The Countess Caper by Alyxandra Harvey
Author:Alyxandra Harvey [Harvey, Alyxandra]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00
Chapter Fifteen
âRoarke?â
She wasnât entirely sure he wasnât an apparition she had conjured to perfect an already near-perfect moment.
And she refused to examine why he felt like the missing piece.
She was addled, clearly.
But he looked so good, strong, and patient, with wind-tousled hair and that rare half-smile. As if he liked what he saw when he looked at her. She wasnât too small or too much; her hair wasnât too red, her opinions too radical, her nails too chipped.
As if he hadnât just seen her hold up a peer of the realm at gunpoint.
Better, as if he had and he found it⦠adorable?
She didnât know how to feel about that. About the click of relief and anticipation in her chest on seeing him.
âWhat are you doing here?â she asked. She tried not to squeak, tried to sound nonchalant. Sophisticated. She failed. Of course.
Sheâd once been so adept at knowing the rules, at following to the letter with a polite smile that showed nothing and a sublime curtsy. But none of that had helped her in the end. It hadnât saved her dowry or made her any more lovable to her family members. She was sure she could pull on the mask again, like a disguiseâone so much less fun than a highwaywomanâs disguise. But not with Roarke, for some reason. Her polished social skills evaded her.
Probably for the best. If she tried to flatter him, she had the feeling he would just glare at her like sheâd insulted his dog. âClearly Iâm not doing anything as interesting as you are.â
She smiled. Winced. Mostly winced. âUm.â
He raised an eyebrow.
She lowered hers. âYou wanted an unconventional wife,â she blurted out.
âThat I did.â
âYou have no one but yourself to blame.â
âFor your criminal activities?â he asked drily. âInteresting interpretation of the law. Youâre right. I should be ashamed.â
She winced again. To be fair, in any court in England, he could be found culpable, responsible for her actions. Because she was his wife. Because she was a woman.
Anger bit at her.
âIâm only teasing,â he said quietly, misreading her expression. She struggled to amend her glower. Sheâd never glowered when she lived in London. âIâm only glad you didnât steal his carriage, like you did mine.â
âBorrowed,â she corrected him, wondering why she suddenly felt like smiling. Being around Roarke was exhausting. Exhilarating. Was a person meant to feel so many confusing things all at once?
âBeg your pardon,â he said. âBorrowed. Youâre wearing breeches again.â He sounded very, very calm. As if he was commenting on the weather. And yet a glance out of the corner of her eye showed his hand curled into a loose fist. His eyes met hers, burned.
She knew exactly how that hand would feel curled around her ankle, stroking her spine. Elsewhere. She swallowed.
She was misinterpreting a flash of an expression. Roarke did not want her, not that way.
Maybe that way. But not in any way that invited permanence. She was to be easy, forgettable. Disposable.
Tessaâs horse, bored with standing about, began to lead them home.
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