She slipped into a red lace dressing gown and sat down at her vanity to stare at her reflection, absently fingering the costly adornments around her neck and debating her next course of action. Gabriel’s inattentiveness was starting to become highly frustrating. It was bad enough that he had stopped calling, but then, after sending him countless letters, he refused to answer them. She’d barely seen him out among any of theton’sevents for the past week, but she knew where he’d been.
It seemed that Abernathy twit had finally devised a way to sneak her clutches into him. Apparently, not even a forced engagement had stopped her from stringing along her lover right beneath Eastbury’s nose. If this continued, there was no telling how besotted Gabriel might end up being with the chit, thus making it nearly impossible to control him when Cordelia lured him back. And shewoulddo so. After all, she wasn’t the most sought after widow simply because of her wealth. She knew how to please a man.
While it was irritating that she should have to waste so much time with Gabriel when she had been pursued by more male members of thebeau mondethan she could recall, it was the allure of being a duchess that was just too tempting to resist. Not only that, but she wasn’t one to concede defeat lightly. She would do whatever it took to gain her that title, even if she had to resort to rather unsavory means to obtain it.
It was not as if it would be the first time she’d had to shove aside her principles to get what she wanted.
A suddenclink!interrupted her musings. With a disgruntled sigh, Cordelia walked over to the solitary window in her chamber. She glanced down at the alley two-stories below and noticed a man standing in the shadows, another pebble at the ready, should his first not have been heard. Although his features were partially hidden from view, she had no doubt who it was, and her lips curved upward in a pleased reply.
Cordelia sailed silently down the stairs, not wishing to awaken any of the servants as she greeted this unexpected guest. She slipped open the lock on the front door, and after giving her guest a coy glance, she gestured for him to follow her upstairs. As usual, he trailed after her without a single word — the anticipation of what would soon transpire starting to heat her blood.
The moment she shut her bedroom door, Cordelia’s eyes lit on him expectantly. “I assume that since you’re here at this untimely hour that you have something to report.” It wasn’t a question.
“I might have.” His smug expression went along with his actions as he sat on the bed and began to take off his boots, his gaze hungrily holding hers.
Normally, Cordelia wouldn’t allow such impertinence in an informant, but since he was one of her more experienced lovers, she let the matter of his manners slide — at least, for the moment. “Care to tell me what it is?” she asked a bit breathlessly as he pulled his shirt over his head, exposing a rippled chest.
He didn’t bother with an answer as he unbuttoned his trousers and his swollen manhood sprang free. “I thought our business transactions were based upon prior payment.”
Cordelia fought with the baser instincts beginning to flare inside her.Perhaps a slight delay wouldn’t be amiss, she thought. After all, it had been a couple days since she’d had a man in her bed. She allowed a seductive grin to spread across her lips, and then opened her robe, letting it fall to the floor in a whisper of lace.
He stared at her naked form for only a moment...nostrils flaring amid the blatant lust blazing in his eyes...and then he grabbed her and bent her over the side of the bed. He grabbed hold of her unbound hair with one hand and positioned himself with the other as he took what he wanted.Rough and ready. Cordelia bit her lip in instant arousal. Such a wanton display of manly aggressiveness, she knew it was his way — although she’d be lying if she said it wasn’t hers too.
***
Less than thirty minutes later, they lay side by side, sexually replete in her four poster bed, the fire of their passions having died down to a dull simmer.
Cordelia ran a fingernail down his naked thigh, her voice a mere purr, “Surely such payment is worth any information.”
He smiled tolerantly. While she undoubtedly thought it was due to the reminder of their lovemaking, he was simply thinking about his own plans, and how he would soon have no more need to be her little errand boy. “Do you?” He lifted a mocking brow. “Well, as it turns out, I’m in a generous mood, so I’ll tell you what you want to know. Your duke left the opera tonight — with Lady Triana.” He hesitated on the last, knowing it would get a rise out of her.
He wasn’t disappointed as the movement on his leg abruptly stilled. “Indeed.” After a brief pause, she gave a shrug. “However, I’m afraid you’re mistaken on that point, as I was at the opera tonight and did not see the duke anywhere in attendance. Besides that twit was with Eastbury.”
He grinned inwardly, knowing that once he relayed this next little tidbit she would likely fly into a frenzy, whereas he would gladly bend her spirit back into submission. It was one of the things he actually liked about her — the fact she was always willing to spread her legs.
“She may havearrivedwith Eastbury, but she left with Chiltern in a hired hackney. I saw it with my own eyes.” Instantly, her hand gripped his thigh, her fingernails digging into his skin. “But why dwell on their little tryst? I am here on other matters, after all.”
“Then why don’t you get to it?” she snapped, her green eyes blazing with ill humor. Rising to her feet, she began to pace back and forth in agitation.
He leaned back on the bed, his greedy eyes taking in the view of her naked tirade, her heavy breasts bouncing lightly with every heaving breath; her unbound hair just brushing the top of her rounded bottom. Again, he could feel the stirrings of passion gaining control. “Did you happen to see Triana talking to Corressa tonight?”
“Bothersome woman,” Cordelia muttered angrily. “I told that deplorable captain to steer clear of that harlot, but as usual, he was led by his cock.” Shaking her head, she set her hands on her hips. “No matter. In a few weeks I shall be far away from this wretched city and sipping tea in France.”
“Naturally,” the man murmured, and then patted the bed beside him, inviting her to rejoin him there.
She crossed her arms and did her best to glare at him. “Do you think of nothing else but your own satisfaction?”
He simply grinned. “Come now, Cordelia. We’re two of a kind, remember? And like me...” His voice dropped an octave as he stood up. “...you always get what you want.”
Cordelia continued to shoot daggers out of her calculating eyes, but he could tell his words were starting to work their usual magic. “You’re a bastard.” She tried one last jab at his expense, although it lacked conviction.
With a twist to his lips, he reached out and squeezed her breasts until she gasped in painful pleasure. “Undoubtedly,” he purred, pulling her back to the bed. “But you’re a dirty whore, and together we can bring the world to its knees.”
And as he took her once again, he knew she was helpless to agree.
***
Triana didn’t realize she’d dozed off until the hackney came to an abrupt halt and she jerked awake.
