Free My Brown-Eyed Earl by Anna Bennett

position.”
    Lord Castleton leaned back in his armchair, extended his legs, and crossed them at the ankles, his gleaming boots only inches from the skirt of her dress. As he seemed to consider what she’d said, he nonchalantly balanced the base of his snifter on his abdomen, loosely holding the rim between his thumb and forefinger. Meg had to concentrate in order to keep her eyes off of that intriguing spot just above the waistband of his trousers.
    So she drank a little more port.
    â€œI was twenty-three when I inherited my father’s title. Do you think I was qualified to be an earl, Miss Lacey?”
    â€œI don’t know,” she stammered. “But I’m sure it was difficult to lose your father at so young an age.”
    A shadow darkened his face briefly, then lifted. “It was, in some ways. I was trying to comfort my mother and attempting to run an estate at the same time. I had no idea what I was doing, but I learned. So will you.”
    â€œThere is a difference in our situations.”
    â€œWhat might that be?” he challenged.
    â€œYou were born into this life.” She waved a hand at the elegant surroundings. “You’ve always known you were destined to be an earl, and you were groomed for the title from an early age. But I was never meant to be a governess.”
    He shook his head, clearly dumbfounded. “A few days ago you stood in this very room and convinced me you would make a fine governess. Why the change of heart?”
    She shrugged helplessly. “It’s not fair to the twins.” They were part of the reason, anyway.
    â€œDon’t do that,” he snapped.
    Meg pressed a hand to her chest. “Do what?”
    â€œLay the blame with the twins.”
    â€œI’m not blaming them,” she said.
    â€œGood, because this is about you . The job isn’t as easy as you thought it would be, and now you want to quit.”
    No, she didn’t want to. She needed this position far more than he knew, and had already spent her first week’s salary ten times over in her head. But her attraction to the earl was unsettling, and living under the same roof with him could only invite trouble. “I just want what’s best for Valerie and Diana.”
    â€œAnd you think that running away is what’s best for them?” he asked, incredulous.
    She closed her eyes. “No, but…”
    â€œThen stay, damn it.”
    The words hung in the air between them, and she saw it again. That raw, unfiltered glimpse into his soul. He took the glass from her hands and set it on a table next to his snifter. Then he reached for her hand and glided his thumb back and forth over her palm.
    Perhaps it was the effect of the port, but that mere brush of his thumb sent ripples of pleasure through her limbs. Her nipples tightened beneath the stiff wool of her dress, and she squeezed her thighs together in a futile attempt to stop the pulsing between her legs.
    â€œStay,” he breathed. “Please.”
    â€œPardon me, my lord,” Gibson intoned from the doorway, startling them both and shattering the intimate moment. “Your dinner is served.”
    Meg drew her hand back. “I really should go.”
    â€œSet another place, Gibson. Miss Lacey will be dining with me this evening.”

 
    Chapter SEVEN
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    â€œI’ll see to it at once.” Gibson bowed and glided out of Lord Castleton’s study. If the butler thought it odd that the earl had invited the governess to dinner, he hid his surprise quite well.
    Meg, on the other hand, did not. “What have you done?” she sputtered.
    He shrugged, all innocence. “I invited you to dinner.”
    â€œI beg to differ, my lord. You did not extend an invitation. An invitation can be declined. What you did was … was … issue a decree .”
    He nodded approvingly. “You see, Miss Lacey, this is why you will make an exceptional governess.