William dipped his head toward hers, his lips just a hair’s breadth away. “What do you think?”
Then, he kissed her. It was gentle at first, barely brushing against her lips. But when Alice loosened up, when her instinctive need kicked in, William deepened the kiss. His large hand slid around the nape of her neck, gripping her there lightly as their lips merged perfectly and set off everything inside her.
Her heart was racing when he pulled away. Somehow, without even realizing it, she’d gripped the front of his shirt as if she didn’t want him to part from her. Even when he pulled away, Alice didn’t bother to let go.
“William—” she breathed, not knowing what to say. So many things rushed to her tongue at once, filling her with such confusion and elation that she couldn’t sort through them all.
William slid his other hand around to the small of her back, pulling her into his arms. Alice had never felt safer, warmer. She couldn’t look away from his sky-blue eyes, filled with an emotion that she couldn’t name.
“The reason I called you here, Alice,” he murmured to her, each word making his chest rumble, “is because I wanted to tell you that I love you.”
“W…what?”
“It might not make much sense to you. You only know me to be the man with a terrible reputation for courting girls without taking it any further. A heartbreaker. You have no reason to believe that a man like myself is capable of love, even despite my past. But—” he broke off, taking a deep breath. He looked more serious than she’d even seen him, as if he wanted for her, above all else, to believe him. “But I am more than that. I’m capable of love and capable of loving and caring for you the way you deserve to be. I was…hesitant to tell you all this considering what you told me last night. You might be thinking right now that I stand no chance and that I am wasting my time but…but I don’t care. I never thought I would love again. I never thought another woman would make me feel the way that you do. And somehow, you’ve managed to bring out the deepest parts of me and I…well, how can I not fall in love with a lady such as yourself. It is unfair, really.”
Though the last part was clearly meant to be said in jest, Alice couldn’t smile. She couldn’t even breathe. His words swirled about her head, melding together until only three remained.I love you.
It couldn’t be possible, she thought. He was a heartbreaker. With the pain he’d once felt, how could he be foolish enough to risk that again? And if she dared to believe him then she was no better.
Alice knew she had to answer. She knew that he was waiting for her response, that the charged air between them would erupt soon if she didn’t say something. But for the life of her, Alice couldn’t think of a single thing except—
“Would you like a cup of tea, Emma?” It was the unmistakable voice of her father. Alice’s heart fell to the bottom of her stomach, her eyes flying open.
“There’s no need to wake the servants,” came Emma’s muffled voice. “Some time in the library should help to tire me enough.”
“Go!” Alice whispered quickly, pushing William away. It sounded like Emma and the Duke were about to come into the library at any moment. If they walked in to see Alice and William together like this…it would not end well.
William was already rushing off. Alice didn’t know what he planned on doing. Fear seized her limbs, rendering her immobile as she watched him run toward the opposite side of the library. To her surprise and relief, he slid behind one of the drawn drapes by the window.
At that moment, the door opened and Emma and her father walked in. Alice swiveled to face them, tight fear seizing the back of her throat.
“Alice?” Emma came to a halt at the sight of her sister. “What are you doing standing in the dark like that?”
“I was looking for something to read,” Alice said, her voice a little too high-pitched. She cleared her throat, glancing back at where she knew William was hidden. She swore she could see his feet peeking out from under the curtains.
“In the dark?” her father asked, sounding just as confused.
“I grew so excited that I forgot to bring the candle with me,” Alice explained. She went toward them, not wanting them to come to her. Even though William was mostly hidden, and the darkness certainly helped him, she didn’t want to risk it.
“Hm,” Emma hummed. “It isn’t like you to be so forgetful, but I suppose you do grow excited about reading. I can never understand it.”
“Enough about me. Why are you two here together?” Alice licked her lips, staying on the fringes of the candlelight. Her father was easy enough to fool, but Emma knew her far too well. She was more likely to notice if something was wrong.
“I couldn’t sleep,” her father explained. He sank into the chair behind the desk, letting out a breath. “I went for a walk and came upon Emma wandering the hallways as well. She cannot sleep either.”
“Do you think it has something to do with our dinner?” Emma mused aloud. “I assume that’s why you’re here, as well?”
“Yes, it is,” Alice said quickly. In truth, her mind was so focused on the man hiding behind the drapes to even come up with a suitable excuse for being here. “But I have another idea. Let’s go to my room, Emma.”
Before her sister could respond, Alice tucked her hand into her arm. “Father, come with us,” she said to the Duke. “It has been a while since it’s been just the three of us, don’t you think? We should cherish the time.”
Knowing her father was likely to protest, Alice began steering Emma toward the door, leaving little room for argument. She had to get them both out of here so that William could leave. If she didn’t drag her father along, he was likely to fall asleep reading a book in here and that would only make things more difficult for William.
It was a weak plan, but the Duke played along unknowingly, rising from his chair. Alice supposed she’d done well playing at the fact that it had been a while since the three of them had been alone like this.
She glanced back at the drapes as she left, breathing a quiet sigh of relief. It seemed they would not be caught. William was certainly smart enough to leave as soon as he thought that no one would be around to spot him. She shouldn’t worry any longer.
But as she trailed alongside her sister and father, only half-listening to the conversation they’d struck up, Alice knew her worries would linger for the rest of the night. Not because they might be caught, or that someone might find out that they’d kissed, but because of what she’d almost said to William before interruption.
