My Favorite Major (Heroes Returned Book 1) (11 page)

“
Tristan made it sound urgent.” He glanced around the room, ensuring they were alone. “Is Ame—I mean, is Miss Pritchard all right?”

Cordie reclaimed her seat and patted the space beside her. “Sit, we should talk.”

Which was the very last thing Philip wanted, but he did so to appease her. “You didn’t answer my question. Is Miss Pritchard—”

“
You may drop the act, Philip Moore,” she scolded.

Philip shook his head. “Act?” he echoed. “I truly am concerned about the girl.”

“
Indeed?” She narrowed her green eyes on him. “Is that why you’re marrying her? Concern, I mean?”

Philip gulped. “I should have spoken to Clayworth first, I—”

“
Yes, you should have,” she agreed. “You are the last man I would ever think would take marriage so cavalierly.”

An image of Philip’s mother flashed in his mind. The memory stung his heart. “You know I don’t.”

“
Do I?” she scoffed. “For the last year, I’ve heard of nothing but your lamenting over Olivia. And then—” she snapped her fingers together “—just like that, you ask a girl living under my roof to marry you without a word to Clayworth or her father or to
me
.”

He didn’t have an honorable answer. He couldn’t reveal the truth, as it would only lead to questions about Amelia, and those were her secrets to tell, not Philip’s. “I would have thought you, of all people, would have been happy for me,” he hedged. “Haven’t you been telling me all along that Olivia is happy with her lot, that I should get on with my life?”

“
Since when do you listen to me?”

He couldn’t help but smile at that. “I always
listen
to you, I just don’t always do what you say.”

She rolled her eyes. “More fool you then. I often know more than I let on and—”

“
Higgins said you wanted to see me.” Amelia burst into the room, wearing a blue traveling gown and cape, but stopped in her tracks when her eyes landed on Philip. She sucked in a breath and her hand fluttered to her chest. “What are you doing here?”

The better question was, “Are you headed somewhere?” he asked, stumbling back to his feet. After all, she looked as though she was prepared for quite the journey.

Amelia’s eyes flashed to Cordie. “Did you call him here?”

The countess shook her head. “I told you I wouldn’t.”

What the devil was going on? “Would someone like to tell me…?”

“
But since he
is
here,” Cordie began, “perhaps the two of you should talk.” She rose from the settee.

Amelia narrowed her eyes on the countess. “You did have a hand in this, I’m certain.”

But Cordie shook her head innocently. “I don’t know what you mean, Amelia dear. Major Moore simply wanted to call on his intended. Isn’t that right, Philip?”

That wasn’t technically true, but Philip found himself nodding anyway. “I didn’t think to find you leaving Clayworth House so early,” he said, still trying to sort out why she looked as though she was headed for travel.

Cordie strode towards the doorway and once she reached Amelia, she grasped her hand. “I am glad he’s here, however. You
should
talk to him.” Then the countess escaped into the corridor and shut the door behind her, leaving Amelia and Philip staring at one another.

“
Are you running out on me?” Philip asked, hoping to lighten the mood.

Amelia shrugged. “We’d have to truly be engaged for that to be the case, wouldn’t it?”

So she was leaving. A pang of regret twisted Philip’s heart at the thought of not seeing her again. “Where are you planning on going?”

She sighed and stepped further into the room. “Home. I never should have come here in the first place. If I hadn’t, you wouldn’t find yourself wrapped up in all of this, and I could never live with myself if you were hurt because of me.”

Leaning on his cane for balance, Philip crossed the room to stand before her. “Don’t say such things, Amelia. If you hadn’t come to London, I would have never met you and…”

“
And you would never have felt honor-bound to help me.” She shook her head. “I hardly think you’re better off for having met me.”

Despite her words, a smile tugged at Philip’s lips. If she hadn’t come to Town, he’d never have kissed her. And though he wasn’t quite certain what to do about that, the fact that he’d felt compelled to kiss her the previous night and the fact that he’d like to do so again, had to mean something, didn’t it? That perhaps he wasn’t as dead inside as he’d thought for the last year? “I am quite happy for our acquaintance. Truly, I am.”

Her blue gaze dropped to the floor and she nervously bit her lip. “Thank you, but…”

She was so adorable to worry about him. How very charming she was. “Don’t go home, Amelia. Stay here. How will I face society if word gets out I’ve been jilted once again?” he teased.

She choked on a laugh. “
You
should have thought about that before you announced to all the world that we were betrothed. What will people say when they learn I’ve jilted yet another fiancé? I’ll be thought the ficklest woman in all of Britain.”

And yet, in this moment, he didn’t want to take it back. He tilted her chin up with his crooked finger so she had to meet his gaze. “Then don’t jilt me, at least not yet.”

She frowned at him. “And let Mr. Mason shoot you instead? I can’t live with that, Major.”

Philip couldn’t help but chuckle. “So little faith in my abilities? I am quite the decorated officer, I’ll have you know. Besides, Mason may come to his senses before the day is out.”

Amelia sighed. “I told him I’d return home and reconsider his offer of marriage if he would let this foolishness go.”

Philip’s mouth dropped open in surprise, and fury built in his chest. “I beg your pardon?”

“
None of this is your concern, Major Moore. I never meant to drag you into all of this.”

But he’d jumped in with both feet, and he had no regrets about doing so. In fact, he’d do so all over again. “You told the man you think murdered your brother that you’d consider marrying him if he dropped his challenge to me?” he growled.

“
I had to do something, and it was my only option.”

Hardly her only option. Philip scoffed. “And you think I would let you marry such a villain? To sacrifice yourself for me in such a way?”

“
You don’t really have a say in it. Besides, I’m nothing to you, not really. Which is why I can’t allow you to throw yourself on your sword for me.”

“
I will throw myself on my sword for whomever I choose and whenever I choose to do so.” He wasn’t certain what he was more angry about – the fact that she might actually marry Mason or the fact that she had thought to put herself in such danger because of Philip, when he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself and always had been.

“
Cordie said you’d react this way, but…”

“
Cordie was right.”

They simply stared at each other for the longest while. Amelia’s chest lifted with indignation and Philip felt his irritation drain away. How could he stay angry with her when she seemed only to be concerned for his safety, even at the risk of her own? “I like you, Amelia.” It might even be more than that or possibly could be, if given time. He couldn’t let her just leave before they explored this a bit more.

“
I like you, too.”

Thank God. He smiled at her as he caressed her jaw. “Then don’t leave.” He gazed into her blue eyes, beckoning her to stay.

“
But…”

“
I’ve thought of nothing but you since we parted,” he admitted, not even sure why he was doing so. “I’m not certain what there is between us, but I’d like the opportunity to find out.”

“
And if Mr. Mason…?”

“
Trust me to take are of that situation, my dear. I am less worried about Mason than I am about losing you.”

Her eyes rounded in surprise. “He’s not to be trusted.”

“
Which is why you cannot consider marriage to the fiend.”

She simply blinked at him.

“
Give me the day, Amelia. Let us see what today brings before you make any rash decisions.”

“
I don’t know—” she began.

Philip dipped his head and brushed his lips against hers, hoping to bring her around to his way of thinking. But instead he found himself lost in all of the sensations that were Amelia Pritchard.

His lips trailed down her neck and warmth encompassed his being. Dear God, she smelled like heaven. And she tasted just as good. He unlatched her traveling cloak, which slid to the floor at their feet, and he nibbled on her shoulder, pulling her closer to him all the while. If he could just get the tiniest bit closer, it might assuage the ache building in his loins.

Amelia moaned softly by his ear, and her breathy little sounds nearly drove Philip wild with lust. He slid one finger along the base of her
décolletage
and then swept beneath the material of her gown. The softness of her breast beneath his touch was like a flame to a taper. His hand slid further until he discovered her nipple. Philip lightly squeezed her, eliciting more sounds of pleasure from her lips.

He kissed her once more, inhaling her scent and essence as his tongue swept into her mouth. “God, Amelia,” he breathed as his free hand caressed her bottom.

At the sound of her name, Amelia took a step away from Philip, and he felt the loss instantly. He reached a hand out to her, but she simply stared at him in utter surprise.

Damn it all to hell. What was he doing? He was supposed to be helping her, not seducing her. But he wanted to seduce her like nothing he’d ever wanted in his life. And that realization was more than astounding. He wanted to seduce Amelia Pritchard. He wanted to feel her slender body beneath his as he filled her. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and never let go.

“
I think—” his voice came out all husky “—perhaps our betrothal should be in earnest.” Especially as he didn’t trust himself in her presence otherwise.

She gulped in response.

“
Promise me you’ll stay.”

Apparently lost for words, she nodded her agreement. At least he wasn’t the only one affected between them.

Cordie grinned to herself. Oh, she knew it wasn’t polite to listen at doors, but she’d never quite outgrown the habit. Besides, how was she to know what was going on under her own roof if she didn’t listen in from time to time? And this was the best possible outcome she could have imagined.

Philip would never suggest a true betrothal unless he felt something for Amelia. He was too noble to do so. And that was the most wonderful news she’d learned in quite a while. How strange to think that Russell, of all people, should actually be commended for seeing possibility in the match. Her brother might be more capable than she’d ever thought before. That was more than surprising.