her. Their lips hovered close, her warm breath flowing over his chin and along his neck. His fingers curled into her skirts, easing her closer. Her body pressed against his and she sighed, melting into him.
Devil take it. She was the most tempting creature on earth, but she wasn’t in any state to know what she was doing. And damned if he could kiss her if he had no intention of making her his wife.
She is yours. Luke gritted his teeth and forced down his primal instincts. Lady Vivian wasn’t his. Yet, unable to deny himself fully, he placed tremulous lips against her forehead. She was so soft. He lingered. When he pulled back, he tasted a trace of salt on his lips. He trembled from the strain of resisting her.
Vivian’s long lashes fluttered before her gaze met his. She seemed to be puzzling out what had just occurred. He had no answers for her. He had never been more befuddled in his life.
“Vivian, I’m sorry for exposing you to Collier. You deserve better than the likes of him.”
Her smile returned slowly, a happy glow illuminating her face. “I couldn’t agree more, Your Grace. And I shall have him.”
He released her with a frown. Did she have someone in mind already? Not Brookhaven, surely.
Her grin grew wider. “With your assistance, of course.”
It appeared Vivian was satisfied with their pact. She would travel with him, tempt him with every breath, and then she would make a match with another gentleman just as he had planned. His chest was too tight all of a sudden. He longed to escape to his chamber and loosen his waistcoat.
He released her to open the door to her chamber. “Turn the lock. I’ll come for you in the morning.”
Once he saw her safely inside and heard the tumble of the lock, he slumped against the wall to gather his wits.
Vivian would marry someone else, perhaps someone he knew well. And she expected his assistance. Unfortunately, her trust might be misplaced, for he couldn’t think of a single gentleman deserving of the incomparable Lady Vivian Worth, nor one to which he could imagine surrendering her.
A creak sounded from the stairwell. Collier trudged up the stairs and paused on the top step to smirk in Luke’s direction. “I see. You are Lady Vivian’s guard, not her guardian. Did you have to become a eunuch for the position?”
He glared in return. “She is mine. Stay away.”
Collier climbed the last step and swaggered toward him. “That isn’t what the lady said. It seems to me she is fair game.”
Luke met him halfway down the corridor. “My betrothed has a peculiar sense of humor. I don’t.”
Collier balked. “You are affianced to Lady Vivian?”
“I already said she’s mine. If that is unclear, I will be more than happy to meet you early tomorrow to clear up the matter.”
“There is no need to resort to threats, Foxhaven. One lady is no great loss when there are many others waiting for my attentions.”
“With bated breath, I’m sure.”
Collier scowled. “You always were a jackass.”
“If you come anywhere close to Lady Vivian again, I’ll remind you just how big a jackass I can be.” He felt a twinge of regret for his past treatment of Collier, but he was serious about protecting Vivian from the rake.
The other man bumped Luke’s shoulder as he passed by, knocked himself off balance, and careened into the wall. Luke stood rooted in place until Collier recovered and stormed to his chamber.
What the hell was he doing? Every moment in Vivian’s company drained him of his good sense, but he was growing less enamored with the thought of giving her to another man. Unfortunately, even if he could marry her, she no longer wanted him. At least not as a husband. She had seemed agreeable to kissing him, however.
He should have just kissed the lady until her legs couldn’t hold her up any more, then given her no choice but to accept him.
Devil take it. He had completely lost his senses. He had to give her up.
Eleven
Vivi dropped her head and shot past Luke to climb into the carriage. Tucking into a corner, she wished for the thousandth time that morning she could disappear. Had she truly grabbed his lip and looked at his teeth like he was a horse? Never had she done anything so humiliating, and that was saying a lot, for she had done many things she had later regretted.
Lana joined her in the coach and took the