She thought not, but…perhaps…
Hoyden.
“I’ll never have my fill of that particular meal,” he said, shimmering with the dark intensity that so attracted her.
A shiver purled up her spine and crawled through her body, tightening her nipples, making her ready for him. The pleasures he’d introduced to her body, she wanted more of them.Now.
Which was, of course, impossible.
“Now for The Nod,” he said.
She did as instructed. She would do anything he asked, she suspected—and feared.
He tore his gaze from her and nodded at Lord Nestor. He nodded back.
The swindle of the swindler was on.
Archie stepped forward, and Valentina’s heart skipped into a race. “Valentina, about last night…”
“Yes?”
“And this afternoon…”
“Yes?”
Why was her heart suddenly in her throat?
“I may not have been at my best,” he said.
She held his gaze for a full five seconds before a burst of laughter that might have been slightly hysterical broke from her. “That wasn’t your best?”
To Archie’s credit, he did try to remain serious, but the smile that wanted out wouldn’t be stifled. “Blast it, woman, you know what I mean. I’m trying to apologize for being no more than a rake. I’ve hadtime to think about it.”
Pique needled through Valentina. “But here’s the thing, Lord Archer,” she said. “I’mnot apologizing toyou.”
“Pardon?”
“What we experienced together was mutual. I made the desired decision for myself, and you made the desired decision for yourself. I believe we each reached the desired outcome.”
Archie’s mouth opened, then closed. The man was thoroughly nonplussed. She felt no small amount of satisfaction.
Theding-ding-dingof metal tapping crystal sounded at the opposite end of the room. The Duke and Duchess of Ripon stood in the center aisle of the assembled rows of chairs. “If you will make your way to a chair, the musical portion of the evening will begin.” Every syllable sounded as if extracted with great reluctance from His Grace, while Her Grace stood serenely by his side.
Archie didn’t seem to have heard, for he yet stared down at Valentina, his head cocked, his gaze gone narrow and assessing, as if he were running a mental calculation.
“I believe this is when you escort me to my chair, my lord,” she said.
“Our work for the night is finished,” he said, low. “We could leave and no one would be the wiser.”
He didn’t need to speak the words aloud for her body to know precisely what he was suggesting. They could leave…together.
Then she felt it in her hand. The folio case.
“We are expected to stay,” she said, summoning every bit of will she possessed, for the plain fact was she wouldn’t mind taking him up on his unspoken suggestion.
Disappointment flashed behind his eyes. Then he held out an arm for her, and they made their way through the crowd to the front row of seats that Delilah and Juliet had saved for them.
“Did you have to sit us all the way at the front,Delilah?” Archie groused.
