She jerked her stare back to his face. “We aren’t loves,” she corrected. “And if Arabella saw Harry out with your wife, she might just scratch her eyes out. Or, more likely,his.”
He gave just the flicker of a smile. “She’s protective.”
“Yes. She always was, before we left home and after. Even now.” She smiled as she thought of Arabella. Her sister had nearly died for her and for Julia. But she was safe now. Happy. And Evelina’s heart soared when she thought of it.
“I’ve met her,” he said. “Briefly, years ago when she was still with Kentwood.”
She smiled a little. “He gave her the house, you know. What was he…a marquess?”
His brow wrinkled. “A duke, actually. You don’t recall?”
“They’re not important. And once they’re gone, it’s better to forget.”
“Even Southwater?”
She drew in a shaky breath. “I wish I could forget Harry,” she admitted, and was frustrated that tears filled her eyes and her voice broke just a fraction. All those emotions she so tried to control were right at the surface and she hated revealing them to anyone.
Vaughn touched her face gently. “You will. Because one day you’ll realize he wasn’t fit to shine your shoe. That if he held even a sliver of your heart,hewas the fortunate one, not you.”
“Those are pretty words,” she said.
“I mean them,” he insisted. “I’ve been close to you for only a few weeks, but you are a remarkable woman.”
She swallowed hard before she bent her head. He lifted to meet her and they kissed. It was brief, it didn’t spiral into passion, but there was something so powerful in that public, gentle display. When they parted she was a little dizzy from it.
“Oh,” she said as she became aware of her surroundings again. “Both Lady Blackburn and her sister are fully gone.”
He started, almost as if he’d forgotten they were doing all this to annoy his wife. “Well, I suppose we did what was needed.”
She expected him to push out of her lap and move on with their day, but instead he drew the biography they’d been stealing back and forth between each other from the inside pocket of his jacket and handed it up to her.
“Now, when I last left off he was just entering the islands of New Zealand.”
“Oh, yes, I was almost there,” she said, and took the book. “May I start a few pages beforehand?”
“Of course.” He settled his head back into her lap and she began to read. But even as she lost herself to the adventures of the captain, she tried to remind herself how she needed to pull herself back from any emotions this man might engender in her. She needed to remember how to be a courtesan.
After all, it wouldn’t do to make the same mistake twice.
CHAPTER13
Mattigan’s Bookshop was one of Vaughn’s favorite places in the city, so much so that he almost didn’t regret parting ways with Evie earlier in the day. They’d agreed to go about their regular business for a day or two. Let themselves recover from the marathon of pleasure. He actually felt sore from it and it was delicious.
He pushed the wicked thoughts away and went back to perusing the shelves. As he picked up books, he found himself in the Gothic Romance area. Evelina had mentioned her love of the genre a few times as they discussed and shared their reading habits. He tilted his head to look at the titles. She’d read that one. And that one. She’d discussed that one at length with him because he’d also very much enjoyed it.
He came around to the end of the shelf and looked toward the shop owner at his raised counter. “Mr. Mattigan, do you have any suggestions for new gothics? Or perhaps something that’s harder to find? I’m looking for a gift for a special friend.”
The shopkeep’s eyes lit up at the question, just as it always did when one asked him about books. He was a delightful man, full of verve and intelligence and never disparaged any genre on his vast shelves. “Let me think.” He pondered a moment. “You know, Mr. Kressley just released a new one last week and it’s been flying off the shelves.”
“I didn’t see it there,” Vaughn said, and stepped toward the counter. “I don’t suppose you have one hidden?”
Mattigan smiled slightly. “For you, my lord?” He bent and when he straightened up he had a book in his hand. “I was holding this, but you’re such a good customer, I know it will have a fine home with you.”
“Ah, good man! That’s wonderful. Wrap it up and I may come to you with more shortly.”
“Of course, my lord. Excellent.”
Vaughn left the man to do his business and returned to the shelves with a vigor in his step. He knew for certain that Evelina had been far too busy the last week to perhaps even know about this latest release of an author they had discussed several times. She had the theory that the writer was actually a woman, publishing under a pseudonym. Vaughn knew she would be thrilled when he presented the gift to her.
