Preston sat at his desk sorting through some correspondence when there was some commotion outside the door to his combined library and study. Curious, he put the papers down and stood, but before he could move further than the other side of his desk, the door opened and his butler entered, his white brows drawn in what would have been annoyance in someone less accomplished in looking proper at all times.

"My lord." Giles cleared his throat. "Lady Amelia has come to call."

The butler barely had time to finish the sentence before Amelia burst through the door behind him. Preston had to work hard not to grin at the scene. The wings of Giles's hawk-like nose flared. This was not something the strict butler would appreciate. An unmarried young lady should not be calling on a bachelor, and she most certainly should not be forcing herself into his study without waiting to be invited.

"Thank you, Giles." Preston nodded to the old man, who left with a barely perceptible huff and closed the door behind him.

"What are you playing at?" Amelia snapped as she stopped halfway into the room, one of her hands motioning in the air as if she was pointing to something more tangible than a declaration she had not appreciated.

Amused, he leaned back against his desk and crossed his arms over his chest. "I thought we talked about how it's a bad idea for you to visit me on your own?"

Amelia's eyes caught his, and her eyebrows knotted. "I am not in the mood for teasing, Preston," she said. "What was that spectacle this morning? Coming to call on me? In front of everyone! Richmond even took me aside after and reminded me of what a rake you are and that I ought to be careful around you."

"It was exactly what I said it was." The calmer he remained, the more agitated she appeared to become. Unable to stay still, she paced the room. But his next words stopped her short. "I wish to court you."

"No." She shook her head, making the carefully arranged curls at her temples bounce.

"No? Just no? I don't even get a reason?"

"You know my objections."

"Ah yes." He stood and took a step towards her. "I am a rake and you have no interest in rakes."

"Exactly." She chewed on her lower lip as she watched him, and it did not escape his notice that she had not moved away as he came closer.

"That's rather narrow-minded, don't you think?" He was enjoying this far too much. It was an unusual sight to see Amelia's feathers ruffled. "Do you not believe people can change?"

She huffed. "A rake choosing to spend his life with one woman when he's used to chasing after plenty? I think not."

Lifting one shoulder in a shrug, Preston took another step towards her. "It happens. We all grow up and realise we must settle down eventually."

"Very romantic," she muttered.

He lifted an eyebrow. "Would you like me to be?"

She shifted from one foot to the other as her eyes avoided his. "N... No. It was just an observation." Finding her confidence again, her brown eyes narrowed at him. "And deciding to settle down is not the same as choosing to be faithful to your wife."

"That is true. I cannot argue with your logic." When she opened her mouth to say something else, he continued, "However, I would like the chance to prove you wrong. And you should know that when I marry, I will never stray from the marriage bed."

"You can't know that."

"I can. Because I am a man of my word." Taking the steps separating them, he took her gloved hands in his and brought them to his lips for a soft kiss. Her mouth dropped open as she stared up at him. "And if you were my wife, why would I ever want anyone else?"

Her eyes widened, and she pulled her hands out of his. Taking a step away, she shook her head slightly. "Preston, I... Why are you doing this?"

Frustrated, he dragged his hand through his hair. He hadn't planned on confessing his feelings yet for fear of scaring her off, but she had pushed him into a corner. Admitting to attraction was a lot easier than pouring his heart out, and he struggled to find the right words.

Amelia bounced a fisted hand against her thigh as she watched him, waiting for an answer, and he realised she was wearing a ball gown. He frowned.

"Are you on your way somewhere?"

"I'm due at the coming-out-ball of Viscount Gowthorpe's sister and cousin. But I wanted to talk to you before I went. My aunt has gone ahead of me, and I will meet her there. I could not stop thinking about this morning and what you said. It makes no sense to me."

He grinned. "You've been thinking about me?"

She glared at him. "That is not what I said."

His grin widened. "It kind of is."

"You can be rather infuriating when you wish to be," she muttered.

"I can also be rather charming when I wish to be," he countered and was rewarded by a twitch at the corner of her mouth.

"You must tell me why you are doing this." Her imploring tone erased his amusement. "You said you would tell me at a better time." She swept an arm out. "There is hardly a better time than this, as we are completely alone."

"Yes," he muttered. "We really should not be. You must stop visiting me like this. It would be quite the scandal if anyone found out. You're lucky my servants are loyal and won't gossip."

"Then don't barge into my home and tell me you plan to court me," Amelia snapped. "And then refuse to tell me why."

He chuckled. "Pardon? Who barged into whose home?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Are you avoiding the question?"

"Maybe a little." Retreating, he leaned his hips against his desk as she watched him from across the room. "I already told you I'm attracted to you."

"Attraction is no reason to marry," she countered. "Our mutual attraction is nothing but an inconvenience that we simply will have to deal with. You owe me nothing simply because we kissed once."

"I remember it as being decidedly more than once," he said darkly, making her cheeks darken slightly.

"Still," she pressed on. "I expect nothing from you, and the entire ordeal is probably better forgotten by both of us."

Putting his hands on either side of his hips on the desk behind him, Preston leaned forward slightly and his gaze did not leave hers. "See, that's the trouble," he drawled. "I cannot forget kissing you. Nor would I ever want to."

"I..." Amelia inhaled and touched her temple, trying to tuck the loose dark curls behind her ear but quickly giving up. "I will agree that our kisses were... pleasant. However, that does not—"

Preston stood, pushing away from the desk. "Pleasant?" He knew she was trying to downplay what had happened, but the word choice wounded his male pride. The kisses they had shared were definitely better than pleasant.

Amelia's cheeks had grown another shade darker and her hands fluttered aimlessly as if she didn't quite know what to do with them. "Well... Yes, I mean—"

"If they were only pleasant, I must be out of touch," he muttered. Caught by a wicked spirit, he gave her a teasing grin. "Perhaps I must ask for a do-over. To prove myself."

"You are not funny." She crossed her arms over her chest as she glared at him. "You know full well your kisses were more than adequate."

"More than adequate?" He let out a bark of laughter. "Is that meant to be a compliment? Please do not try to encourage me further, I am not certain my pride could take it."

"What do you want me to say?" she muttered. "That they were the most amazing kisses ever?"

Crossing the room to stand in front of her, he lifted his hand to touch the bouncy curls she had played with earlier. "That'd be a start," he murmured. "Earth-shattering would be an excellent description."

A smile fluttered across her lips. "I hardly believe your pride needs further inflation."

His hand lowered to her chin, and his thumb grazed her bottom lip. "So you do not need a demonstration to ensure you have the right idea?"

She closed her eyes for a moment. "Preston," she whispered, and he almost kissed her then. "Do not toy with me."

He waited until her eyes fluttered open again to meet his gaze before he smiled slightly. "I would never toy with you," he said. "Tease you, yes. Always. But I would not toy with your emotions. I meant what I said earlier. I intend to court you. It is my hope that I can convince you to be my wife."

"But why?" Her question was barely more than a breath against his hand.

"Because I love you."

They stared at each other as the words hung heavy between them. Then Amelia suddenly turned on her heel and dashed out of the room. Preston stared after her. Not quite the reaction he had hoped for. He sighed. Amelia never acted the way one might expect, but he really was getting rather tired of her running away from him.

~~~~~~