His Jilted Bride (Historical Regency Romance) by Rose Gordon

Author:Rose Gordon
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: love, historical romance, unrequited love, regency romance, humorous romance, marriage of convenience, friends to lovers, virgin hero, rose gordon, spinster, loved all along

Chapter Seventeen

Elijah was a surprisingly good lady's maid.

Never once did he knot her tapes or struggle to get them tied. His fingers were deft and quick as he fastened the row of buttons that ran up the back of her dress.

“All done,” he whispered in her ear.

The skin on her neck turned to gooseflesh at the roughness in his voice and the nearness of his warm body to hers. He smelled spicy, of sandalwood and his lips were so close to her she could feel his breath against her skin.

Reluctantly, she took a step forward. She wanted nothing more than to melt into his arms and longed to let him hold her tight. But that wasn't his way. He didn't see her as anything but a friend, and that wasn't the way friends acted toward each other—only lovers. Hastily, she picked up her bonnet and tied it on, then scooped up her reticule and craned her neck to look out the window. “Is that carriage for us?”

“No. I thought we'd walk to Bath. I just asked Damon to pull it over here so we could say goodbye to the horses before we began our journey.”

Amelia pursed her lips, but it did no good, her laughter still escaped. “Forgive my stupid question. I think this gown is so tight it is cutting off the flow of blood to my brain.”

Elijah's eyes did a slow sweep of her, sending a new round of chills over her body as his gaze lingered at her chest and hips. “Do you want to take it off?” he asked hoarsely, his face growing bright red. He cleared his throat. Then again. “What I meant is if the dress is too tight, I can help you into another if you'd like.”

Ah, there was the impartial Elijah she'd married. “No. I'm sure I'll get accustomed to it.” She smiled. “Besides, as we walk around, it might become a bit looser.”

“Until you eat the ca—” He closed his mouth with a sharp snap.

She laughed. “Yes, we might have to forgo the cake after all.”

“That's not what I—”

Amelia pressed her fingers to his lips to halt his words. “I know you didn't mean it that way.”

He pulled her hand away, but didn't let it go. “Are you sure, because it sounded—”

She covered his mouth with her other hand now. “Stop. We both promised not to think poorly of the other today.” She lifted a single eyebrow. “Or have you decided to renege already.”

Beneath her fingers, his lips turned up into a lopsided grin. “Never,” he said against her fingers. He pulled her hand from his lips and was now holding them both. “But just so you can't say I didn't warn you, if you press your fingers to my lips again, you'd better be prepared for the consequences.”

“Which are?”

He showed no sign of noticing how her voice had hitched on those two words, merely bent his head and pressed a kiss just below the edge of her glove on each wrist, then released her hands.

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