She considered his words before nodding. “All right, Hadrian, I suppose we could stay with you and your mother for a few weeks.”

The thrill of victory welled in him, though he was careful not to show just how much her assent mattered to him. It would take time and patience to ease her strong disapproval of the aristocracy. “Excellent,” he said. “Then you’ll wish to do your packing. We’ll depart at first light in the morning.”

But she made no move toward the door, her gaze intent on his face. “You are fond of Leo, aren’t you? I believe you’d make him an excellent father.”

“Me?”

“Yes. And Lady Ellen will be a good mother to Leo. She’ll give him the affection that he truly deserves.”

Lady Ellen? What had she to do with anything?

Hadrian gaped for a full five blinks before remembering that Natalie still believed he meant to wed the girl. He almost corrected her, then thought better of it. If she knew he was considering altering his marital plans in her favor, she might very well rescind her agreement to go to London.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said noncommittally.

He would do no such thing, of course. Although he liked the novel notion of adopting the boy, a part of that included Natalie filling the role of his wife and Leo’s mother. Best of all, Hadrian would have her in his bed each night. Their passionate kiss had been a mere taste to hone his appetite for her.

It struck him that he’d never entertained a single lascivious thought about Lady Ellen. With Natalie, however, it was a constant battle to keep himself from visualizing the feminine curves beneath her gown. He craved to glide his hands over her lush bottom, to trace the slender indentation of her waist, to cup the breasts that filled his palms to perfection.

But it would be an uphill battle to soften her resistance to a man of his high rank. Was he wrong to think he could convince her to stay in England? Wrong to hope she could somehow fit into his world? Wrong to believe she’d find him worthy enough to give up her life in America?

At the moment, she was eyeing him with determination, a charming flush in her cheeks. “There’s something else I need to say,” she told him. “I oughtn’t have encouraged you to kiss me last night. It was my fault and utterly unfair to Lady Ellen. It must never happen again.”

The air suddenly seemed to hum with charged energy. They stared at each other, and he could see in her direct gaze that she, too, felt the scorching bond between them. He himself recalled every moment of their embrace with searing clarity. The brandy tang of her mouth, the eager softness of her lips, the pressure of her slim body arching against him. He burned to touch the silken smoothness of her breasts again, this time to strip away her clothes, to discover every hidden secret of her body, to sink into her welcoming heat.