She shrugged and returned her attention to Princess. “I feel comfortable with you.”
“Is that all?”
She picked up the puppy and cuddled it against her chest. “You leave soon.”
“True.” And he’d never been so reluctant to return to the capital before.
She peeked at him from beneath her lashes. “It’ll be another year before I can talk to you again.”
He nodded, his heartbeat increasing at the idea she might miss him when he was in London. He eased closer until they sat side by side in the dark. “I must return to the city. I have responsibilities.”
“I know and do admire you for that. But, it becomes very quiet when you are gone. I don’t want to miss a moment.”
David’s thoughts tumbled over themselves. He, too, would miss her and treasured these stolen moments, more than he ever realized he would. David didn’t want them to end when he left. He wanted Abigail in his life. He stood and held out his hand. “Princess should be put to bed.”
Abigail laid her hand in his and allowed him to raise her to her feet. “She’s lovely. Where did she come from?”
He stood aside so she could enter his home first and quietly shut then locked the door behind them. They were alone; the first time he had willingly, intentionally, done something that might ruin her reputation. And he did not care. “I found her under a cabbage actually.”
“Really. I thought that sort of thing was simply for fairytales and little children’s bedtime stories.”
Abigail’s laughter filled his house, causing him to join in. “Hence my decision to name her Princess. Do you like her?”
“I do. She has a sweet disposition.”
“I wondered if you might take her.”
Her gaze rose to his. “I would love to, except I have no idea where I’ll be living soon.”
He took the pup and settled the animal back in her bed. “I’ve been giving that some thought tonight and I had considered offering Peter my house to live in until he could make other arrangements.”
Abigail backed from the room, one eye on the drowsy puppy. “He wouldn’t accept.”
David followed and joined her in the hall. Princess whimpered and then fell silent. He hoped she would be a deep sleeper tonight. “Then my offer would be to you. I know how much you love Brighton. It distresses me that I’ll be responsible for forcing you away.”
She pressed a finger to his lips, ending the string of apologies crowding his mind. “I’ll be fine, David. I’m not completely helpless.”
This business was in no way fair to her. “Even so.”
She drew closer, rose up on her toes, and brushed her lips against his in a fleeting kiss. “Shh, don’t worry about me so much.”
David searched her face, saw nothing but affection and trust there. He swallowed. He simply couldn’t walk away from Abigail when her future was so uncertain. “I don’t seem able to prevent that.”
She grinned. “Then you don’t really mind me being here.”
David lifted a hand to her cheek and stroked his thumb over the soft surface. No other woman had ever gotten under his skin like this. He could not, would not, fight the instinct to keep her close. To do everything he could to protect her and keep her for himself was imperative. There was only Abigail. “No. In fact, I think it would be best for you to stay.”
When she nodded, David scooped her into his arms and carried her upstairs to his bedchamber before she thought better of her decision.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Days of frustration fell away as David closed his bedchamber door behind them. Abigail had a look in her eye David liked very much. A look that said she agreed with his decision to make love to her tonight. He couldn’t deny his feelings for her if he wanted to, and he did not fight the joy this moment brought him. He slowly lowered her to her feet but kept her close as a bubble of happiness crowded his chest. “Abigail, you shouldn’t be here now, not yet anyway, but I won’t deny I want you more than I can say.”
“I’m exactly where I want to be,” she assured him. Abigail smiled shyly at him and he fell completely, irrevocably, in love with her as she kicked off her shoes.
He dipped his head, and skimmed his lips across hers.
Days between kisses faded. He was back in that moment when he knew he was doing wrong but was utterly powerless to stop. He should wait until they were married or at the very least wait until the marriage contract had been signed. But she touched his chest lightly and such a small sensation wasn’t enough. He pulled her firmly against his body and held her closer.