Page 31 of The Danger of Desire
Bloody hell, those words brought all his need roaring to life again. God preserve him from females whose curiosity about desire was stirred up by a few kisses. Especially when they made him so hard, it hurt.
Uttering a harsh laugh, he braced his hands against the wall on either side of her head. “Trust me, if you and I were ever to share a bed, there would be no ‘might’ about it. Wewoulddo quite well together.”
Skimming his lips down her cheek to her ear and then to her neck, he tongued the pulse at her throat before murmuring, “Verywell, I suspect. Despite your assertions earlier, there’s a craving for wickedness lurking inside that labyrinthine soul of yours.”
He waited until her breath had quickened and her eyes had closed before shoving away from the wall. “But I won’t be the one to satisfy it, I assure you.”
Her eyes shot open, a strange mix of regret and wounded pride shining in them before they cooled to ice. “Then I guess there’s no more to be said.”
“Oh, there’s one thing more.” He put a hint of threat in his voice. “Don’t go to Dickson’s again. Because I fully intend to be there every night until the house party. And if you show up at the gaming hell, I will expose you.”
It was a bluff, of course. Revealing her true identity in that place would drag not onlyherthrough a scandal but her aunt and her sister-in-law as well, and he wasn’t cruel enough to do that. He was trying to help her, not ruin her.
She stiffened. “Then it will be your fault when Brilliana and my nephew and I find ourselves shunned by society.”
Damn her for calling his bluff. “For God’s sake, if it’s money you need, I can loan you some.”
That was the wrong thing to say. She drew herself up like a beleaguered queen. “We do not need your charity, sir. Besides, taking a loan from you would ruin us as effectively as your exposing my gaming.”
She was right, unfortunately. Frustrated, he dragged one hand through his hair. “You are the most infuriating, annoying chit I’ve ever met.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “I highly doubt that. And you’re just angry that you can’t blackmail or bully me into doing what you please.”
“I am trying to keep you from putting yourself at risk! The thought of some man figuring out your sex and trying to take advantage of it in a dark alley chills me.”
“That’s why I have Owen.”
“Owen might be stalwart, but he’s only one man and probably unarmed. He can’t fight off a fellow with a knife. Or a pistol.”
“Then I will make sure he’s armed. Good day, my lord.” And before he could counter with another argument, she pushed past him to walk out of the parlor with her back clearly up.
He started to go after her, but what would be the point? Unless he was prepared to make good on his threats, which he wasn’t, they couldn’t scare her. Especially as long as her precious Owen was willing to aid and abet her.
She would “make sure” the damned man was armed. Right. How the bloody hell did she mean to do that? And how could she put so much faith in a footman who didn’t even have the courage to refuse to help her? If not for Owen accompanying her...
Ahhh, yes. Owen was the key. She might not listen to reason, but the footman certainly would.
Stalking out of the parlor and down to the foyer, Warren asked to speak to Owen. The servant appeared a short while later.
“Walk with me a moment, Owen,” he ordered.
With a wary nod, Owen followed him out of the house.
As soon as they were strolling down the street, Warren said, “You know that what your mistress is doing is very dangerous.”
The footman paled. “I’m not sure what you mean, my lord.”
Not this again. “Don’t take me for a fool. I know that she’s been masquerading as Jack Jones to gamble in Dickson’s.” At Owen’s defeated sigh, he added, “Though I don’t yet know why. Perhaps you would tell me.”
He bristled at once. “Forgive me, my lord, but I would never betray the miss’s confidence.”
Warren was torn between relief that Owen was so determined to look after his mistress, and annoyance that the man was so unwisely keeping her secrets.
“All the same,” Warren snapped, “while I realize that no one has uncovered her masquerade heretofore, it’s only a matter of time before—”
“I agree, my lord. But she won’t listen to reason. And I can’t let her go to Covent Garden alone.”
“Certainly not. On the other hand, if you refuse to indulge her, she might see sense and stay at home.”
