He drew in a long breath. “Lucinda, the first moment I saw you, I was taken by your beauty. When I saw you, I could not help but catch my breath. I even thought of you when you weren’t near.”

Lucinda stared at him. This she had not ever guessed he would say. “Y-You did? I had no idea.”

He nodded once. “You were another man’s wife and I never would have pursued that interest out of a respect not only for your husband and his brother, but for you. But yes, I wanted you. I want you still, Lucinda. Perhaps now more than ever.”

She could hardly breathe at this revelation. What he was saying-it was madness! She ought to be offended, as he had said he feared. She ought to turn away from his blunt admission of desire and tell him never to speak of it again.

But she didn’t. All she did was stand still as stone and drown in the roaring echo of her heartbeat as it pounded in her ears like an ocean tide.

He moved a fraction closer and that tide turned even more violent. All she could see now was him. All she could feel was him…and he wasn’t even touching her.

“But Lucinda, I would never want to be something you regret.” He shook his head. “I am going to go away for a few days. There is a bit of business for me to do in a neighboring shire. When I return, we can pretend this conversation never happened, if that is what you desire. Or…”

He trailed off and held Lucinda’s gaze evenly. She struggled to find her voice and finally squeaked out, “Or?”

“Whatever you like, Lucinda,” he whispered and then he caught her hand and drew her even closer. His lips lowered again and he kissed her a second time…