Page 22 of Eight for Losing, One for Loving

Leo digested this somewhat disjointed explanation with interest, managing to extract the most salient point. She wanted. Well, he wasn’t a complete moron, that much had been obvious. He rarely needed any help in understanding when a woman fancied him, but Vi wasn’t just any woman. She was complex. Interesting. Fascinating. A challenge.

“What did you want, Vi?” he asked her, noting another flush of colour as it swept up her neck in a wave.

She shook her head, turning away from him and Leo crossed the room again, daring to take her arm and force her back to look at him. It was dangerous being this close to her, but he had to know.

“You owe me an apology for taking advantage of me,” he reminded her, which was outrageous of him, but she believed it, and he needed all the help he could get. “The least you can do is explain.”

She glared at him, the flash of fury in her eyes reassuring him he had done no serious damage during his dreadful lapse in self-control. “Oh, really,” she said indignantly, but then the fight went out of her and her shoulders sagged. “Very well.”

Leo opened his mouth to take the words back—he could not bear to see her so defeated—but then he would never know. So, he forced himself to hold his tongue, watching as she gathered up the counterpane, wrapped it around herself and went back to the bed. She climbed awkwardly onto the mattress, sitting in a rather ungainly heap beneath the quilt, resting her back against the headboard.

“I shan’t ever marry, Leo,” she began, holding up her hand to silence him when he protested. “No. Listen to me. I shan’t, and don’t ask me for reasons, I don’t have the will to discuss it tonight. But I shan’t marry, and so I shan’t ever… well, you know,” she said uncomfortably.

Though he wanted very much to demand why she would not marry, he let that go for now, and felt his lips curve a little at her discomfort, but he nodded. “I do know,” he agreed amicably.

She huffed, aware of his amusement. “Well, I don’t know, Leo, and if I don’t marry, I never shall, but… but we’re here, in this room, alone and…”

She shrugged and Leo suddenly understood. She thought to get him to bed her, so she would not live the rest of her days as an old maid.

Confusion tangled his thoughts together, desire and the need to give her just what she wanted, right there and then, fought with what he believed to be right. He wished to court her, to treat her with all the care and respect a woman ought to expect from the man she intended to marry. Except she didn’t intend to marry him. Why not, dammit? Indignation followed, hot on the heels of desire. So, she thought she could just use him, did she? Take what she wanted and then throw him aside. He rubbed a hand over his face, wondering if he was becoming overwrought.

Leo turned his back on her, needing to think. His body still ached with baulked lust; bedding her would be no hardship. There again, he could give her pleasure without removing her virginal status. He knew many ways they could please each other with no risks of getting a child on her or claiming her maidenhead. So why not? Because she won’t marry you, bloody halfwit, he told himself irritably. Except maybe she would. Maybe, if he showed her what there could be between them, he could tempt her into wanting more, into wanting him so much she could do nothing but say yes to him. He knew he had the power to do it if he wished. Though he was by no means vain, he was not so blind to his own powers that he did not know women wanted him, wanted him badly. Vi was female, after all, and though she was the most contrary woman he’d ever known, he now knew she was not as immune to his charms as he’d believed. But was that an honourable thing to do? He wasn’t certain he cared overly much in the circumstances. If Vi accepted him, he’d have the rest of their lives together to prove she’d not made an error in judgement.

“Come and eat your dinner,” he said, moving to the table and holding out a chair for her.

“What?” she asked, incredulous. “Did you hear what I just said?”

“Of course I heard. Not deaf. I’m considering,” he told her, treated then to a glare of such exasperation it was all he could do to keep his face impassive.

“Well, please don’t go to any trouble on my account, Leo,” she said tartly, stalking over to the table, counterpane trailing behind her. “It’s not as if I don’t know you find the prospect less than appealing.”

She sat down with a muffled thud as the quilted fabric softened her heavy descent. Lord, but she was in a temper now, he realised with interest.

“Less than appealing,” he repeated, wondering if she had taken leave of her senses.

“Just forget it,” she snapped, swiping the cover off the chafing dish that held their meal. She ladled two generous servings onto their plates and Leo’s stomach growled at the sight of the lamb stew with dumplings.

Forget it?Ha! Leo knew he would not forget a single thing about this night until the day he died, but he sat down all the same, eyeing Vi with curiosity.

She took a bite of the lamb, chewing vigorously, though Leo discovered it was so tender it fell apart. Temper again, he realised, wondering what to do about the intriguing woman opposite him. Yet much of this temper seemed to stem from hurt feelings, from a sense of vulnerability. Leo considered this, considered how she had thought to use him for her own ends, and found his own emotions veering dramatically back and forth. They had too much history together to make this easy though, too many years of friendship, aggravation and pretending there was no spark of attraction between them to let them love each other with complete trust and understanding.

They ate in silence and Leo watched her surreptitiously, aware of her anger dissipating as the meal progressed. Little by little her shoulders slumped, and he watched the indignant goddess he adored fade by degrees, replaced by the uncertain young woman he’d glimpsed for the first time earlier this evening. By now, she was just picking at her meal lethargically.

“Vi, you’re off your head, you do know that?”

As he’d hoped, her head came up, a warning glint in her eyes. “Oh? How so?”

“If you think I, or any man, could see you in that… that indecent bit of nothing you’re wearing under that quilt and find the prospect of bedding you less than appealing, you are not in your right mind.”

As he’d hoped, she perked up at this information, regarding him with interest. “Oh?”

That she wanted to hear more was obvious and Leo counselled himself to have a care. He was in dangerous territory here.

“Vi, how many men have told you how beautiful you are?” he asked her gently.

She shrugged. “I don’t know, but they don’t know me. It’s not like they meant it. They wanted my dowry or the connection to Trevick more than they wanted me, I’m afraid.”

“That is not true,” he said, shaking his head in frustration. “And if they did not know you, whose fault is that? Did you allow them to know you? I have that privilege because we grew up together, but you don’t let anyone else near, pet. You’re friendly and sweet-natured, right up until the point they get seriously interested, then the ice maiden appears.”