The gratitude in her voice caused something to unfurl in his chest, like his heart was plumping up, doubling in size. If it were possible, he’d shower her with affection every day to receive such sincere appreciation. He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her mouth, which she returned in kind, apparently not minding that he smelled and tasted like her.

When they broke apart, he checked the clock. “It’s half past four. Time to go, sweetheart.”

Within seconds she smoothed her skirts and tucked her hair back in place. He took her hand and led her out of his office and into the club. After she visited the washroom to freshen up, they crossed the floor. The workers had departed, the finishing touches almost complete, so there was no one to see as he gave Alice a leisurely kiss at the door. They were both breathing heavily when he pulled away. “There. That’s a proper goodbye.”

Her fingers caressed his jaw. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Yes, she would, but they wouldn’t be alone. This was the last time that would happen, and he already regretted sharing her tomorrow and Friday. Part of him wanted to keep this competent and clever creature his secret. But she wasn’t for him. She would marry a proper husband from a good family and settle into a life of monotony and monogamy—two nouns that would never apply to Kit.

Lifting her hand, he ignored the ache in his chest and kissed her knuckles. “Come on. Let me help you inside the carriage.”

It was highly likely that Alice was infatuated with Christopher Ward.

She couldn’t believe her stupidity. All along, she knew having feelings for Kit was a terrible idea. His position on marriage had been made perfectly clear and, even if he was interested in marriage, he could have any woman in New York. Why would he ever settle for her?

She had to snap out of this, shake some sense into herself before it was too late. The goal was to find a suitable husband, fast. Enduring another season with her mother at her side was as appealing as week-old bread. The first two had been bad enough. A third would sink her.

Shifting on the carriage seat, she marveled at what happened in the club’s tiny office moments ago. Heat washed across her skin like bathwater, and she bit her lip, remembering. It had felt unlike anything she could have dreamed, much more intense than any of her own explorations, as if Kit had thrown a switch to electrify her entire body, with all the pleasure centered in that one spot.

She would never forget it. There was every chance she would blush for the entire day tomorrow, but the embarrassment was worth it. Not every debutante received such an education from a master.

With one smile, he manages to turn even the shyest woman into a vixen.