She pressed her fist to her chest, eyes widening with tears. The sight stole his breath in the worst way possible. Austin didn’t think twice about pulling her into his arms, guiding her back to the bench with one hand on the small of her back.
“Didn’t that hurt you at all?” she whimpered softly to him, looking down at her fist. Austin could have sworn that it was throbbing.
He bit back a curse at himself. “I shouldn’t have played along with this,” he muttered. He took her hand in his and felt a surge of pressure in his temples when he saw how red her knuckles had become. “I should have known that you would have gotten hurt.”
“And I should have known that punching you would have been no different than ramming my fist into a wall,” she tried to joke, but it fell flat. “I can do better next time.”
“There won’t be a next time.”
“Oh, nonsense,” she said dismissively. “It will not hurt me to learn. Well…perhaps the first few times, but you’ve piqued my interest enough as it is. Now I know how best to form a fist if I ever find myself in danger.”
“I won’t let that happen,” he found himself saying before he could stop himself. “You won’t be in danger. Not while I am around.”
“You cannot guarantee that. Will you follow me everywhere I go?”
“If I must.” Silence followed his words. Austin focused on her hand, observing it for any signs of bruising or swelling. He didn’t dare meet the eyes he knew were boring into him.
“I did not think you could be so honourable, my lord.”
“Austin,” he corrected gruffly. Against his better judgment, he looked up at her. Her brown eyes trapped him. “And you will be my wife. It will be my duty to protect you.”
Lavender swallowed, searching his face as if looking for the truth in his words. There was no need to search very hard, she knew. It lay open and raw between them, so potent that it could not be ignored.
His eyes fell to her lips. She licked them at that moment. Austin didn’t think she did it on purpose, didn’t think she knew just how inviting they were. A voice in the back of his head told him to pull away even as he drew closer. Even as he heard her draw in a breath. Even as his heart ceased to beat and the only thing that could bring him back to life was her lips against his.
A clap of thunder boomed above them. Lavender yelped, leaping away from him. Austin didn’t so much as flinch, even though his heart skipped a beat. Before either one of them could say anything, a sudden downpour showered them without warning.
“Come.” Without waiting for her to respond, Austin seized her arm and pulled her in the direction of the house. Lavender, despite her far shorter legs, was able to keep up, clutching the skirt of her dress in one hand while she clung to his fingers with the other. The path was fast growing slick, their surroundings already hazy with the blur of the rain. Austin kept Lavender close to his side even as they delved under the cover of the back porch and into the house.
“Goodness, that came quite suddenly,” Lavender gasped. “It is already storming!”
“You’re shaking.”
Lavender looked at him in surprise, as if she didn’t notice the fact that her entire body shivered. Her hair was plastered to her neck and face, rivulets of water washing away the tears that had stained her cheeks previously. Austin ran his gaze down to her soaked dress, a lump suddenly forming in his throat.
Lavender followed his line of sight and gasped softly, taking a small step back. She wrapped her arms around herself.
Austin didn’t move, looking anywhere but at her. “I shall have one of the maids fetch you a towel and dry clothes,” he told her.
“Thank you, Austin.”
Austin closed his eyes briefly, the sound of his name on her tongue washing over him. He didn’t know what was happening. He understood male needs, had succumbed to it as often as any other healthy man in England. But this was something else, something that pulled desperate need from the depth of his soul. He just didn’t quite know what that need was. All he knew was that the source of it stood before him, wet and quivering.
He lingered for a moment. For what, he didn’t know. But he didn’t want to leave just yet, even though the silence that stretched on quickly became uncomfortable. Only when Lavenderbegan to hug her shoulders tighter did he break out of his daze long enough to remember what he should do.
“Follow me,” he ordered before turning briskly away.
He listened to Lavender’s water-sodden footsteps as they made their way upstairs to where the bedchambers were. She didn’t say anything else. No mention of prizefighting, of teaching him how to be more gentlemanly. Nor of the kiss they had almost shared.
Austin came to a stop at the door of the bedchamber furthest from his own and turned to face her, clearing his throat. “It may not be as nice as what you are used to but—”
“I’m sure it will be just fine,” Lavender said softly. She tried pushing her wet hair out of her face and failed. Austin curled his hands into fists.
He scratched the back of his head, unable to meet her eyes for some reason. “I shall see about the towels then.”
He walked away before she could say anything in response. He didn’t dare look back, didn’t dare to think that she might be staring back at him.
Chapter Fifteen
