Page 71 of The Art of Sinning
A knock came at the door that led to the servants’ passages. It had to be Damber, who occasionally enjoyed using the servants’ door to take him by surprise. The stupid boy thought that was a lark.
The lad probably just had a question, but on the off chance that some other servant was in the passageway, Jeremy grabbed his painting and climbed up on the stool to stow it back in its hiding place.
Then he returned the stool to the dressing table on his way to the door. “Damber, I told you—” he began as he swung it open.
The sight of Yvette waiting nervously in the passageway made his heart falter. Damn it all to hell. The one woman he’d planned to avoid.
Without waiting for an invitation, she slipped inside and shut the door, then had the good sense to latch it, since she wore her night rail and wrapper as she had during all their secret sessions.
It had been one thing for her to dress that way upstairs, but if she was found in his bedchamber dressed like that...
Oh, God. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” When she spotted his trunk, she paled. “Thank heaven I retire late and my bedchamber window overlooks the drive. Because if I hadn’t heard the carriage pull up, I wouldn’t have come. And you would have left without a farewell.”
He forced himself to ignore her wounded tone. “I intended to speak to your brother in the morning before I headed off.”
“But not to me.” When he glanced away, unsure how to answer that, she added, “That’s what I thought. As usual, you’re running away.”
His gaze snapped back to hers. “I’m doing what’s best for us both. Surely you realize we’re playing with fire. The only way to stop it is to end our mad bargain.”
She edged closer, and her bedclothes swished about her like the veil of a bride, meant to tantalize, to tempt... to torment. Unfortunately, now that he knew what lay beneath them, it did exactly that. His prick strained against his trousers, making him swear under his breath and pray the dim light would mask his arousal.
“So you mean to abandon our bargain as well as abandoning us.” Her eyes accused him. “You mean to scurry off with your half-done paintings and leave me wondering about my nephew with no way to do anything about it.”
“I’m already making discreet inquiries on your behalf. When and if I learn something about the boy, I will visit and give you my report. During the daytime. Well chaperoned.”
That didn’t seem to satisfy her. Not that he’d thought it would. “And the paintings? What of those?”
“I’ll make do with what I’ve done so far in the case ofArt Sacrificed to Commerce.The portrait is far enough along that I can complete it elsewhere.”
She clutched at the bedpost, as if to steady herself. “Am I that much of a trial to you that you can’t even bear to stay here long enough to finish them?”
“Yes,” he said bluntly. “I can’t control myself around you. I am used to doing what I want, taking what I want. But if I take what I want from you, it will be the ruin of you. And me.”
“Of you?” Her throat moved convulsively. “Why?”
“Because if I take your innocence, Iwillmarry you, and I’m not made for marriage, sweetheart.”
She stepped closer. “Why?”
Thunderation, this was precisely what he’d wanted to avoid. “It doesn’t matter why. Just trust me when I say what I am. And what I am not.”
“How can I? You let me believe you a rogue because of some idea about what people would say concerning your art. You let me believe you didn’t care about me, when you did.” She planted her hands on her hips. “I think it’s time I stopped trusting the impression you give of yourself and start demanding that you tell me the truth. Since you’re breaking our agreement by running off in the dead of night, the least I deserve is an explanation about why you are so determined to avoid marriage.”
He gritted his teeth. “Fine. The truth is, I would make any woman miserable.”
“Why?”
“Damn it, stop asking that!”
A steely glint appeared in her lovely eyes. “Why?”
“Oh, for God’s sake,” he muttered.
“I’m not leaving until I get answers,” she said stoutly, and to his horror, she sat down on his bed. “I’m not going to let you run away from here, as you’ve run away from your family and your responsibilities. I want to knowwhy, if you find me attractive and you enjoy my company, you are so afraid to—”
“I refuse to be the ruin of another wife, damn you!”
