“It is ironic,” he said, the words a deep rumble that fairly vibrated her bones, his fingers going to the bodice of her gown, gently running along the edge in a way that made her breath catch, “that I brought you purposely to this bed to strip you naked, and yet here we are fully dressed.”
“Goodness,” she whispered, unable to help herself.Then, screwing up her courage, she said in a voice that shook much more than it ought to, “Mayhap we might see that through next time we are together.”
He stilled.His gaze, which had dropped to trace the path his fingers were taking along her neckline, rose to meet hers, and to her shock the heat that had been present there seemed to have increased tenfold.“Will there be a next time, then?”
She swallowed hard.“Y-yes?”
His lips quirked, his eyes crinkling at the corners in a way she had never seen in him before.The sudden shift in expression made him appear younger, carefree.“You do have a strange habit of asking questions when you should be answering them.Could it be you’re flustered?”
“Why would I be flustered?”But the question had the opposite of the effect she had hoped for, her breathlessness giving proof of it rather than refuting it.
Though she could not regret it as his smile deepened, his teeth flashing in the moonlight.Goodness, and she had not thought he could get more attractive.Her gaze zeroed in on that smile, and those full lips, and she recalled with impressive clarity all the wicked things he had done withthem not long ago.With incredible will she gripped tight to the sheets beneath her lest she reach for him and drag him down for a kiss.
Ethan was not so reticent.He lowered his head, capturing her lips with his, making her toes curl and her body fairly melt beneath his.It was over quickly—much too quickly, but she would rather chew nails than admit that—and he rolled from the bed to stand, holding out a hand for her.She stared at that hand several moments longer than necessary, her brain not understanding right away what she was to do with it.Finally, however, she reached out, gripping his fingers tight, allowing him to assist her to her feet.
“I shall hold you to that promise,” he murmured, thumb tracing her knuckles.Then, releasing her hand, he moved off deeper into the shadows of the room.She thought he would surely open the door and kick her out.But no, he quickly returned to her with her slippers in hand, bending down before her and gently guiding her feet, one by one, into them.
Why, she wondered as she stared down at his bent head, did she once again feel like crying?Her throat burned with tears as his large hands worked with infinite care to make certain her slippers were secure before he stood again.
“Give me a moment and I’ll bring you back to your party,” he said.
But the tears that had begun in her throat were somehow quickly moving up to her eyes.Why?Because the man had shown a bit of kindness toward her?Yes, a small voice whispered in the back of her mind.Which was too pathetic for her to countenance.
But no matter that she knew better, that did not lessen her sudden need to cry.Worried she would make an utter fool of herself in front of this man, she quickly backed awayfrom him.“There’s no need,” she said, moving toward the door.“I can find my own way back.I’m certain you’re busy.”She turned and reached for the handle, throwing the door wide.Golden light from his office flooded the silvery dimness of his bedroom, blinding her, chasing away the last bit of intimacy between them.
Or so she thought.She made the fatal mistake of looking back.He stood in the middle of his bedroom staring after her, looking deliciously mussed with clothing creased and cravat hanging limp and hair sticking up in odd places.But it was the strangely soft, almost vulnerable look in his eyes that had her very nearly closing the door again and rushing back to him.
She shook herself.No, she had to leave, for her own sanity if nothing else.The man was quickly making her lose sight of why she was here in the first place.
She forced a smile.“I shall see you tomorrow,” she said before, giving him one last long look, she closed the door.
Ethan stared through the darkness at that closed door for much longer than he would ever willingly admit.He had thought that by allowing Heloise to seduce him, he might gain the upper hand in their strange dance and understand a bit more of what she was angling for.Yet his mind was even more muddled than before.
He nearly snorted.Allowing her to seduce him?He had damn well nearly jumped her the moment he’d had her alone.Just the sight of her in that damn dress had nearly sent him over the edge.And when she had kissed him… he ran a hand over his face.How was it possible that one simple, unpracticed kiss could affect him so deeply?Even thinking of it now, the small, surprised gasps from her lips,her fumbling hands, kisses that had not had a bit of guile in them, and his cock twitched to life.He would not have been the least surprised if he learned she was an innocent.
Or at least an innocent before tonight.His vision went hazy and his mouth watered just remembering how she had tasted.
He forced himself back to the present.Yanking at his limp cravat and tossing it aside, he padded to the bedside lamp and lit it before striding to the small cabinet in the corner and reaching for the cut glass bottle of brandy he kept there.His hand shook as he poured himself a healthy glassful of the stuff, the staccato clinking like a scolding to ears that had recently heard only the glorious sounds coming from Heloise’s lips.Scowling down at his traitorous appendages, he slammed the decanter down and grabbed the glass, sloshing a bit of the expensive liquor over the edge as he did so, before going to the large window looking over St James’s.But even as he glared down at the busyness beneath him, even as his eyes took in the carriages still pulling up to the front of Dionysus and milling bodies still hungry for vice traversing the street, he hardly saw it for the image of Heloise resplendent amidst his sheets.
Letting loose a rough curse, he took a deep swallow of his drink, reveling in the burn of it as it traveled down to his stomach.No matter how he had lost himself in her this evening, he refused to lose sight again of why he had allowed this affair to begin with.He would be more in control of himself when he saw her the next day.He swore it.
14
But it seemed that vow held no more water than a colander the moment he saw her again shortly after dawn.
His eyes fairly devoured her as she stood on the other side of the boxing venue, taking in the graceful flare of her hips beneath the modest leaf-green gown, tracing the curve of her breasts, caressing the long line of her neck.She was back to her typical garb, gowns no doubt created for comfort and ease of use.And yet…
And yet she was even more alluring than last night, when she had been draped in scarlet silk, shoulders nearly bare and every curve teased by the luxurious fabric.He had the mad thought to go to her, take her hand in his, and drag her off to the nearest empty room so he might bury himself in her supple body.
Which was probably why, he realized blearily a moment later as he tugged at his suddenly much-too-tight cravat, he had not immediately noticed her talking in a very close, intimate manner to a handsome young man dressed in workman’s garb.
He blinked as some strange bitter taste filled his mouth.What the hell was wrong with him?Of course she wastalking to the workers.She was here to help oversee the preparations for the boxing match, after all.She had been working hard with all the craftspeople to make certain everything was built to the proper specifications.
Why, then, did he have the urge to stride across the room and take that fresh-faced, much-too-handsome-for-his-own-good worker by the scruff and plant a fist in his face?He could not possibly be… jealous?
He reared back, stunned.Jealous?What the devil?He laughed, an almost unhinged sound, earning him more than one startled glance from the men about him.There was no way in hell or on earth that he was jealous.He was incapable of feeling jealousy, just as he was incapable of feeling most strong emotions.He kept that part of himself in check, a hand he would never willingly show.Proof that his heart had been petrified over the years to the point that those emotions no longer even existed in him.If they ever had in the first place.
Just then, however, Heloise leaned in closer to the worker, seemingly to impart something in confidence, and another surge of bitterness flooded him.Without thinking, he took a step in their direction, his hands fisting at his sides.To do what, he didn’t have a clue.All he knew was the deep, driving desire to separate the two with all haste.Blessedly, Mr.Ferris stepped into his path, stopping him from doing God knew what.
