The Girl is Not For Christmas - Emma V Leech Page 0,51

of that nonsense for one day,” Livvy scolded. “You promised to help me find something to wear for this blasted ball and I am holding you to it.”

“Oh, fine. Why the devil not? You’ve all but given me leave to ruin you, I don’t see why I ought not rob your sister-in-law while I’m about it.”

“I did not give you leave to ruin me,” Livvy said, getting to her feet and putting her hands on her hips. Good Lord, but he was working himself up into a passion over nothing. “I was merely considering the possibility, and you are not robbing my sister-in-law. I am borrowing a few gowns which will be returned to her once I’m done with them. Really, King. I expect such tantrums and dramatics from George, but I believe you ought to have grown out of them.”

“Do you?” he replied, folding his arms and glaring at her. “I don’t have the faintest idea why. Surely you know I’m a spoiled and indulged aristo with nothing between his ears but fluff and an urge to despoil every maiden within arm’s reach.”

“I was in arm’s reach,” Livvy pointed out. “And there was very little despoiling going on that I noticed.”

“You needn’t sound so blasted disappointed about it!” he yelled.

Livvy blinked at him, quite at a loss.

“King,” she said gently, using the voice she employed for overtired toddlers. “You are becoming overwrought. I thought this morning that you were out of sorts, and now I’m certain of it. Why don’t you come and have a lie down and I’ll go and fetch a cold cloth for your head?”

“I don’t want a lie down!” he growled.

“There’s no need to get testy.”

“I will get testy if I dashed well want to,” he said through gritted teeth. “And I warn you now, if I get anywhere near that bed and you are still in the room, you’ll see just how quickly I can despoil you, and you’ll eat your words.”

Livvy struggled with the temptation to see if he really meant it, but good sense won out. She took a breath, opting to soothe the beast instead. “I’m sure that’s quite true, but you know you’re just saying that because you’re cross with me.”

“Yes, I am!”

“I know, King. I do understand that I try your patience and I am sorry for it.”

“No, you’re not,” he grumbled, stalking back and forth. “You’re not the least bit sorry, you come in here all blue eyes and… and… lips and… things and… and bother me, and I’m the one who’s in the wrong.”

“I never said you were in the wrong,” Livvy said, trying not to put too much store by his noticing her blue eyes and her lips and things. He had, after all, worked himself up to quite a pitch and was not the least bit rational. “And you are quite correct I did come and bother you when you were having a nice nap and that was a dreadful thing to do. I apologise. It was very bad of me.”

“Yes, it was.”

“Yes, I just said as much.”

“Hmph.” He folded his arms, scowling at her.

“Am I forgiven?” she asked gently.

He glowered a bit more.

“I am sorry. I quite understand if you prefer to continue your nap.”

“I’m not three years old,” he grumbled.

Livvy bit her lip, deciding it was not politic to point out the obvious. “I know. Forgive me. In that case, I should be most grateful if you’d help me choose what is best from Ceci’s wardrobe.”

King groused a bit more but turned to the door and opened it, glancing outside before gesturing for Livvy to go before him.

“Lead on, Macduff,” he said with a somewhat sarcastic tone she chose to ignore.

“It’s ‘Lay on, Macduff,’” actually,” she corrected him, even though she was poking the angry bear with a stick. “Macbeth is inviting Macduff to attack him, not to politely go through the door ahead of him.”

“Don’t tempt me,” he gritted out, closing the door behind them.

Livvy led him to Ceci and Charlie’s room, feeling all the while as if she was being stalked by a large, angry cat. She could not help but feel his mood did not spring from irritation at being rudely awoken, and he was clearly annoyed with her for not defending her maidenhead with more vigour. It occurred to her that, for a man of his reputation, King had a highly developed sense of honour. It was pointless to pretend that she wasn’t tempted to… if not let him