“What made you change your mind about me? When we first met, I don’t suppose you intended for this to happen.”

He grinned, the contemplation sliding from his face to be replaced by wickedness. He unhooked his fingers from hers, then slid his palm against her cheek. His thumb brushed her lower lip, the way it always seemed to when he wanted to entice her into doing or saying something inappropriate. No one had ever made her feel like this before. “Not when we first met, admittedly,” he murmured, leaning in. “But darling, may I remind you that on occasion of our first meeting, I had just been driving for hours through the night and you held a gun to my head.”

“After you kissed me and threw me into your carriage!”

“Not my finest hour, I’ll admit. And yet, I can’t bring myself to say I’m sorry for it. Are you shocked?” He brushed his mouth over her cheek, and although she had vowed to herself that she would only kiss him the once, temptation swamped her.

One more night, one more room, one more time.

“Very shocked,” she told him. His nose brushed hers. They swayed with the motion of the cart. A stray piece of straw poked her in the back, and she knew the steady breeze had turned her neat bun into a frizzy mess. Yet for all that, she felt overheated, her skin sensitive under her clothes.

“Liar,” he whispered, pressing his lips to her neck.

She shivered. “What if Old Tom sees us?”

“He’s not looking,” Oliver said. “And he appears to be as deaf as a post.”

“Don’t point out his deficiencies when he’s driving us.”

“The horses are driving; he’s merely pretending to guide them.”

“Much you would know on the subject,” she retorted, her words breathy at the feeling of his mouth moving against her skin. He kissed her pulse point, trailing his tongue up the column of her throat.

“I like it when you’re shrewish,” he said, looking at her again, hazel eyes sparking. “I like it rather a lot.”

“You might be the first person to have said that.”

“Then I can say with utter certainty that everyone else in your life is an idiot.”

She laughed, dizzy with pleasure from the ridiculous compliment.

Foolish, a voice in the back of her head said. This is how it always starts.

He dragged his mouth along her jaw. “I liked it when you blindfolded me. I would like you to do it again tonight.”

“Is that why you intend us to stay overnight in Bridekirk?”

“Not the only reason. But I can’t deny it was a factor.” He looked at her with lust-drunk eyes. “Do you object?”

“I said once.”

“Then tell me to arrange two rooms for us, and I shall.”

He knew she wouldn’t. They both knew they had come too far for that; if she had intended to turn him down, she would already have done so.

“I’m glad,” he said into the silence, his voice sinking lower. “I’m not ready to lose you yet.”