Page 82 of Discovering Her Earl

It seemed both of them had only this short adventure to create a lifetime of memories. And she wouldn’t miss a single one.

*

When Julian walked into the tent for breakfast the next morning, Lainey watched him searching for her. When he found her, he winked and offered that devilish grin she’d come to desire. She couldn’t stop the answering smile on her face as he moved in her direction.

After so many years of avoiding Julian at balls and soirees, it was strange that her stomach fluttered with excitement whenever she was near him now.

“Good morning, Miss Bantham. I trust you slept well?”

“Yes, my lord. Very well. And you?”

He looked around as if to make sure no one was close enough to listen in before he leaned closer and whispered.

“I had a beautiful woman in my bed that needed tending so I barely slept a wink.”

“Poor man.” She pouted in mock sympathy and he let out a low groan.

“Don’t put your lip out like that, Lainey, you are too enticing.”

“But I should stay in my tent tonight so you won’t lose sleep.”

Another growl before he said, “Vixen,” and went to collect his breakfast.

“I’m glad to see the two of you are getting along better,” Uncle Henry said from behind her causing Lainey to choke until he slapped her back.

“I didn’t realize you were there.”

“I only just walked in as Lord Melville was walking away, but he was smiling, so you couldn’t have been rude.”

She laughed. “We had a misunderstanding before, but it has been addressed. I find it easier to be friendly now.”

Friendly wasn’t the correct word for the way she felt in Julian’s presence, but it was the word she would use when discussing the situation with her uncle. She felt her cheeks grow warm.

“Are you well? You seem flushed.”

She cleared her throat again.

“It is the desert, uncle. I’m simply acclimating to the warmer temperatures,” she said, hoping she’d get better at keeping their secret.

*

Julian tried to keep his distance from Lainey as others entered the tent for their morning meal. Even if Julian had wanted to sit with Lainey it would have been difficult with Comte Dumast taking up the seat next to her.

Rather than risk giving the man a piece of his mind, he left the tent to prepare. He wasn’t very hungry as it was. Not with his stomach planning a revolt.

“Are you ready for your first day?” Lainey asked as they gathered their tools. She must have left the Comte sitting alone with his food. It might have brought a smug smile to his face, if he weren’t so worried.

“No,” he answered, trying to hide his nervousness, and failing.

She gave him an encouraging smile.

“You will do fine. I’ve trained you well and you won’t let me down,” she said with a smirk that made Julian want to drag her back to his bed.

“You trained me for the wilds of Scotland, not this…” He gestured toward the large monument that was thousands of years old.

“The basics are the same. You know what all the tools are and what they are used for. We start the day at the site on the west side of the pyramid as it is in shade during the morning.”

“Outside the tomb?”