“I like it,” she told him and waggled her hand. “Mine are still rough from learning to play the lute. I practiced every day for months.”
“You play the lute?”
Clem gave a slanted smile. “One of my many other useless skills.”
“Thus far, I have found all your skills incredibly useful, Musgrave.” He smirked. “I have no doubt, given time, lute-playing shall be needed in some way or another.” He pressed a thumb over her lips. “I cannot claim the conditions of my hands are from any such hobby. I cannot abide sitting still for long. I should rather be riding or fencing or doing anything else rather than sitting in my study.”
She stared into a dark gaze that lingered so softly upon her face. Clem held back a sigh. There was still more to discover about this man, she was certain of that, yet the warmth settling in her chest left her with the strong sensation they were somehow made for each other—in the strangest of ways.
“So you cannot sit still, and I cannot stick with one hobby for long...”
“We certainly make an interesting combination,” he agreed then rolled onto his back. “We really should move before we are discovered.”
Clem shifted, laid a palm flat upon his bare chest, and gave him a firm kiss. “You first.”
He groaned, threaded a hand into her hair and drew her into a deep kiss. It didn’t last long enough. So much of her wished they could linger, talk over every little unknown facet of each other’s lives.
Would it be so awful if they were caught? He released her and pushed onto his elbows. She bit back a plea to ask him to stay. Roman might be willing to push the boundaries of his rules but she wasn’t willing to force him into an engagement because they were caught in a compromising position. No relationship should start that way.
And she still needed to tell him about the letter...
Roman shoved up to sitting, glanced her over, and closed his eyes.
She peered at him. “Whatever is the matter?”
“You are not aiding me in this.” Eyes still closed, he gestured vaguely about her person.
She glanced down at her nudity and laughed then hiked up the sheets around her. “It’s safe now.”
“I do not think I am ever safe around you.” Roman cracked open one eye, then the other. “I wanted to kiss you from the first moment you shouted at me in my aunt’s parlor room.”
“I might have felt similar, even if I was angry with you.”
He set his feet to the floor and rose. Any desire to rise from the bed vanished at the sight of him, so tall, so, well, naked. She hadn’t taken enough time to enjoy the raw strength of him, to explore every inch of his muscular body. Clem swore she would find time again. Somehow. There was no chance this could be it for them.
“Come.” He grabbed her shift and handed it to her. “I can hear conversation outside. It will not be long before someone searches for us.”
As she tugged her shift over her head, he pulled on his trousers and made quick work of the rest of his clothes. Clem could swear she had forgotten how to use her fingers, fumbling as she attempted to tie the tiny ribbon at her waist.
He motioned her over, his shirt open, his hair tousled. Clem swallowed, watching the concentration flitter across his face. Her heart thudded so hard she felt it in her throat. The intimacy of the moment had her close to swooning she could swear.
Roman retrieved her dress from the floor and shook it out several times. “Given everyone has been fighting a fire, I doubt they shall notice the creases.”
“Or our disappearance, with any luck.” She allowed him to aid her with putting the gown over her head, then Clem tugged it down, emerging with her hair a wild mess across her face. She shoved the curls away and her heart stuttered to a halt.
He plucked the letter from the floor and held it out. “What is this?”
It must have fallen from her pocket. She didn’t respond. She didn’t need to. From the color of the paper, it was clear how old it was.
“It’s the letter, is it not?”
She swallowed and nodded.
His expression darkened as he peeled it carefully open. He hissed out a breath after glancing over the contents, then folded it back up, his jaw tight. “And when, if ever, were you going to tell me about it?”
∞∞∞
Roman knew Clementine to be many things. Slightly mad perhaps, exceedingly clever certainly, and far too lovely and kissable for her own good. He never thought her to be a liar.