“What?” Mr. Corbyn jerked back as if burned.
What a nice reaction for me. Very flattering.
“It doesn’t have to be any more than that. I just need to borrow your lips for a few seconds until they come in and see us. A minute at the absolute most.”
It was perfect. There was no possibility that her mother wouldforce her to marry a disgraced midshipman with a dealer’s income, which made him the ideal candidate to compromise her without any risk of being tied together forever. Mama would have no choice but to give up on her plans for the season and let Hannah go back home. Papa would welcome them with open arms, and this whole interlude would be like an unpleasant dream.
“Your brother will flay me alive!” Mr. Corbyn said sharply. “I need this job.”
“How much is he paying you?”
“Pardon?”
“I’ll give you the sixty pounds I won,” Hannah offered. “All of it, just for one little kiss. Doesn’t that sound like a generous bargain?”
Mr. Corbyn didn’t have a quick response to that. His mouth hung open as he struggled to find words.
Footsteps sounded just outside the door. There was no time left for debate; they’d already been found out. If she didn’t take her chance now, she would regret it forever.
“I’m terribly sorry!” Hannah cried. Then she launched herself at Mr. Corbyn and smashed their lips together in what she hoped resembled a passionate embrace.
Three
Bloody hell.
Silas should have pushed her away. Should have given her a good shove and jumped out the window the instant he was free. But of course he didn’t, because he was too stunned to react.
He couldn’t push a lady, could he?
And she’d offered him sixty pounds. That was more than he’d made in his wages from the thirteen years he’d served in the navy combined, if he excluded the prize money. A lot more.
While all these thoughts were whirling in Silas’s head, Miss Williams was pressing her lips to his and gripping the back of his neck as tightly as if she were drowning. Rather more aggressive than he was used to, but it wasn’t unpleasant. She smelled faintly of roses and tasted like champagne. Refined things. The taste of the life he’d been raised to aspire to.
She tasted good.
Despite himself, Silas began kissing her back. It was instinctive. He’d been too long without a woman, perhaps. His hand found the curve of her spine, pulling Miss Williams closer. She was nearly tallenough to be level with him, and it was nice not to have to hunch to reach her. He wasn’t used to kissing someone who could match his own height. When she was pressed up against him like this, all he could think about was how well their bodies fit together, and how good it felt to have her so close.
Someone was screaming.
Shit.It was definitely too late to shove her and run.
A hundred voices clamored for attention at once:
“Get away from my daughter, you brute!”
“Hannah, what are youdoing?”
Miss Williams was ripped from his arms and replaced with a red-faced woman who started beating him about the head. Not a fair trade.
“Ouch.” Silas brought up his arms to shield his face. “Stop that.”
“You monster! You’ve violated my Hannah.”
“Your Hannah violatedme!” he shot back, before he could think better of it. That might have been unfair. Hehadkissed her back.
The accusation certainly did nothing to calm Mrs. Williams, who screeched, “Howdareyou!” and thumped him across the shoulder with her reticule. It must have had lead weights in it, for it forced the breath from his lungs.
“Everyone out!” Miss Danby cried. “Give us some privacy, please.”
