Page 39 of Miss Wylde and the Wynd

When had his attraction for her developed? And it wasn’t so simple. It was more desire—a need. Further, it was completely unexpected and odd.

Georgie was not like any woman he had ever pursued. Not that he had ever courted anyone because that would never happen. But when seeking a mistress or a lover for a night, they more resembled the blonde- and auburn-haired women who had joined them on the mail coach. Not someone with an air of innocence even though maturity accompanied her being. He always sought someone he knew would know how to please him, not at all shy, practiced in the skills of sensuality that he could pleasure in return.

Except, it had been Georgie whom he had wanted today…and tonight.

But it was a desire that he could not and would not act upon.

If he did, what kind of protector would that make him? He was here to help her find her sister then safely put them on a passenger ship back to Italy to never been seen again. If he seduced her, ruined her, that would change his life as well as hers. He had an orderly, controlled import-export business in Southampton that he needed to run. Georgie worked in a bakery in Carrera, Italy, for her father and grandfather. Their worlds could not be more different and he would not ruin her future nor his own.

Tomorrow would be a long day, another one spent with Georgie, that would require that he be rested. Therefore, he finished his wine then climbed the stairs to his own chamber where he stripped out of his clothing and fell into bed.

All he needed was to sleep through the night and tomorrow he would awaken with renewed determination to find Grace. He was also certain that in the light of day any desire that he may have entertained tonight would be gone.

It was that simple.

He had also been wrong.

Sleep did not remove Georgie from his mind despite his exhaustion, and the two glasses of wine and warm soup that should have sent him into a dreamless sleep failed to do the job. Instead, she visited him. Smiling, laughing, and sometimes scolding and often stubborn. Many times, she had been barely dressed as she teased and taunted. And each time Damian came awake, his body ached with need.

Still, he would not accept that it was Georgie he wanted. She just happened to be the one who had been by his side constantly and the fact that he had not had a mistress or lover in nearly four months.

When Damian reached the dining room, breakfast had already been set out on the sideboard and the newssheets that he enjoyed reading when he broke his fast were at the corner of the table. He filled a plate, poured a cup of coffee, and read as he ate. When he heard Georgie come down the stairs, he set the paper aside, then reconsidered as he took in her appearance. Today she wore a dress of pale yellow, trimmed in white lace, a bodice scooped lower than the one the day before, yet still modest. Her brown eyes were bright and there was an anxious smile on her bow-shaped lips, and even though her hair was back as it had been yesterday, a few curls escaped and framed her face.

Had they been present as they rode from Southampton?

Certainly, he would have noticed.

Not that any of that mattered. What did was that she was quite fetching and desirable and his dreams flooded his memory.

He should not lust after Georgie.

He would not!

With that thought, and determination, he picked up the newssheets and attempted to continue reading while he reminded himself that he would not seduce an innocent miss that he was supposed to assist and protect.

*

Georgie ate a meal of eggs, porridge, and ham without conversation, then drank a cup of tea, eager to be on her way, while Damian took his time and read one of the newssheets stacked at the corner of the dining room table.

The sun had been up for nearly an hour and there was no reason why they should not be on their way to the Port of London right now, therefore she focused on Damian and hoped that he could feel the weight of her stare through the paper.

A moment later he folded it and looked at her, his blue eyes as icy as they had been the first time they had met. He then picked up another newssheet and continued to read.

He had actually been pleasant at times yesterday but now possessed the same personality as he had in Southampton.

Maybe the wine that had been in his blood had soured.

Georgie blew out a sigh and poured herself another cup of tea. She would just leave him to his reading and venture out on her own, if she knew which direction to go. She wished she would have brought her map. Then again, she could return upstairs, dress as a man, hail a hackney, and have the driver take her to the Port of London.

Except, she wouldn’t know where to begin to look and the reason that she had agreed to allow Damian to come along yesterday.

Maybe that was why he was in a foul mood. If so, then it was his own fault. He could have stayed in Southampton.

Damian set the newssheet aside and stood. “Shall we leave?”

“Yes,” Georgie said between clenched teeth. He knew how important it was that they arrive as early as possible—before her sister was lost forever, but it was if they were scheduled for nothing more than a stroll.

When they stepped outside, Damian hailed a hackney and they were quickly on their way.