Love and Other Wicked Games (A Wicked Game Novel) by Olivia Fuller Page B

own time anyway.”
    He smiled roguishly as if to imply he’d gotten in the last word. But Ellie didn’t even skip a beat.
    “Well that’s a bit hypocritical.”
    “What is?”
    “Being so full of yourself.”
    “What?”
    “I mean for someone who says he doesn’t like to waste energy you seem to spend a lot of time blowing hot air.”
    He whistled and ran both of his hands over his head from his forehead to the base of his neck.
    “Oh, darn...” Ellie sighed heavily and twisted her hands together again as she bit her bottom lip. As satisfied as she was that she hadn’t given into her nerves, she also felt guilty. “Well, that was rather uncalled for. I don’t generally make it a habit of being so smart mouthed, not even to insufferable rogues like you—not that I generally spend much time conversing with insufferable rogues either—oh my… I should just stop talking and apologize—”
    “Don’t you dare.”
    “Don’t… apologize? Why not?”
    “Fires don’t need help dying, they need help living. Never kill your own fire.”
    They stared wordlessly. Ellie could hear the buzz of silence in her ears and the wild beating of her heart. It was pounding. Faster and faster. Cal reached out his hand towards her cheek. She tilted her head in his direction desperately wanting to feel his skin on hers. From the way he was looking at her, she could tell that he wanted this just as much. She gasped.
    He pulled away and so did she.
    “So you don’t mind it then?” Ellie cleared her throat. “That I’m… like this?”
    “God, no.”
    “You don’t find me tedious or tiresome? Most people do…”
    “I find you endearing. And real! ” He clenched his fists together and shook them. “Do you know how many people are just… real? ”
    “I couldn’t even begin to guess.”
    “Well, I’ll tell… not bloody many!”
    “I guess you’ve just never met anyone like me before, have you?” she said breathily.
    He shook his head.
    “Not even one person?”
    “Not even one.” He chewed on his bottom lip and crossed his arms. “And not for lack of trying.”
    “Well,” Ellie chuckled nervously and shrugged. “You’ve found one person now.”
    “I have… have you?”
    The blood rushed into Ellie’s head. Cal grinned and leaned against the wall with crossed arms.
    Damn it. He’d gotten in the last word after all. Ellie wanted to frown, but she wanted him to see it even less. Instead she crossed her arms and leaned against the wall as well, glaring at him.
    “So, what do you do then?” he asked.
    “What do you mean?”
    “You said you’re so busy that you don’t even have time to think about getting married, let alone actually do it. I was wondering what keeps you so busy.”
    “Oh, that. Well, I have a job.”
    “Where? What do you do?” Cal asked with a bit of apprehension.
    “My parents own a dress shop. What’s it to you?”
    “I was just curious.” His face relaxed a bit. “A dress shop. How did a former earl get into that business?”
    “My mother. She worked in a dress shop in the village where I grew up. She worked there as long as I can remember. It was owned by this little old lady—Miss Martha. She was so old! She always had been. At least that’s what she told me.” Ellie laughed at the memory. “But she was so sweet and so wonderful. She was family to us and we were family to her.” Ellie sighed. “She passed when I was fifteen and since she had no other living family, she left everything to my mother and father.”
    “But how did you end up in Manchester?”
    “Well, Miss Martha was keeping a secret.”
    “No! How scandalous. Not such a sweet old lady!” Cal laughed. “What was this secret?”
    “Money. She was rolling in money. Quite literally too… It was stuffed in her mattress!”
    “You think you know someone…” Cal shook his head. “I gather that helped you to get over your guilt about the title and such, if nothing else?”
    “Well, it wasn’t an