He smelled so good. Like the spices her cook used when making those small cakes Marissa liked with her tea. Was it ginger?
She giggled at the thought of Haddon smelling like a cookie one had with tea.
Wanting to touch him, Marissa found it a struggle to lift even so much as her finger. Her entire body felt boneless. Sated. Haddon must have made love to her, but she couldn’t remember. Not that it mattered. It was just as pleasurable having him beside her, speaking of nothing yet everything.
“She’s twisted her ankle a bit, but it isn’t serious and there’s a small bump on her head. A little rest and her ladyship should recover. I gave her something for the pain.”
Marissa pushed aside the authoritative voice. She was stroking the side of Haddon’s cheek wanting to tell him how he filled her heart. How stupid she’d been to send him away after they’d made love in her parlor. What lay between them wasn’t meaningless. She hadn’t meant to hurt him. And it was exhausting pretending she didn’t want him. Marissa didn’t want to do it anymore. She wasn’t a coward. Taking his hand, she pressed it to her breast. “You are not a dalliance.”
“I know.” He didn’t sound convinced.
“We are not a dalliance.” It was very important he understand.
“My lady, can you open your eyes?”
No. Her eyelids were weighed down. Heavy. It would be an enormous effort to open her eyes or move at all. She was so comfortable. Warm. Almost like floating in a bath. Besides, if she opened her eyes, Haddon might disappear.
“I’m not a coward.”
“I know. Wake up, Marissa.” Haddon sounded very insistent.
Finally, she managed to push her eyelids open.
Marissa was in a bed, with Haddon sitting next to her, far too close for propriety’s sake, and holding her hand but thankfully not her breast.
I was dreaming.
Haddon’s silver eyes were filled with worry. What was he concerned about?
Me. “Are you worried about me?” a raspy whisper asked as her heart fluttered in her chest. She would do anything to have him keep looking at her in such a way.
“Yes.” His voice sounded strained but she saw a hint of the mischievous smile he so often wore tugging at his lips.
Marissa struggled against the pillows, trying to sit up, but the pain in her temple made her fall back. “My ankle hurts.” She blinked at Haddon as her fingers curled more firmly around his. “I’m thirsty.”
“If you’ve no further need of me, my lord—”
Marissa glanced at the foot of the bed where an older gentleman with snow-white hair stood. Good Lord, is that Enderly?
“Thank you, Dr. Steward, for arriving so quickly. I think my staff and I can take things from here.”
Marissa blew out a puff of air relieved. Not Enderly. But a physician.
“Send for me if you need anything. I’ll see myself out, Lord Haddon.”
She tried to focus on the departing Dr. Steward, but her eyes refused to look at anything but Haddon. Her fingers tightened on his, afraid he would leave with the physician.
I don’t want to run away from him anymore.
He cast a bemused look at their clasped hands but didn’t try to pull away.
“Don’t leave,” she whispered.
“I’m not going anywhere.” His voice was soft. “You’ve a little bump on your head and you twisted your ankle. But you’ll live.” A squeeze to her fingers.
Marissa squeezed back.
“I’m not certain how you managed to wedge your foot into the only hole on the entire street—”
“I’m sure it isn’t the only one.” She wanted to touch Haddon’s face. Press a kiss to his brow. He looked so worried about her.
“I managed to save your shoe. Considering how attached you were to that little hat, I thought I’d do my best to salvage it. Weren’t you watching where you stepped? You could have been seriously injured.”
“No, I—” She bit her lip, not wishing to admit she’d been too preoccupied watching him fawn all over a girl barely out of the nursery. “I’m very thirsty.”
“Ah, yes.” He stood, reluctantly releasing her hand, and moved to the small side table where a carafe sat. He poured out a glass of water and returned to sit at her side; he held the glass to her lips, watching her mouth as she drank.
“Better?” He took her hand again.
She relaxed immediately, feeling the warmth of his fingers entwined around hers. “Where am I?” Her eyes ran down the hideous coverlet of the bed she lay in before turning her head ever so slightly to