Those dark eyes finally settled on her.
Selena’s heart did a little somersault in her chest. “A clenched jaw. Stiff posture. Fisted hands. Your entire body speaks how severely annoyed with me you must be. Not to mention the fact that you gave me the cut in there.”
“I’m not annoyed with you.”
“Aha! He speaks. You are not annoyed with me, you say, but you are annoyed. Plus, you were so obvious in your disregard. Who are you vexed with if not me?”
He unclenched his fists, flexing his fingers to relax them. “I’m not annoyed with you, Selena, I’m annoyed with myself. More so now that I’ve given in and entertained this conversation.”
Rude man. “Is it because I took you to a charlatan’s house or because you kissed me?”
He stared at her without a word.
“Because I bit you, perhaps?” Could it be that?
He still gave her nothing.
“All of them, then. What must I do to make you forgive me? I was planning on sending you tea as an apology.”
“I have enough, thank you.”
“Does that mean you are not going to forgive me? I’ve forgiven you, and this is aspecialtea.”
He arched a brow.
“It aids hair growth.”
His face frosted over.
Why must the man be so rigid? “Come now, Warrick, what must I do? I will do anything you want.” She paused, lowering her voice. “If it’s about the kiss, it didn’t bother me that much.”
The corners of his eyes crinkled. She’d caught his attention. “The kiss didn’t bother you?”
“No,” she said simply. “It was a moment of madness. I understand.”
So long as it never happened again.Because this was Warrick. Saville’s friend. A previous girlhood infatuation. One of the men who had turned her life upside down and had her questioning her very existence in this world.
She studied his face as she waited for his response. Warrick had been in her world longer than he had not. She supposed that was why the betrayal she had felt when she had learned about what he and her brother had done had been no less than her anger toward them.
Had she still not let that hurt go?
“A moment of madness,” he finally repeated.
Why did she sense that his mood had plummeted even more? “Was it not?”
“So, me kissing you didn’t bother you?”
“I said as much, didn’t I?” Selena smirked. “It seems to have bothered you.”
His gaze searched hers and a slow smile creeped across his face, so suddenly it seemed wholly out of place from the mood he emanated mere moments ago. “You said you’d do anything as long I forgive you?”
Selena paused. “Within reason,” she said slowly.
“Definereason.”
“Not too difficult to accomplish. Not too strenuous. And nothing that requires me to use a weapon.”
He snatched her wrist, pulled her swiftly into the nearest room, and backed her against the wall. Heat rose to her cheeks. “What are you doing, Phineas?”
