He didn’t move.
She tried again.
He sighed.
“Leo?”
He peeked through his lashes to find her looming overhead, her hands on her hips. “You were supposed to meet me for lessons in the study this afternoon.”
He didn’t respond. There was something incredibly enthralling about getting her riled up, as if he were a child who wanted to poke at a snake.
She stepped closer to him, parting the leaves and sending dew drops scattering like diamond chips. “Leo.”
A low growl erupted from behind her. Ella’s eyes widened, and slowly, she turned. He heard her suck in her breath and almost smiled, eager to see this woman disconcerted. Just beyond his feet, the large black cat peeked through the vegetation, his ears flattened to his head and his white teeth gleaming.
Leo pushed himself to his elbows. “You’re interrupting his nap.”
“L…Leo,” she whispered. “W…what is that?”
“A cat.”
“That is no cat.”
“Careful, you may offend him.”
“Leo, that’s not amusing.”
The cat mewed like a kitten and plopped down on the ground, rolling to his side and gazing up at Ella with adoring eyes.
Leo frowned. Charlie had never adjusted so quickly to a stranger. Ella stepped back and stumbled over Leo’s feet. Losing her balance, she fell onto him with a gasp. Every soft curve of her body pressed against his, her luscious bottom cuddled against his groin. Heat roared through his veins. He gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to touch her, to bring her closer. The animal inside him wanted to take her right there. Rip her clothes off and watch the bliss cross her face as he tasted her. The small part of humanity that rested deep within prevented him from acting out his sexual fantasy.
“So sorry,” she muttered, rolling off him. “I’ve never seen anything like him. Will—will he attack?”
“Only if provoked,” Leo replied dryly, regretting his decision. What had he been thinking to keep her here? But he hadn’t expected to be attracted to the woman. “If you must know, he’s a big babe.”
Ella laughed and just as quickly as her fear had appeared, it seemed to disappear. “Why do I not believe you?”
Most women would be screaming by now. Leo narrowed his eyes. “Charlie’s missing a leg.”
Ella gasped and turned her attention to the animal. “What? Where?”
“I found him when he was only a year old, his leg caught in a trap.”
“Poor thing,” she whispered.
Was that pity in her eyes? Leo frowned. She looked as if she wanted to scoop the huge cat into her arms and cuddle him to her bosom.
“Which leg?” she asked, standing.
“The back,” he mumbled. The daft woman actually started toward Charlie. He reached out and wrapped his fingers around her wrist. “He doesn’t like strangers.”
“Oh.” She sank onto the ground next to him.
She didn’t seem to notice that her body pressed against his, but he did. Yes, he was very aware. He felt her touch like a burn. He resisted the urge to shift, to jump away from her. Slowly, his fingers dug into the damp earth as his heart raced in his chest. She was close…too close.
There amongst the plants, she looked like a fairy ready to bless the wildlife. And her lips, by the gods, her lips could make a man give up his fortune for just a taste, a nibble, a lick. So why didn’t he? If he wanted her, he could have her. He knew without a doubt she was attracted to him. He could smell it on her, feel it even now radiating from the warmth of her being. Her inexperience would make it easy to seduce her, so why did he hesitate?
Because he needed no further complications.
“However do you control him?” she asked, completely unaware of the less than gentlemanly feelings ebbing within him.
“I don’t. One cannot control something circumstances have forced to be feral.”
“I see.” Her gaze fell to her lap. “Leo.” She smoothed her finger and thumb over a leaf. “Your grandfather wants you to learn the ways of English society. You are obviously intelligent enough to do so, which leads me to believe you have no desire to learn.”
He tensed, resisting the sudden urge to flee, to rip the wretched, confining clothes from his body and return to the Continent where it was warm and no one judged him.
“Leo,” she said softly, her voice pulling him under. “Do you want to learn?”
“No,” he snapped and stood.
“But what about your grandfather? What about the castle?” She scampered to her feet. Her lips were parted, her eyes shining with a hurt he was surprised to witness. Even more shocking was the way his body reacted. Why did he have the mad desire to reassure her? He didn’t know this woman, and she didn’t know him. She sure as hell did not have the right to tell him what to do. He stepped around her and started toward Charlie.
“Well, well. Look who we have here.” The male voice rippled across the garden and scattered whatever patience Leo had left. Just the sound of his cousin’s voice made him want to hit someone.
Not bothering to respond, Leo picked up Charlie’s rope. He steeled his resolve and turned to face the man who had come to represent all he hated about England. Brown hair that even the breeze refused to touch combed into place. Pale face. Suit impeccably tailored. Amber eyes that sparkled with amusement at Leo’s expense. To make it worse, his cousin had come with two simpering females and another pompous male. The more the merrier.
Ella shifted her attention from Leo to the small group. She looked unsure and wary of his cousin. Good girl, be very wary of him.
“And who do we have here?” Henry asked, stopping in front of Ella and studying her body in a way that made Leo want to let Charlie loose.
“I’m a friend of Leo’s,” she said softly.
Leo almost rolled his eyes. Friends? They barely knew each other.
“Friend?” His cousin’s grin turned into a smirk. “I wasn’t aware Leo had any friends. Well, bravo for you, making a chum and a female at that. Of course any friend of Leo’s is a friend of mine.” He raised his brows, and the two nondescript women clinging to his side giggled.
“Such a pretty little companion too.” He took Ella’s hand and pressed his lips to her fingers. “Call me Henry, my de—”
Charlie released a low growl, and Henry snapped upright, eyes wide and unblinking. “That thing should be locked away.”
Charlie lunged at Henry, swiping his massive paw through the air. Henry jumped back, and Leo had to look away to hide his amusement.
“By God, control that thing. Better yet, let me retrieve my hunting rifle and take care of the situation before he kills someone.”
Leo knew better than to react, although Ella couldn’t seem to contain her shock and gasped.
Apparently, Charlie felt he’d done his duty, for the animal collapsed onto the grass and began to lick his front paw.
“It just wanders about?” one of the women asked.
Henry’s frown deepened. “Yes, preposterous, but the old man has a soft heart for my dear cousin. Truth be told, Grandfather is just as worried about Leo going insane as I am about that cat attacking.”
His cousin’s male friend gave a nervous laugh. “Henry, dear boy, can’t he hear you?”
“Leo?