She glared at him, and he could almost see her defenses rise up in anger. “Do you really believe that after tonight I want you to share my room?”

She was angry, he realized. He’d been thinking of her protection, while she still held hurt feelings.

Taking her hand, he pulled her inside her room, closing the door and locking it. He pocketed the key. “It is my duty to protect my family, don’t you think?”

She glared at him, and Stephen knew he hadn’t been forgiven for his earlier behavior. He changed the subject. “Why did you kiss me earlier?”

“Because I wanted to.”

Her honesty caught him up short. He didn’t know what to say next. Instead, he moved behind her, slipping the pins from her hair. It spilled across his fingers in a silken veil of gold. Stephen continued removing pins, using his fingers to smooth the strands of hair.

She turned, biting her lower lip. “Thank you for purchasing a new coat and shoes for Royce.”

The words weren’t what he’d expected. And when her hands rested upon his shoulders, he wondered if she would kiss him again. Her mouth reminded him of an apple tart, sweet and warm. He wanted to nibble at her lips, tasting her until she melted against him.

Stephen drew her closer, resting his palms on her waist. Though she was still fully clothed, an intimacy rose between them, with her hair falling around her shoulders. “Why did you run from me?”

Color flooded her cheeks. “Because I—I was afraid.” She turned her face to the side, but her fingers remained upon him, her thumbs idly tracing a pattern. From the slight blush of her cheeks, he realized she wasn’t going to push him away.

“And are you still afraid?”

When she didn’t answer, he drew her back into a dancing position. Without asking permission, he moved in a gentle circle, waltzing with her. “Do you remember the first time we danced?”

Emily nodded, her heartbeat quickening. “It was in the stables at Lady Woolthrope’s house party.”

“Ten years ago,” he said, releasing her. He sat down in a chair before the fire, propping his feet up. “I was seventeen.”

She was hesitant but joined him, sitting within arm’s reach. So many memories of their past. As an adolescent, Stephen had trod on her toes more times than she could count. He hadn’t wanted to embarrass himself in front of the family at his first public gathering. Emily had known as little about dancing as he did, and they’d crashed into the horse stalls more than once on a bad turn.

“You fell into the muck,” she said.

“I’d been trying to forget that part.”

He edged his chair closer to hers, and she didn’t pull away. The fire warmed her stocking feet, and she couldn't suppress a smile. “That was the best part.”