[ The look he gets for that is a slow, lingering smile. The color is coming back to her cheeks, slowly but surely.

She has to keep pushing the sleeves of his shirt up around her wrists, it’s so long on her. A laugh tumbles out of her throat. ]

My eldest brother is [ a whoring rake ] not precisely the company a proper lady keeps himself. He hardly gets to have an opinion on who I befriend and how I choose to spend my time. [ Anymore. ]

Besides, [ she points out, her stomach pinching at the thought, ] he’s not here, is he?