Page 126 of Enemies with an Earl
Dunmore eyed the Duke. “Of course, I do. Few can compare to me. It’s why they’re all so jealous.”
Sam lifted a hand to cover his choked laugh. “I have to give you my thanks, Dunmore. You have provided some much-needed levity during a night I have been dreading.”
“I may be able to assist in improving your night even more.”
Sam’s attention followed where Dunmore was looking at a curvaceous woman with ebony curls piled atop her head. Even from this distance, Sam could make out the vivid blue of her eyes. Which might be because she was staring straight at Sam. Intently. Like she’d just sighted her prey.
Sam’s wide-eyed gaze whipped back to Dunmore, whose lips had hooked up in a roguish half-smile. “That’s Lady Camoys,” he murmured. “I can promise you she will completely turn your night around. She used to be an…ardent admirer of my best mate until he married,” he said in explanation. Dunmore’s gaze turned shrewd. “You know…you share many similarities with Ironcrest’s likeness. No wonder she’s already sizing you up. Don’t let her petite size fool you. That woman eats men like you with her morning chocolate.”
She did what now? Sam’s attention went back to the woman, who fluttered her fan coyly. Oh dear.
Ash cleared his throat quietly, but there was a wealth of meaning in that small sound. His blue stare bore into Sam’s. “Perhaps Dunmore will give you an introduction,” Ash said.She will go a long way toward protecting you from rumors.
Sam swallowed down the distaste. “I would be especially grateful if you could, Dunmore.”
Dunmore’s grin turned feral. “Oh, I can assure you, you’ll be grateful. Send the pineapple to my townhouse. I only accept the finest of thank yous.”
After Dunmore made introductions, he made himself scarce. Sam bowed over Lady Camoys’s hand, grazing a soft kiss over her knuckles and catching her eye. He knew his role in this play, and it wasn’t as though he didn’t know how to seduce a woman; well, anyone, really. All that charm he’d worn as a shield for so many years was about to become exceedingly advantageous.
“Well, aren’t you just a gift bestowed upon us ladies?” she said with a saucy smile. “It has beendreadfulas of late.” Her nose wrinkled. “So many bachelors have been getting married. I don’t know what is in the air, but it’s a shame.”
Sam fought back a grin. This was the first time he’d heard a woman upset over folks marrying. Though Lady Camoys was married…and slept with everyone but her husband, apparently. So perhaps she didn’t have the finest opinion of the institution.
She was stunningly pretty. She had a round face with apple-cheeks, and a petite frame with curves Sam knew most men lost their wits over. And a mouth—the woman had amouth.Wide, plush lips, lips that curved knowingly.
But those lips only served to remind Sam of another pair of too-lush lips. Ones he was intimately acquainted with, knew their softness, knew what it was like to have them press against his skin. And just like that, the weight of this evening grew tenfold, made the corners of his lips nearly too heavy to keep tugged upward.
He knew this was where he was supposed to mention his own pursuit of a suitable wife for all to hear—followthe plan—but he couldn’t find it in himself to form the words. So, instead, he gave the woman a roguish wink and said, “This bachelor isn’t quite ready to relinquish his roving ways.”
Her throaty chuckle danced between them. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth, slow and deliberate, her blue eyes holding a world of promise.
A deep throat clearing had her eyes popping wide. Sam knew exactly who that sound belonged to. His eyes fluttered shut for the barest of moments, his heart both threatening to beat out of his chest and stop altogether.
“Lord Bentley,” Lady Camoys said breathily, dropping into a curtsy.
Sam’s eyebrows shot to his hairline. A curtsy so low that it might as well have been an invitation with how it put her breasts on full display. A display Felix was completely oblivious to.
“Lady Camoys,” he nodded politely. He turned to Sam. “Dalreoch. A pleasure to see you about town.”
Sam didn’t miss how Felix didn’t offer a handshake. It wasn’t the done thing, but it was a mark of close friendship, a tactic Ash and Dunmore had employed with purpose. But Felix stood stiffly next to Sam, barely looking in his direction.
“Isn’t it?” Lady Camoys was saying. “I was just saying how few dashing gentlemen there are around as of late. And some”—she glared at Felix—“are quite hard to…penetrate.”
Sam coughed, his alarmed gaze flying to Felix, who seemed not at all fazed by the woman’s forward comment. He just let out an exasperated sigh. “Dalreoch, Lady Camoys here is my sister’s dearest friend.”
A softooohof understanding whooshed from Sam. That madequitea bit of sense. She would have been a part of theseduce the dukeplan, then.
Lady Camoys’s smile turned warm at the mention of her friend. “Oh, how silly of me! I forgot you are close to the Duke. I suppose you are familiar with Her Grace, then.”
“Yes, Her Grace is a charming woman. She is how I made an acquaintance with Bentley.”
“Speaking of, I actually had a matter I wished to discuss with you, Dalreoch.” Something flashed at Sam in those amber eyes, something that definitely looked like displeasure. “If you’d be so kind to join me on the terrace for a moment?”
It wasn’t a question, though. Sam forced his polite smile wider and murmured his assent.
Felix turned toward Lady Camoys. “I beg your pardon, Lady Camoys, for stealing your companion.”
They shared a polite farewell, though the flicker of disappointment in the woman’s blue eyes didn’t escape Sam.
