It would be a very different life, but she was excited about the possibilities of it. The challenge was in finding a man who also saw the potential and embraced it. She took the last bite of her pie, wiped her gloved hand over her mouth, and began tugging it off.

“You missed a spot.”

Turning, she found him studying her so intently she feared she looked an absolute mess. She lifted a hand, the glove dangling halfway off it. His fingers closed gently around her wrist. “May I?”

His voice held such sincerity she might have nodded had he asked to ravish her, but all he wanted was to remove a tiny bit of food that she’d overlooked. In amazement, she watched as he touched his tongue to his thumb—quite possibly the most sensual thing she’d ever seen a man do.

“Just there,” he said, pressing his thumb near the corner of her mouth.

Then he licked off whatever he’d gathered, and she grew so warm that it was possible the moon had morphed into the sun.

“And there.” He touched the other corner.

“And here.” Her chin.

“And there.” The space between her brows, where his thumb lingered.

People strolled by, and she wondered what they thought of this couple on the steps barely moving.

“And there.” Her left temple.

“I daresay, I wasn’t that messy.”

“Your face is perfect, Miss Trewlove.”

“From your mouth to the lords’ ears. And I don’t mean God’s. I mean the viscounts, and earls . . . I hope they find me comely.”

“I don’t see how they can’t.” His tone was terse, rife with disapproval. As though she’d suddenly ignited, he’d moved his hand away, and she found herself aching once more for his caress.

“May I be honest with you, Mr. Sommersby?”

“I daresay, I hope you always are, Miss Trewlove.”

She took a deep breath, not at all certain her words would ease whatever tension had abruptly risen within him. “You confound me, sir.”

“And how is that?”

How to explain so it didn’t appear that she truly cared, when in fact she cared a great deal, more than was wise for a woman who was on the cusp of going on a husband hunt. “You don’t seem to know your own mind.”

He arched a heavy dark brow. “Indeed.”

“It’s as though you can’t decide whether or not you find me to your liking. This afternoon, for example, I was left with the impression you couldn’t wait to be rid of me. Now, here you are, having inserted yourself into my adventure, making it a much more pleasant experience than it would have been had I come alone as planned. You saw to my tears and tidied my face, and yet, I can’t help but believe that just now I’ve offended you.”