“You looked me up?” he asked.
“I did indeed.” Why did he sound so surprised? She placed her hand on his neck. “May I call you Augustus?”
“Stop.” He plucked away her hand and held her by her wrist.
She didn’t fight him.
If he didn’t want to acknowledge what was obvious, she could not make him. Strange—sostrange. Whatever his other condemnations, Neville wanted her.Badly.
She wanted him, too.
The realization should have stunned her, but a part of her had known all along. That’s why she’d experienced a sudden jolt when she’d stumbled against him in the maze. That’s why she didn’t mind being close to him, now.
His continued resistance, however, made no sense at all.
“How aboutAuggie, then?” she taunted. “Would you like that better?”
He groaned. “I don’t understand why you sound angry! Youknowthis isn’t right.”
“Do I?” She went cold again and then yanked her hand from his hold. “Preach. Preach. Preach. You sound just like my old curate,Auggie.”
“Did you traphimin dark places, too? Lure him into yew mazes?”
“Idid notlure you into that maze.” She wanted to stamp her foot. Preferably on his toe. “I have neverluredyou—or anyone else—into any place they did not want to go!”
“Oh? This isn’t the first time we’ve been improperly alone,” he said bitterly. “By my count, it’s the third.”
“Well,youwent into the maze first!”
“Whereyouthrew yourself at me.”
“Ifellon you!” She felt her voice wobble. “Because of theraven, you dolt!”
“Bah,” he scoffed. “I wouldn’t be surprised to learn the bird was your familiar.”
“So now, in addition to beingtrouble, I’m also awitch?”
The desire that had possessed her to draw him close dissipated. Perhaps she’d been wrong, and he wasn’t attracted to her at all. She pushed him away again, then crossed her arms and vigorously rubbed from her shoulders to her elbows.
She was so very cold without his heat.
The whole night had been a disaster. And now she was dangerously close to tears.
“You’recruel, Neville.” Her confounding attraction to him melded back into anger that stung in her eyes. “Do you hear me?” She hiccupped. “Cruel!”
“What is happening?” He sounded baffled. Possibly even dazed.
He reached out but she turned quickly away, and he only managed to graze her arm.
“Devil take it, Millie, I can’t see! Whereareyou?”
“I never lured you to those places! And did not lure you here.” Why did he have to be so enraging? So obtuse? “How could I?”
She didn’t care anymore. She let the tears come.
“You can’t—Oh, God, you can’t truly be crying?”
She sniffed. “W—why—not?”