“You really shouldn’t let those two go off on their own. What if something happens to them?”
“You mean, what if something like what we did happens?”
Her cheeks flushed, and she looked away. She was even more combative today. Lucas sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.
“Listen, Dorothy …”
“I don’t understand why you have to keep bothering me like this. I thought we came to an understanding with the engagement and that it was best for us to keep our distance.”
“Did I agree to keeping my distance from you?”
“Well, I did.” Her eyes lifted, full of fire as she looked at him. “I thought you would respect me on that at the very least.”
“And I would like to talk to you before I do that.” Lucas held up his hands. “If you just hear me out and don’t want to have anything further to do with me, then I’ll walk away and leave you alone. I promise that I will do this.”
Sort of. Lucas tried not to let that show. The thought of not seeing Dorothy again left a nasty taste in his mouth. It had been very difficult leaving that morning without seeing her. At that point, Lucas had believed he probably wouldn’t see her again. At least, on her side, it wouldn’t be willing. And Lucas had been prepared to accept that, somewhat.
Until after he had been to Wales, that was. Then he would start trying to pursue her again. His parents were going to think he was mad, and maybe he was. It was one of those things that they would not expect out of him, especially after they spent forever trying to get him to marry Dorothy in the first place. Maybe they would check him into a sanatorium.
But Lucas didn’t care what his parents thought. He wanted Dorothy to be in his life and not just as a plaything. He would not do that to her.
Dorothy still didn’t look convinced. She folded her arms, which just pushed her breasts together. Lucas tried really hard not to look at her cleavage, which was certainly looking plumper now. God, she had no idea what she was doing to him.
“Fine, then,” Dorothy barked. “Talk. I can’t believe I’m doing this after all I heard about you, but I’ll humour you for now.”
“You mean you heard about those lies regarding me sleeping with multiple women to the point it’s surprising I’m upright and fully clothed?”
Dorothy’s cheeks went a little pink, but she didn’t look away. Pressing her lips together, she straightened up, which didn’t help with Lucas as he tried not to look further down at her breasts. He had felt them up against him, and he was itching to touch them.
He put his hands behind his back.
“You want to say that those rumours were lies?” Dorothy asked. “Because looking at you now, I am inclined to believe them.”
“Interesting that you are willing to believe gossip more than the words coming out of my mouth.”
“Can you give me something tangible to say that it isn’t?”
“How do I give you tangible proof that I’m not sleeping around with many women?”
“That’s up to you to figure out, not me.”
She was going to make this hard for him. Lucas sighed and moved away, rubbing his hands over his face. He needed to; otherwise, he would be staring at her breasts instead of her face.
Couldn’t he keep his focus properly? Eyeing up the rest of her would not be helpful right now.
“Well?” Dorothy demanded. “Are you going to explain yourself? Because I have better things to do.”
“God, you’re a harsh woman, Dorothy.”
“I’m tired, and all I want to do is sleep, and yet I’m dragged out into the middle of the woods to have a conversation with a man I shouldn’t be having anything to do with.”
“Even though you kissed me?”
“I seem to recall that you were the one kissing me. I simply went along with it.”
Did her eyes darken at that? Lucas didn’t know. He pushed it to one side, though. Now was not the time to analyse how she reacted to his words or remember how she felt in his arms. There would be plenty of time for that later.
If Dorothy allowed him to come anywhere near her. Her body language said she wasn’t keen on that at all.