“Fighting over me?” Bianca looked over at her sister even as her other hand pressed between Chris’s shoulder blades to maintain her balance. “But they don’t even like me. They’re mean to me.”
Juliet rolled her eyes. “Well I don’t know about Fred, but Will just wanted to pull your pigtails so you’d chase him. I’ve always thought so.”
What? Months of torture because he liked her? She doubted it very much. “Don’t be silly. He’s got to be twenty years old. Surely he’s grown beyond teasing for attention.”
Chris shrugged and her hand rose and fell with his shoulder. “You are uncommonly attractive and the granddaughter of an earl. Perhaps he thought it was the only acceptable way to interact with you. Or…” He looked over his shoulder, grimacing. “My presence has made him jealous. He’d gotten used to being the center of your affection.”
“Oh,” she said, understanding dawning. “What a cad.”
That made Chris smile. “I couldn’t agree more.”
“I think we should go.” Juliet sniffed. “The best part of the game has already happened, in my opinion.”
“It hasn’t even started,” Bianca said, though privately she agreed. Leaving the match, however, meant parting ways with Chris and she didn’t want him to go.
“I know.” Juliet winked. “But how could it be more exciting than this?”
His heat seeped through her glove in the nicest way. “They’re short a player,” Bianca said.
Chris half-turned and he dropped her hands. “Their problem. Juliet’s right. Let’s go.”
She gave a quick nod as they loaded into the carriage again. Several villagers gave her long stares as her cheeks heated.
At least this time she hadn’t made a complete fool of herself. Instead, men had been fighting over her. She straightened her shoulders because she’d stood up for herself. Thanks to Chris.
The carriage rolled down the road toward the village as they sat in silence. When they reached the inn, Juliet cleared her throat. “Lord Craven. I’ve realized that I need to run an errand in the village. Would you drop me?”
Bianca turned to look at her sister. What was she doing? “Juliet?”
Juliet turned to her and winked again. “Don’t worry. I’m sure that Lord Craven will see you home immediately and safely.”
Bianca made a sound of dissent deep in her throat as the carriage slowed to a stop and her sister hoped out. “Take care and behave as you know I would,” Juliet called as the door snapped closed again.
Bianca hardly had time to consider those words before Chris had captured her hand and pulled her across the carriage. She landed easily in his lap, and his hands threaded about her waist. She put hers on his chest pushing back.
He grimaced. “I kissed you earlier. You don’t want me to do it again?”
She relaxed her arms. She did, in fact, wish to kiss him again. Very much. “Juliet is a schemer. I love her but she’s always orchestrating some plan to manipulate an outcome. Right now, I’m not certain what her plan is but she’s out in the village. If anyone discovers we’re alone…”
Chapter Eight
Chris jolted with surprise. Which was foolish. While he didn’t spend much time with ladies of quality, every man understood the rules of acceptable behavior. “Do you think your father will force a match?”
Bianca grimaced. “Try not to worry. He’s not much for force and I’ll explain to him that you defended me and I just wanted to say thank you in private. Still,” she reached over and tugged a curtain tighter about the window, “I’d prefer not to get caught in your lap. That’s a situation that can’t be undone.”
Why did her cautiousness irritate him? He should be glad she didn’t want to be caught. For feck’s sake, what man wished to be trapped in marriage? But part of him bristled with jealousy. Was this about Will
iam? Had she decided she’d prefer the other man? “It’s because of him, isn’t it?”
“Who?” Her brow scrunched and her lips puffed out.
“William what’s-his-name.” He tightened his arms about her waist. How could she be thinking of that other man when she was tucked against him like this? He had forgotten other ladies even existed.
Her chin notched to the side as she relaxed against him, her chest pressing into his in the most delicious way. He looked down to catch a healthy glimpse of her plumped bosom just under his chin. His teeth snapped together to control his reaction. If his rod stiffened now, there’d be no hiding the evidence.
“William?” she whispered, her breath tickling his cheek. “I suppose this is about him, in a way. And I did want to say thank you for all your help. I never could have done that on my own and hitting Fred with that ball was so satisfying.”
Was it just him or were her lips drifting closer to his? “It was my pleasure,” he grunted, one of his hands trailing up her spine.