She lifted a brow. “A lady friend?”
He tipped his head from side to side. “Perhaps.”
She eyed him carefully. “So you’renotlooking for an…arrangement?” Was that disappointment in her eyes?
“An arrangement?” he echoed.
She shook her head, and her gaze dropped to the floor. “My apologies. This is my first time here. I’m not certain precisely what you call it.”
“Would you believe it’s my first time here too?” he answered quietly.
Her head shot up and surprise registered in her eyes. “Truly?”
“Yes. This isn’t my usual sort of…” He glanced around and shrugged again. “Crowd.”
She nodded slowly and took a long sip from her glass. “I wasn’t certain what to expect.”
“And? How do you find it now that you’re here?”
She rocked back and forth on her heels. Such a Meredith thing to do. “A bit intimidating, if I’m honest. But…” She stopped, lifted her chin, and looked him square in the eye. “I must sayyou’requite handsome.”
Griffin nearly choked. “Par…pardon?”
She bit her lip. “I’m sorry. Is that too forward? I wasunder the impression that being forward is how things are done here.” She drained her glass.
Griffin scrubbed a hand through his hair. Damn. He was acting a complete fool. But he’d never expected to encounter her this way, speak to her like this. And he should have taken that blasted glass out of her hand when he’d had the chance.
She held up her empty glass. “Will you…buy me another?”
“Don’t you think you’ve had enough?” He nearly rolled his eyes at himself. He was hardly acting the role of the intrigued suitor. But something told him not to blurt out his identity quite yet. Perhaps it was the way she was looking at him. Perhaps it was the way she’d told him he was handsome. Perhaps it was the desire to keep her from slapping him and stomping off to talk to another man, which she might well do if he told her who he was right now.
“Funny. The man in the purple waistcoat was only too eager to buy me a drink,” she replied.
“The man in the purple waistcoat was trying to take advantage of you.”
She giggled.Giggled. Meredith never giggled. Confirmed. She was drunk as a wheelbarrow. “And what if Iwantto be taken advantage of?”
Griffin had no time to respond tothatleading question before Meredith’s arms were around his neck.
Time stopped. Griffin had dreamed of this moment for years. Hell, there had been nights sleeping on a cot in the army where this exact same development had played out in his imagination time and again. But in every single one of the fantasies, Meredith knew who he was. Knew who he was and wantedhim. That was his dream. Not this.
He made to pull her arms from around his neck, but she plastered her body against his and said, “Take me somewhere where we can be alone.”
Griffin’s body betrayed him by going rock hard. He sworeunder his breath, clenched his jaw, andforcedhimself to say, “You’ve had a lot to drink.”
“Or notnearlyenough.” Meredith lifted on her tiptoes and kissed him.
CHAPTER NINE
Meredith couldn’t believe her luck. She’d nearly lost her nerve and abandoned her plan to come here tonight at least half a dozen times. But each time she’d told herself she was being a ninny. And she reminded herself of why she was doing this. She wanted to live. She wanted to have fun. She wanted to experience passion with a young, handsome, virile man and—well, for now, passion would do. And it turned out brandy was absolutely lovely. It was making the room spin a bit, but it was also making everything seem like a lark. It was ever so exciting here. Especially withthisparticular man.
She’d finally made it to the club wearing the scandalous gown she’d had commissioned just for tonight. She’d had the buttons placed on the sides so she could dress and undress herself. Ingenious, if you asked her. And Madame Bonary had been only too eager to help. She’d paid the modiste a hefty sum, but it had been worth it. The jade gown was absolutely perfect. When she’d first put it on, her maid’s eyes nearly popped from her skull. Meredith had sworn the young lady to secrecy. And she’d been nothing but thankfulfor the matching feathered satin mask that she’d commissioned along with it. Who knew that wearing a mask could make you feel so free? And so scandalous?
She’d hired a hack to bring her to the club. Then, after paying a pound, hearing the rules, and being ushered inside past the swinging golden lanterns and black curtains, she’d nearly cast up her accounts at the first look at the place. Her nerves had scattered through her belly. Had coming here been a mistake?
The Onyx Club was quite a sight. Crowded, loud, and filled with people who were obviously much more experienced than she. She was far, far out of her element. But she was too frightened to turn and run. Too frightened or too stubborn. She wasn’t quite certain which any longer. And so, the only alternative had been to put one foot in front of the other and move farther into the large, intimidating space.
She’d begun at the bar top. As good a place as any. A drink would help calm her nerves, she’d reasoned. And she’d ordered brandy. Champagne seemed far too mild for a place like this. Not five minutes had passed before the man in a purple waistcoat came over and whispered something positively indecent in her ear. She should have been flattered. She should have been glad to have found someone who appeared to be interested so quickly, but that man, whoever he was, had been too brash, too eager. She didn’t like the feral look in his eyes or the way he leered at her and stared only at her breasts. No doubt she was terribly naïve, but she wanted someone who would move a bit slower. Give her time to think.
