Excerpt of A Pocket in Time by Lexi Post

“Lord John, where are you off to?” The hissed voice had him tightening his hold on the head of his cane. Slowly he turned, but no one was there. The sounds of music from the ballroom were faint from this far, the gurgling of the water fountain he passed upon entering the gardens barely discernable. When no movement or response was forthcoming, he studied the area around him, but the darkness made it easy to hide.

He needed to get to the study. The longer he delayed, the better the chance of being missed and the more danger Katz was in. “Come, show yourself.”

A hand on his shoulder had him spinning around. “Who the—” The figure stepped back as soon as he turned. “Katz.”

She gave him a throaty laugh. “Did you miss me?”

His full relief lasted but a moment before his patience with her dangerous situation ended. “This is not a laughing matter.”

“Of course it is. I surprised you, and you’re happy to see me. Or you were a second ago.”

He grabbed her by the shoulders. “Don’t you understand? You could have been taken away to prison if Chatterfield discovered you!”

She twisted out of his grasp, her hands landing on curvaceous hips. “And don’t you have any faith in me? I’m good at what I do.” Her chin came up, and she flung her arm out in the direction of the ballroom. “I may not be able to dance or sew or do whatever it is those women in there do, but what I know, I know well.”

He didn’t doubt that. What he doubted was her understanding of her situation. Despite her unusual abilities, she appeared naïve about London society. “It doesn’t matter how good you are. If Bow Street came to take you away, there’d be nothing I could do.” He stepped closer. “I would be helpless to stop it.”

“I’m sure I could escape any prison they chose to take me to.” Her eyes seemed to light with excitement, as if she welcomed the challenge.

Forcing down a growl of frustration, he tried to keep his head. “Stone walls, iron bars, and cruel guards are more than simple locks. Have you no knowledge of Newgate? It’s hell on Earth. Trust me. You don’t want to tempt the fates and risk being taken there.”

She broke his gaze, looking instead at his throat. “And you don’t want me to end up there because…”

He squeezed her shoulders gently. “Because you’re under my protection.” Her gaze snapped to his, and he amended his statement quickly. “Yes, I know you can protect yourself, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to keep you safe.”

Her forehead crinkled. “Why?”

Maybe if he had an hour, he could explain it well enough that she’d understand his war time experience, but here in the gardens wasn’t the place. It also would require revealing more of himself than he was comfortable with, more than he’d told anyone. “It’s the way I was raised. A woman is to be protected.”

Her brow smoothed out as she studied him with curiosity. “I wasn’t raised that way.”

No, she wasn’t. She had more in common with Covey than himself. Yet, she held herself as if she were a lady, which baffled him.

How could she be so knowledgeable and yet so naïve? So beautiful, yet so beyond the law? Not a peer, yet deserving of the respect he learned from experience. In the dim light, she made him think of the sirens from his classics studies at Oxford. They were beautiful women who sang so sweetly that sailors would jump from their ships just to reach them and drown. Would she lead him to his doom?

As if she’d read his mind, she lifted her hand and stroked his jaw, her touch soft and sensual. Her tongue came out to lick her lips as her gaze focused on his own.

Siren. The word echoed through his mind as he stared into her warm gaze. It was as if there were no ball, no gardens, no world around them. There was only the darkness and her floral scent filling his nostrils, the warmth of her body calling to him. As if something other than his own will commanded him, he lowered his head toward her.

Just one taste.

He pressed his mouth to hers, brushing her lips with his own in the lightest of kisses.

He pulled back a hairsbreadth. The taste nothing but a tease. He should stop now. Before…before…. His mind stopped working entirely. All he knew was he wanted. Wanted more. Wanted to taste her.