eat all of this, we shall not be able to walk out of the room on our own two feet. I believe my stays may spring open.”

“I can help you untie them if you’d like.”

Scarlett whipped her gaze from the dessert to Hunter’s face and found he was laughing at her, the corners of his eyes crinkling as a wide smile stretched across his face.

“You’re a brute,” she whispered sardonically.