Page 21 of The Gilded Lady (The Gilded West #3)

That one word filled the room, echoing in her mind.

Her gaze found his in the mirror again, but she couldn’t tell what he meant by that word.

Nevertheless, she found herself sinking back into the soft cushion of the chair.

Only when she was settled, did he continue.

One shoulder, hardened and sculpted with muscle, shrugged out of the shirt, followed by the second.

His muscles rippled and bunched under his smooth skin as he moved.

Scars crisscrossed his right shoulder in a pattern of pink and white.

She couldn’t tell what had made them, but the wounds must have been painful.

Her heart ached that he’d had to endure whatever it was that had happened.

They were too wide to be healed cuts from a knife, but they had a similar slashing pattern.

There were more scars along his rib cage, an accumulation of nicks and cuts from his rough lifestyle, she supposed.

He paused with the shirt drooped at his waist as he unfastened it at his wrists before handing the shirt off to the assistant.

As the man draped it over the rack, Zane stood tall in front of her.

His back and chest were so defined she imagined that an artist would have an easy time sculpting him from stone.

Her gaze transferred to the mirror so that she could see his front.

One of the scars from his shoulder blade curled around his shoulder.

Closing her hands into fists, she imagined what it would feel like to run her palms over him.

A light patch of dark hair started at his lower belly, and she imagined it abrading her skin as she traced it.

It led downward, disappearing into his pants.

The assistant came back over, breaking her line of sight. Thankfully. She hadn’t realized she was basically panting and took a moment to collect herself as he helped Zane into the shirt. He pinned and prodded, adjusting the fabric, before holding up a selection of waistcoats.

“Whichever one she prefers.” She heard Zane say a moment before the assistant brought the samples over for her.

She managed to get herself together enough to select the charcoal silk shot through with dark gray piping.

She was starting to think that she might be able to make it through the rest of the fitting as Zane shrugged into the waistcoat.

He turned to face her, holding out his arms so that she could get a good look.

“What do you think?” he asked.

“It’ll do.”

He smirked, his eyes catching hers and holding on.

Apparently it was no secret how he affected her.

However, she actually managed to smile back.

This flirting between them was starting to be fun.

She knew now—after that kiss—that he wouldn’t push it too far, and as a result, she could feel herself relaxing around him.

Maybe they had no future, but they could have flirting.

“Happy to meet your high standards, pretty lady.”

She laughed. He did look good. Better than good.

Sainsbury’s assistant had pinned in the waist, showing off Zane’s powerful, but lean frame.

God, she’d have to keep some of her more forward ladies off him when he showed up tonight like that.

They all knew the rule against liaisons among staff, but it might be worth repeating it before the night was over.

“I think we may have less luck with the pants, but we’ll see what we can do.” The assistant’s voice interrupted her musing as he picked up a stack of trousers and held one up to Zane’s long legs. “Why don’t you take those off and try this pair? I’ll see what I can do to alter them.”

The second Zane’s hands made to go for the fastening on his pants, she fled the room.

There was no way she could make it through seeing that part of him.

As she came to a stop at the counter in the front room, she fanned herself to calm down, but she couldn’t wipe the smile from her face.

She kept imagining what was hidden in those pants and giggling like a schoolgirl.

It felt good to giggle. It had been years since she could remember laughing so much in the span of an hour, and never had it been over a man.

At fourteen she’d been robbed of her adolescence, and couldn’t ever remember feeling such ridiculous infatuation over a man.

Her hand went to her stomach as she marveled at the butterflies that fluttered around as she tried to imagine Zane naked.

She wondered if this is what her sister had felt when she’d gone all soft and weak every time the boy who brought them fish came to the yard.

She’d had a sweet spot for him, always making sure that she was on the porch when he came by.

Only this was no mere fish boy. Zane was a man, fully formed and powerful.

A ripple of pleasure coursed through her belly.

It was a foolish feeling and she knew it, but she allowed herself to indulge in the novelty for a little longer.

After all, he’d be gone soon and she’d only have these moments to remember.

“Hello, Miss Winters. I’ve never seen you looking so radiant.”

Glory gasped as she turned toward the sound of the low, slightly menacing voice to see a man standing in the shadows.