When Reese knocked at the bedchamber door, she jumped up and let him in. He carried a tray full of fruit, bread, and cheeses, along with a bottle of wine and a pair of glasses, and when he saw her in her nightgown, his eyes flashed with heat and awareness. Her blood thrummed in response.

“You look…” He frowned, as though at a loss for words.

“Exceedingly comfortable?” she ventured. “In a state of utter dishabille?”

“No,” he said firmly. “Beautiful. So beautiful, in fact, that I may have forgotten everything I wanted to say to you.”

“Thank you,” she said, accepting the glass of wine he’d poured for her. She sat in a soft, cozy armchair and tucked her feet beneath her. “I’m nervous too. But all we need to do is say what’s in our hearts.”

Reese sank into the chair beside her and set his wineglass on the low table in front of them. He’d shed his jacket, and his shirtsleeves were rolled to his elbows, revealing strong, sinewy forearms and large, tanned hands. Her mouth went dry, and she took a fortifying sip of wine before looking at him again.

When she did, he leaned forward, elbows propped on his knees, and gazed at her earnestly. “A little over a month ago, I was at the end of my rope, barely hanging on to my sanity. But on the night you walked into the tailor’s shop, everything started to change.”

“Isn’t it strange,” she mused. “If I hadn’t needed to rent a space, I might never have met you.” The mere thought left her feeling vaguely unsettled and hollow.

“At first, I assumed the valerian-root tea was responsible for the subtle changes, but I was deluding myself. It was all you. Once I realized that, I thought that seeing you once a week, adhering to your rules, and never crossing the boundaries we’d set … I thought it would be enough.”

“I know that the rules are exasperating,” she said. “They are for me too. But I’m afraid they can’t be helped.”

“There’s something important I need to ask you,” he said. “And I need for you to tell me the truth, even if you fear I won’t like the answer.”

“I’ve never lied to you,” she said. But she did have a few secrets.

He pressed his palms together and swallowed as if he were mentally bracing himself. His dark brown eyes shone with a mix of fear and hope. “My question is this: Do you love Lord Singleton?”

She blew out the breath she’d been holding and looked down at her lap. The safest course of action—for both of them, really—would be for her to say yes. If she did, Reese would retreat, and her future with Lord Singleton would be all but etched in stone.