“You should not even be here.” Violet removed her hand from his arm and tucked it safely into her lap. With that, hopefully any more preposterous thoughts of men and woman and what occurred between them would vanish.
“You should not be going out alone. Especially after what has happened.”
She shot a look his way. He looked as though he’d rushed his valet. A ruby red tie pin sat slightly off-center in his cravat, and she swore one of his waistcoat buttons was not fastened securely though she wasnotwilling to try to get a closer look.
“I hardly think anyone is going to harm me.”
His expression darkened making the air thicker than any blasted fog. More like water—impossible to breathe in.
“These are dangerous men, and I would not put it past them trying to harm those I care about.”
He cared about her. Well, that much she knew anyway. So why did the confession make her heart squeeze? Of course he cared about her. They were friends after all.
“If we are to find your father, we cannot sit around and hope for the best.”
“I’m well aware of that, just as you are well aware that I do not want a ‘we’ in this scenario.”
“You need help, Duke.”
“I need you to cease interfering.” He fixed her with a severe look so at odds with his usual slanted grin. “I need you to remain at home like a good girl while I get to the bottom of the matter.”
Violet rolled her eyes. “While you wind up hurt yet again you mean.” She sighed and twisted slightly in her seat to face him better. “The fact is I can ask questions without drawing attention.”
“Have you even looked in a mirror, Vi?”
“You know what I mean. No one shall pay attention to an inquisitive woman.”
“And where exactly were you planning on being inquisitive?”
“I was going to go to your townhouse,” she admitted. “I wanted to question your neighbors. Perhaps one of them saw your father taken and can give us information that will lead us to find him.”
Duke shook his head. “I already had Shaw ask around.”
“It cannot hurt to ask twice.”
“It can if it draws the attention of Doyle’s men,” he said tightly.
She turned her attention to the window and watched the road to the house turn into a slender country lane lined by hedgerows. Ahead, the church spire sat in the distance and sheep offered little white specks on the farmland adjoined to her father’s estate.
“Violet,” Duke said, warning in his voice. “Do not ignore me.”
Violet turned again to face him, her most innocent expression plastered in place. “I’m not ignoring you, I’m simply—” The carriage jolted as it hit something. She instinctively put her hand out and it landed upon Duke’s chest.
Violet glanced at where her hand lay, her fingers resting just above his emerald waistcoat, able to absorb the warmth and hardness of his body.
The carriage rolled on, unimpeded by what was likely a simple rut in the road. She gulped. If only she could feel the same.
∞∞∞
A multitude of scenarios ran through Duke’s mind when Violet’s hand connected with his chest.
Scenarios he had no business imagining. They involved soft flesh and softer kisses. Heated touches and whispered moans. The promises he’d made to himself and her rattled through his mind, but they faded quickly when her gaze met his.
Her hand flexed—the tiniest of movements but enough to make the gnawing need in his gut turn into pure starvation. When the hell was the last time he’d wanted a woman because of a mere twitch of a hand? But that was the truth of it, was it not? It did not matter that they were the best of friends or that he should not even be thinking of sex at such a time or even that Violet was an innocent and he was anything but. The fact was, he’d never wanted a woman as badly as he wanted Violet.
“Are you well?” he asked, his tone far too gritty for his liking. His throat felt clogged with desire.
A sharp intake of breath echoed through the interior of the carriage and pounded through his skull. It was her taking a deep gulp of air, he realized. He wasn’t even sure he could breathe. He felt like he was underwater and wading through it to get to her, yet he didn’t move—he couldn’t. If a flex of a hand did this to him, what would touching her do?