The door cracked slowly, hardly making a sound. Kit’s handsome face appeared as he peeked into the room. Alice gaped at him and pulled the coverlet up to her chin. “What are you doing?” she whispered. “You shouldn’t be in here.”

“Are you alone?”

“For the moment, but my mother will return shortly. You need to go.”

Instead of obeying, he slipped into the room and closed the door behind him. “I had to check on you. How are you feeling?”

“Kit. You must leave. If we are caught . . .”

“Stop worrying. I heard your mother go into her room and I assume she is getting dressed for bed. Tell me how you are doing.”

Despite her panic, Alice couldn’t help but melt at his concern. Her toes curled under the bedclothes. “I’m fine. Bored, but fine.”

He peeked at the spine of the book on the side table. “Bees? Really, Alice?” He put his hands on his hips. “A good thing I arrived when I did so that I may save you from yourself.”

“That book is interesting! Did you know bees have five eyes?”

“And yet all of them would be bored stiff from reading that terrible book.” When she chuckled, he grinned down at her. “See? That’s better.”

“I don’t care what you say. I plan to keep reading it tonight.”

“Then I suppose I’ll need to return later and entertain you.”

She bit her lip. Was he serious? It seemed impossible that he wished to spend time with her after she’d made such a fool of herself. “I’m certain you have better things to do.”

“I don’t, actually. But if you’d rather I didn’t, I understand.” A shadow passed through his eyes, an uncertainty so unlike him that she frowned.

“It’s not that I don’t want you here. I do. It’s just . . . what if we are caught?”

“No one will find out.” He put a hand over his heart. “This is my area of expertise. I’ll wait until your mother goes to sleep and then I’ll come back. All right?”

“All right.” Excitement bubbled inside her, light and heavy at the same time. It was the happiest she’d felt all day.

“Excellent. I’ll return when everyone settles.” He started to leave and then paused. “Alice, I just wanted to apologize for anything I said last night that might have been . . . crass. I don’t remember much from when you were in my room, but I hope I didn’t scare you.”

She struggled to keep her face from betraying her as she recalled his words from last night.

My cock is hard all the time for you.

No, she hadn’t found that scary. Not a bit. More like thrilling. Unbelievable and flattering.

He was studying her carefully, so she answered honestly. “No, you were a perfect gentleman.”