Protecting The Princess - Nadine Millard Page 0,34

the village.

If she did run, it would be child’s play to track her down.

“I’ll be back soon, Miss Royal,” he said for want of anything else to say.

Still, she hadn’t spoken, and Jacob felt sick that he might have scared her.

He moved swiftly to the door, determined to put as much space between him and the tempting princess as possible.

“Wait.”

Right before he left, she called out, stopping him dead.

Jacob turned to face her, fascinated by the deepening of her blush.

She heaved a deep breath then looked him squarely in the eyes.

“I think you should call me Harriet,” she said, a small smile playing around her mouth. “And do come back soon.”

Chapter Fifteen

It had been hours, yet Harriet still couldn’t concentrate on anything but the memory of that explosive kiss.

Not only had she been thoroughly kissed for the first time, but she’d also made sure that the man who’d kissed her came back for round two!

Harriet could feel her cheeks heat with the memory of her boldness.

When Mr. Lauer—Jacob, really, since propriety had long since become redundant—had been apologising, she’d been afraid that he’d genuinely regretted kissing her. That somehow she’d done it wrong or it had been unpleasant for him.

And yet, a scorching flame of desire had still danced in his eyes, even as he’d been speaking.

In fact, for one, mad moment, Harriet had thought he meant to do it again. And she had wanted him to, quite desperately.

She wondered what the people of Aldonia would make of their princess, alone in the woods with a handsome stranger, calling him by his Christian name and kissing him with an ardour that bordered on desperation.

She remembered how desperate Alex had seemed at times around Lydia and how she had wondered at her brother’s odd behaviour.

Now, she could understand it.

She thought of staid Christopher and the obsequious Lady Althea.

Could Christopher feel like that about the lady? Was that why he couldn’t seem to see her for what she truly was?

Harriet had given up on trying to distract herself with one of the books she’d brought and had come outside to walk along the stream.

But nothing could stop her thoughts from repeatedly circling back to Jacob.

She should be embarrassed by her conduct. Ashamed and disgraced.

But she quite simply couldn’t bring herself to regret their embrace.

And she’d known from the look on his face that he’d been worried she’d run away.

But she wouldn’t.

It was the oddest thing, she mused as she watched a lone bird wheel through the clear, blue sky.

He had angered her, infuriated her, goaded her more than anyone she’d ever met.

Yet now that he was gone and she was alone just as she’d planned, she missed him.

And now that she knew what it was to be kissed by him…

Harriet’s heart fluttered alarmingly.

If it wasn’t too soon, if she didn’t know better, she’d think herself to be falling in love with the irascible man.

But surely not.

It would be futile in any case.

Her father would never allow her to marry an untitled man of little consequence. Even if he was the most handsome one she’d ever seen. Even if he did make her heart beat rapidly and her stomach riot with butterflies.

She thought of Aunt Anya and her move to England to be with the man she loved.

Thought of Alex and Lydia, also in England and living in bucolic bliss.

If they could do it—

But, no. It was folly indeed to be thinking such things.

Jacob was a man of the world, Harriet was sure. It was entirely possible that the kiss had meant nothing to him.

And if her stomach clenched painfully at that thought well then, she’d just have to deal with it.

Sophisticated ladies of the world, she was quite sure, didn’t lose the run of themselves over one kiss.

Jacob would return soon, hopefully not with news about her family. No news would mean they were safe.

And this little escapade couldn’t last forever.

Just two weeks, she decided. Just long enough to prove to Christopher that she could take charge of her own life. Make her own decisions.

Long enough for the awful Furbergs to return home without her.

And long enough, she hoped scandalously, to enjoy more wicked assignations with her Mr. Lauer.

Jacob tracked Harriet’s steps toward the stream.

She hadn’t run away. Not with all of her things strewn about the cottage.

She wasn’t very tidy, he observed with a grin. He had no idea why he found that endearing.

Perhaps it was just that the perfect little princess had a flaw.

When his heart sped in anticipation of