Page 52 of No One's Bride
“I shall visit both men today and remind them of their obligations,” Aaron said in a sabre-sharp tone. “They need to know I’ll not tolerate disrespect.”
Aaron Chance was a man of action. He made sure men toed the line. He did not let his responsibilities prevent him from seeking justice.
Sebastian would do well to follow the man’s lead. When it came to Michael’s shipmates aboardThe Perseus, he would no longer condone their silence. He would find the men and gut them like fish until they spilled their secrets.
* * *
Sidney Alley
Off Leicester Square
“Are ye sure this is the address Mr Daventry gave ye?” Miss MacTavish glanced at the trays of sweet treats in the bow window and licked her lips.
Sebastian tore his gaze away to compare the writing on the hanging sign to the wordsGeorge Beard Confectionersscrawled on the note in his hand. “This is the right place, though I wasn’t aware you had a sweet tooth.”
“Only for cherry liqueurs covered in praline.”
They were not his preferred choice, still he imagined buying every last one just to please her. “They’re too hard to eat without spilling cherry liquid down one’s chin. And I hate to sully a newly starched cravat.”
She batted him playfully on the arm, her vigour much restored. “Catching the dribbles is part of the fun.”
“Do I strike you as a man who does anything for fun?” he teased, though there was a wealth of truth to his assertion. He had forgotten how to laugh, how to enjoy frivolous pursuits. He had forgotten one could find joy in simple pleasures.
Miss MacTavish looked at him beneath lowered lids. “Did ye nae have fun last night when we kissed behind the curtain?”
The memory of her panting against his open mouth fired his blood. “I doubt I have ever enjoyed anything more. Perhaps there’s much you can teach me, madam.”
She grinned, barely able to contain her excitement. “Then wait here. We’ve a few minutes before we meet Professor Mangold.”
Tugging her reticule off her wrist, she hurried into the shop and returned with a small paper bag. She removed her kid glove and retrieved one cherry liqueur, gripping it between two slender fingers.
“We take it in turns. Ye must take a bite while I hold it.” Her eyes glistened like dewdrops beneath a moonbeam. “Whoever dribbles the least wins.”
Had someone asked him to play a week ago, they’d have felt the sharp whip of his tongue, yet the desire to indulge this woman left him a slave to her whims.
He bit into the treat, the sweet liquid filling his mouth with an infusion of cherries. Catching one drip with his tongue, he licked his lips clean.
Her shoulders sagged. “Must ye be good at everything?”
“Last night, you were rather glad of my skill.”
“Dallying with a novice must prove tiring. Ye did an awful lot of panting.” She pushed the rest of the liqueur into his mouth. A drop rolled down his chin, and she giggled as she wiped it with her finger.
Captivated, Sebastian watched her suck her finger clean. “I believe it’s my turn.” He reached into the paper bag. “And like you, I pant when I’m aroused.”
Miss MacTavish laughed. “Never in my wildest dreams did I thinkwe’ddiscuss intimate matters. In truth, I thought ye were incapable of feeling anything but disdain.”
“You said you need a passionate man, not one who gives you cold shivers.” He held the confectionary between his fingers. “Open your mouth.”
She locked gazes with him, slowly opened her mouth and bit down. The praline cracked, the cherry liquid bursting out and coating her lips. Amusement danced in her eyes. A sight so bewitching he couldn’t tear his gaze away.
He hoped the juice trickled down her chin, down the slender column of her throat, but the minx was an expert in this game.
“I believe ye owe me a boon, Lord Denton,” she teased after finishing the treat without making a mess. “I shall call it in at a later date.”
“Why do I feel like I’ve been duped by a master?”
She batted her lashes. “Should a lady nae have the upper hand in some things? Else how might she make a good impression?”
