page20 (1/2)

“She’s not such a wildling as the usual barn cat,” Ernestine commented “Most of them never purr or want to be held”

“This one seereed

“She’s trying to rise above her station,” the lady’sa house cat”

Phoebe frowned “I wish you hadn’t put it like that Nohen I take her back to the barn, I’ll feel terribly guilty about it But we can’t keep her”

A few e with a white silk bodice, Phoebeof the house where the Ravenel fa directions fro the hallway carpet, she approached a long, narrow passageway At the far end of the passageway, she saw threeat the threshold of a private suite: Lord Trenear, her father, and a

Phoebe’s heart quickened as she caught a gli robe and trousers, just inside the threshold The group talked companionably for a minute, before Mr Ravenel reached out to shake hands with the doctor

As the men departed, Phoebe backed away and went into a sroup had passed and the sound of voices had faded When the coast was clear, she headed to Mr Ravenel’s room

It wasn’t at all proper for her to visit hi would be to send a note expressing her concern and good wishes But she had to thank him privately for what he’d done Also, she needed to see with her own eyes that he was all right

The door had been left ajar Bashfully she knocked on the jamb and heard his deep voice

“Come in”

Phoebe entered the room and stopped with a head-to-toe quiver, like an arrow striking a target, at the sight of a half-naked West Ravenel He was facing away fro barefoot at an old-fashioned washstand as he blotted his neck and chest with a length of toweling The robe had been tossed to a chair, leaving hierously low on his hips

Henry had always seemed so much smaller without his clothes, vulnerable without the protection of civilized layers But this y, appeared twice as large The roo-boned and lean, his back flexing as he lifted a goblet of water and drank thirstily Phoebe’s helpless gaze followed the long groove of his spine down to his hips The loose edge of a pair of fawn-colored trousers, untethered by braces, dipped low enough to reveal a shocking absence of undergar drawers? It was theshe’d ever seen The inside of her head was scalded by her own thoughts

“Hand me a clean shirt from that stack on the dresser, will you?” he asked brusquely “I’ll need help putting it on; these da”

Phoebe moved to comply, while a thousand butterflies swirled and danced inside her She fu the stack It was a pullover style with a half-placket, made of beautiful fine linen that smelled like laundry soap and outside air Hesitantly sheto think of what to say

Setting down the water goblet, Mr Ravenel turned with an exasperated sigh “Good God, Sutton, if you’re going to be that slow—” He broke off as he saw her, his expression turning blank

The at were about to strike

“You’re not the valet,” Mr Ravenel ed to say

Phoebe held out the shirt cluling, and she couldn’t see, the front was absolutelyHe was much hairier than her husband had been, his chest covered with dark fur that narrowed to a V at his midriff, and there was more hair on his forearms, and even a little trail below the navel His shoulders and arms were so powerfully developed, one had to wonder why he hadn’t simply wrestled the bull into submission

Slowly he came forward to take the shirt froaran to lift it over his head

“Wait,” Phoebe said in a suffocated voice, “let me help”

“You don’t have to—”

“The placket is still buttoned” She moved to unfasten the short row of buttons while he stood there with his hands caught in the gathered sleeves

His head bent over hers; she could feel the rush of his unsettled exhalations The hairs on his chest were not flat and straight, but softly curling She wanted to brush her nose and lips across therass, and every breath of him made her feel warm in places that hadn’t been warm in years

When the placket was finally unfastened, Mr Ravenel raised his ar as the neat row of stitches at his side was strained Phoebe reached up to tug at the herazed the dark fleece on his chest, and her stomach did an odd little flip From the surface of her skin down to the marrow of her bones, her entire body was alive with sensation

“Forgiveto his face “I wanted to find out how you were”

Amusement flickered in his eyes “I’m well Thank you”

With the short, dark layers of his hair all disheveled, he looked so attractive, somehow both cuddly and uncivilized Hesitantly Phoebe reached for one of his wrists and began to button his cuff, and he went very still How long it had been since she’d done this for a man She hadn’t realized how she missed the s at hirateful, I don’t knohat to say”

“You don’t have to be grateful It’s a host’s responsibility not to let a dairy bull gore the houseguests”