She did not trust this sudden kneel either. Did he hope to appear less intimidating? Hah! It had the opposite effect. Truly. The man appeared even more formidable.
It made Harriet uneasy. It was as though she—the prey, a little deer in the forest—had caught sight of a predator. She could either remain frozen in the hope that he would move on or run for her life.
The former was not an option. He had already caught her scent. Locked his sights on her. And she suspected, once this man put his mind to something, he wouldn’t stop until he got what he wanted.
“Compelling me into marriage this way is the last thing that will make me happy.”
He paused, shooting a glance at Chester before finding her gaze again. “I admit, I’ve made some blunders, but I will give you everything you want.”
She waved the special license in his face. “I want my name crossed out of this document.”
“Anything but that.”
“And you expect me to believe your intention is to make me happy? To protect me? You’ve done a wonderful job so far, sir. Do keep it up.”
“I realize we’ve had a poor start—”
“Poorstart?” Harried interrupted. “I daresay there was no start to speak of!”
“Harriet—”
“Did I not say not to call me by my name?”
“Love—”
“Donotcall melove.” Was the man trying to provoke her into an early grave? “Why would you call me that?”
No pause. “A blunder, my apologies.”
“You are quite the blunderer, sir.” Harriet bit down on her teeth. “We are not familiar enough with each other for you to address me so intimately.”
“Which is why I am trying to close the distance between us. You can call me Will.”
Harriet started. Close the distance? A rushed “arranged” marriage was not enough? This man truly was in a class by himself.
“Well, I don’t want you to call me by my name or any endearment. Nor do I wish to close the distance between us.” There was no intimacy between them and there could never be until he proved himself worthy—the same standard she had for any man. Best he understood that from the start.
“Lady Harriet, then.”
Harriet gave the man a suspicious glare. She might have won the battle—no, he surrendered this battle—but he did it to win the war.
The man was trouble.
She should have just gritted her teeth and let him call her “love” no matter how annoying the tingle of gooseflesh. If he wanted to fool himself that a name would close the distance between them, let him.Shewas no fool.
“Fine,” she bit out. “Call me Harriet, if you must.”
He raised one dark brow, surprise lighting his gaze. “Harriet.”
A rush of butterfly wings skittered over her skin. How could her name sound like that? So... so sultry? He did that on purpose, didn’t he?
Scoundrel.
“What have I done to deserve this?” Harriet questioned. She set Chester down. “Surely, you do not find me that pleasing to the eye?”
A glimmer of determination marked his countenance. Too late, she realized she probably shouldn’t bait a wolf when they were alone in her bedchamber with the very means to wed her immediately clasped in her hand.
He was on her in a second.
