Nonetheless, Pippa’s feet led her in the direction that Lady Hastings had gone. When she reached the end of the hallway, she peered around the corner: another corridor and no sign of the couple. Only a masked gentleman striding toward her. Unlike the other males, he was fully dressed, his stark evening wear fitted like a glove to his brawny form.
Awareness sizzled through her. Her heart came alive, a wild, thrashing thing in her chest.
“Dash it,” she exclaimed as he came to a stop in front of her. “What areyoudoing here?”
10
“Icould ask you the same thing,” Cull gritted out. “Seeing as the answer is obvious, however, I’ll spare my breath.”
Pippa’s eyes narrowed in the holes of her mask. Even with her brunette wig, those glorious blue orbs suited her. What didn’t suit her was being in a godforsaken brothel teeming with male prostitutes. Andkissingone of those undeserving bastards, to make matters worse.
Molten jealousy sizzled through Cull’s veins. Logically, he knew that he had no claim on her, but he didn’t give a bloody damn about rationality. A week ago,hehad been the one kissing Pippa.Hislips had been on hers; her sweet moans had belonged tohim. Things might have progressed a great deal further, if not for his ugliness. When confronted with all her glowing beauty, how could he have revealed himself for the beast that he was?
He hadn’t had an answer then, and he didn’t have one now.
But he did know this: hell would freeze over before he let some Casanova-for-hire service Pippa. It was one thing when Cull couldn’t offer her what she deserved: a respectable, high-class marriage. He’d stayed in the shadows, knowing that Longmere’s world was the one she belonged in. But now Pippa wasn’t after propriety, was she?
She wanted a night of pleasure.
And Cullcouldgive her that. He burned to show her all the ways a man could satisfy a woman; hell, he’d been fantasizing about her forfourteen bloody years. If Pippa was willing to take on a masked stranger as a lover—one who hid behind the name of a Norse god, for Christ’s sake—what did it matter if Cull kept on his mask? There had to be a way to make this work. For them to be together…if only for tonight.
He’d spent the week mulling over the matter like a namby-pamby fool. Vacillating between his desire for Pippa and what was best for her. Now clarity struck him: from the moment they’d met, he had wanted her…and always would. Why couldn’t he, for once, go after what he wanted? If she wanted a taste of carnal bliss, why shouldn’t he be the one to give it to her?
Of course, Pippa might need convincing of his plan.
“What I do is none of your dashed business.” She crossed her arms. “How did you find me here?”
“Ain’t a thing that happens in London without my knowledge, if I take an interest.” Having made his decision, he saw no point in beating around the bush. “When it comes to you, sunshine, I’m definitely interested.”
“Of all the arrogant, high-handed,conceited…” She balled her hands at her sides, apparently running out of synonyms.
In truth, Pippa was adorable spitting mad. He was wise enough not to share that observation. Her eyes had an alluring glitter, and in the low-cut vee of her violet gown, the creamy tops of her breasts heaved in a way that gave his eye muscles pleasant exercise. She was also sputtering as if she wasn’t used to being angry. Or expressing it, anyway. He thought it was a positive sign that he could evoke strong feelings in her.
If those feelings could be something other than animosity, I’d be onto something.
Hearing voices approach, he took her arm.
“Let’s discuss our business in private,” he said under his breath. “Unless you want to air our laundry in public?”
She yanked her arm away and marched toward a door.
He got there first, opening it for her. The room was empty, thank Christ.
As he locked the door behind them, he saw that the chamber was designed with pleasure in mind. The black damask walls framed a large bed fitted with red silk sheets. To the right of it, a wide scarlet divan and rug sat before a blazing fire. Cull felt his eyebrows rise at the other feature of the room: a reclined seat made of leather straps was suspended from the ceiling by four ropes.
It swayed suggestively.
Pippa furrowed her brow. “Why would they have a swing in here?”
Cull cleared his throat, trying to think of a civilized reply while trying not to picture her lying naked in that swing. The things he could do to her…
Get your thoughts out of the gutter, you bastard. This is Pippa. She is a lady.
Just because he was about to propose a night of uninhibited passion didn’t mean that he would act in an uncouth manner. Besides, he knew the kind of gents Pippa preferred: sensitive, lordly types like Longmere. Bloody Baldur was cast from a similar mold; slender and refined, he was Cull’s polar opposite.
Cull couldn’t change his physical attributes, but he did have manners.
“A diverting way to get off one’s feet, no doubt,” he said blandly. “Perhaps the divan is more to your liking?”
