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But now here she was, just when he was on the cusp of going to her. As if there were some unseen thread that tied them together, and she’d sensed his feelings and his decision to seek her out.

“May I come in?” she asked quietly when he simply stared at her in silence like an awestruck fool.

“Yes, of course.” He stepped back from the threshold. His mouth watered when she swept past him and he caught that sweet floral scent he associated only with her.

He closed the door and turned to her.

“There’s something I must say to you,” she blurted.

Atlas smiled. “There’s something I must say to you too.”

“May I go first? If I don’t, I suspect I’ll lose courage and bolt out the door again.”

He nodded. He certainly didn’t want that. “By all means. You go first.”

She twisted her hands together and her cheeks began to pinken. “What I’m about to say may shock you, but will you allow me to get it all out before you give me your reply?”

“Very well. I’ll listen.”

“Earlier, we mentioned the night we kissed. And we both agreed we do not regret it.”

Atlas knew she didn’t want him to speak, but he nodded to encourage her to continue.

“But I do regret one aspect of that night.”

Atlas’s mouth went dry and his heart began to thud wildly in his chest. He didn’t want her to regret any of it, but he wouldn’t blame her if she did. He’d acted completely without propriety and then made it worse by not speaking to her afterwards.

She hesitated, seeming to weigh how that declaration had fallen.

“Go on,” he told her quietly.

“What I regret is that we stopped.” She notched up her chin after those words were out, almost as if she was daring him to disagree with her. “If I am going away, then I would like to take that with me.”

Atlas was suddenly confused. “Take what with you, Pip?”

“The memory of one night with you.”

Flames licked along Atlas’s skin and he’d never felt such a powerful ache of longing in his life.

Philippa dipped her head. “Perhaps you think me shameful.”

He moved to stand before her and dared to slip his index finger under her chin, tipping her head up gently so that he could look into her eyes. “Nothing about that request is shameful. Do you not understand how much I wanted the same that night?”

“And now? Tonight?” She lifted a hand to the front of his waistcoat, running her fingernail along the row of buttons.

“Nothing has changed,” he whispered.

Her face softened into a breath-stealing smile.

“Though there is something I want to say to you.” Atlas lifted a hand to stroke his fingers along her cheek, then slide along the line of her neck. “I was on my way to find you when you knocked on my door.”

Philippa’s brow furrowed. “How would you have found me?”

Atlas bit his lip. “I followed you for a bit when you left the Royal Pavilion.” He tried for a chagrined look, but she didn’t stop smiling.

“You’ve always been overprotective.”

“Two sisters. What can I say?”