Free Why Lords Lose Their Hearts by Manda Collins Page B

then, as sometimes happens, they both spoke at once.
    “I beg your pardon.”
    “I cannot believe what just happened!”
    They stopped again, suddenly awkward as they studiously avoided one another’s gazes.
    Archer, his face diplomatically expressionless, waved for Perdita to speak first. She gave him a searching look, but seeing that he gave nothing away, she said, “I am mortified that my sister and Ormond should have walked in on that…”
    She wasn’t quite sure what to call what had just happened between them. Except perhaps a mistake, but even Perdita knew not to say that aloud to a man she’d just kissed like a wanton. When Archer made no attempt to fill in a word for her, she started again. “That is to say, I never expected to be…”
    How to tell him that the fire between them—which still had parts of her longing to move back into the circle of his arms and pick up where they’d left off—had not only confirmed her fear of getting involved with him, but had been even more overwhelming than she’d feared.
    Because what she’d felt in Archer’s arms had been more than the infatuation she’d felt for Gervase in the early days of their marriage. Before he became someone to fear. Archer had the potential to break her heart. As well as to make her a slave to her passion. Imagine the aftermath should something go wrong between them. It would be a thousand times more devastating than Gervase. And up till now she’d thought finding out her husband was a monster had been the worst thing that could happen to her.
    “I think we can count on them to be discreet,” Archer said calmly. “There’s no need for you to panic.”
    There was something about how he said the words that made her wonder how he meant them. “I wasn’t going to panic. I trust my sister and Ormond not to spread tales. I was simply…”
    “Sharing your mortification with me,” he said, his handsome face completely devoid of emotion. He ran a hand down his arm and straightened his cuffs. “I understand completely, Your Grace.”
    Then to her astonishment he returned to the desk and began shuffling through the papers there. Shocked at his coldness, she stalked over to the other side of the chamber and stood across the desk from him. “Archer,” she said, looking at the top of his head, his golden hair slightly disarranged, as he leaned over to hastily write a note. “What is the matter?”
    Was it her imagination or did his hand tremble just a little when she spoke? It was impossible to tell.
    Looking up from his task, Archer said, “I’m not sure what you mean. Let’s see.” He began ticking off the points on his fingers. “We fought earlier because you resented my interruption yesterday during your ride with Dunthorp. I became angry and kissed you. We were interrupted by your sister and her husband—my employer—then your response to being found kissing me was mortification. Do I have all that right?”
    His eyes, which had just minutes earlier been dark with passion, were now cold. She fought the urge to hug herself.
    “I suppose, technically, that is correct, but I do think there is a more nuanced way of saying it,” she said. Her heart, which had been beating from the excitement of being caught out, now felt as if it were constricting in her chest. “For instance, I wouldn’t say that it was being found kissing you that was mortifying. I’d have responded in precisely the same fashion if it had been anyone else.”
    “Dunthorp, perhaps? Perhaps we should send him a note and have him kiss you in the study, as well. I’m sure your sister and Ormond will be more than willing to walk in on the two of you. In fact, I think I will send Dunthorp a note. After all, the man is lucky enough to be the focus of your attention. Why not let him in on the secret?” Archer stood and crossed his arms over his chest, and Perdita couldn’t help but remember just how warm and strong it had felt pressed against her own. But that was