Angelique cut across the field from the road once her home was in sight. She’d got the feeling of eyes watching her the entire time she was out, during her hurried walk into town and now on her way home. The open grassy field beside her home offered no hiding spots, as opposed to the road lined with trees. If she could control nothing else she would have her final five minutes’ walk in peace! She planned it out the moment she left the inn, forcing herself to stop at several market stalls along the way, so she would have a plausible excuse to enter her home through the back by the kitchen.

As expected, the moment she left the road, that awareness of constant observation waned, and she was able to let out a long breath. It didn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things, she was still being observed, but it gave her a short reprieve in which she could hopefully clear her thoughts and come up with a plan.

She found MacAllister at the inn. They played a tiring game of mutual suspicion, but she was positive the man would make his way over to take the lieutenant off her hands. He had just better do it soon. She would pack tonight. Whether or not James was still in the house by morning, she wouldn’t be. Reaching her back stoop, she transferred her basket and bag to one hand and swung the door open with the other. She completed only one step over the threshold before nearly tripping over herself.

There in the center of her kitchen, rising from the depths of her large copper tub with all the majesty of Poseidon from the waves, was a soaking wet, thoroughly naked, Lieutenant James Langdon.

Her jaw dropped along with the market basket, her numbed mind offering no assistance as she stood staring.

Utterly unabashed and making no move to deter her view, James reached for the towel hanging to warm beside the stove and took his time in wrapping it securely about his hips, a grin tugging at his lips. “While I shall never dislike your company in all scenarios, Madame, I’m afraid the cold breeze isn’t likely to improve your view.”

Angelique wasn’t so sure about that. Water dripped from his midnight hair onto his shoulders and sun-kissed torso, marking out languid trails along thick biceps and sinewy forearms. As she watched, goose flesh erupted along the art-worthy landscape, down across his smooth sculpted chest, tightening the disks of his nipples and clenching abdominal muscles with more ripples than her washboard, continuing down along– Oh! She spun around, slamming the door shut and gripping one of the kitchen chairs for support, willing without success the banishment of everything else she’d seen from her mind’s eye. “What are you doing?”

“That’s fairly obvious, isn’t it?” His chuckle rumbled across the tension in the air like thunder across the ocean.

“Why in the world would you take a bath at this time of day?”

“You mean aside from the fact that I lack a plethora of entertainment options during my stay?” Water sloshed, indicating his exit from the tub. “Well, as you are never away from home for less than hours at a time, I considered myself safe from unexpected intrusion. Evidently, I was mistaken.”

“Evidently.” She drolled. “Can I turn around yet?”

“By all means, I’m nowhere near clothed.”

“Well make haste in dressing then.” She ground through clenched teeth, nerves vibrating against the hint of laughter in his voice. This was not humorous. The man was the bane of her existence.

“I’m afraid your inspection of the kitchen was cut short. I laundered the items I had on, those are hanging on the line outside, and my change of clothes is sitting neatly atop the chair you’re currently blocking.”

Angelique looked down at her white-knuckled grip on the back of her kitchen chair. A folded shirt and pair of trousers stared up at her from the seat. She scrunched her eyes shut and bit back an unladylike curse. Letting out a tight breath, she started to reach for the clothes only to jump in surprise when a warm palm rounded her waist, settling on her lower ribs.

“No need, Madame, I can get them.” That low, velvety voice caressed her earlobe, sending a shiver down her spine and turning her knees to porridge. She grasped the chair with both hands, determined not to collapse as she felt his warmth seeping into her. He pressed up behind her, reaching one golden-hued arm around to collect the clothes. She closed her eyes against the strong, steady presence of him, the sudden urge to lean back into him, let those iron arms cinch tight around her, protect her from the world.

But then he was gone, the air behind her growing cold in his absence. She swallowed against the unexpected ache it caused.

“You seemed in a hurry this morning.” His voice sounded from closer to the counter.

“I had errands to run.”

“So you mentioned. I trust you accomplished your tasks without undue delay?”

“I did, I should think my early return home would indicate that.” What was he up to? Why the idle chit-chat? Angelique was certain he considered nothing awkward or embarrassing in the scene they just navigated. He was much too confident for that. The lout.

“And did you relay the necessary information about my whereabouts?”

Angelique spun to face him. He stood, dressed, though with untucked shirt, one hip leaning against the counter in a relaxed stance which didn’t correlate with his now stormy gaze set in features of stone. Held aloft in one hand was the note from this morning, charred around the edges but mostly intact.

“That message has nothing to do with you.”

“Doesn’t it? I don’t believe Langdon is a common French surname.”

She pressed her lips together. “That message is my business, I’m not obliged to respond to you and your curiosity.” Notching her chin up, she made to exit the kitchen, but had to walk past James to do it.

His movements were much faster than she anticipated. He caught her as she stormed past, sweeping her across to the wall beside the door with enough force she would have fallen had he not held her steady and reined in her momentum to keep her from crashing back against it. Even so, he imprisoned her with one palm against the wall on either side of her and pressed in until the height and breadth of him consumed her vision.

“I’ve tried to make the best of this arrangement, Madame. I understand my presence creates an inconvenience for you. I was content to bide my time, but your message mentioned Langdons, plural. That means something is afoot that involves my family. That significantly changes my priorities. I know enough about espionage to know you’re playing the game, but what your note didn’t indicate was which side you’re on.”

She looked up into his steely eyes, suddenly tired beyond her ability to cope, at once frightened and relieved at what he knew. She’d been at this lonely game for too long with no idea how to get herself out of it. If only she could trust…

His brows knit together and his expression softened.

No. She stiffened her spine. She knew better than to rely on anyone other than herself. Inhaling the scent of clean skin, lavender soap and bergamot, she shot him a defiant glare “My own.”

Too late. He’d seen her weakness. His eyes regained their guarded expression, and he didn’t alter his stance. “And what is it your side is after?” he murmured, his breath warming her cheek. “What do you want?”

What did she want? She wanted a new chance at life. To forget every cursed moment of her past, escape this tangled web she’d fallen into and start fresh. She wanted the luxury of emotion without suspicion, easy conversation and a simple life. She wanted to forget everything for just one day. But she couldn’t have any of that. At least not the way she envisioned it.

One way or another, this man would be gone from her existence within a day. Perhaps it was time she took advantage of wartime scarcity and make the most of what was at hand. Darting her arms out around James’ sides, she gripped his shirt and pulled him close, smothering his startled exclamation with her kiss.

I hope you enjoyed this little tidbit from The Lieutenant’s Lady. If you’re curious enough to check out the full story, please check it out here, and don’t forget to leave a comment and/or review to let me know what you thought!