Page 21 of When He Was Wicked
She scowled at him, and the dratted man smiled. “I do not mock the sincerity of your desire, I am only curious about you.”
There was that warm glow inside again.
“My ideal husband is fair and very elegant. We are of a similar height, and he is slim in built. Thetonshould respect him, but he does not need to be overly popular. He is kind, humorous, smart, and attentive. We should be quite close in age so that we grow old together with little chance of one dying long before the other. He should bring me flowers often, sing with me for I so love singing.”
“Good God,” he muttered. “I cannot credit ladies have such stipulations. I think it is impossible to dictate who the heart should fall in love with.”
Love. Such a tender sentiment from the earl startled her. “And I supposeyoubelieve in love?”
“Of course, why would I not?”
She had no reply to that arched question. “I do declare men have expectations as well. Most in society wish for a wife offortune, and to have little interest beyond serving their husband and household.”
“I have no such ridiculous expectations,” he uttered darkly.
She smiled triumphantly. “But you have others! Do you not wish to marry a woman of quality? One whose father has political influence? You have yet to make your mark in parliament and your ambitions lean in that direction. The rumors say so.”
“I suppose that means itmustbe true?”
“True enough. Both ladies and gentlemen have an expectation in their heart as to what they want in their partners. They are simply different,” she said with a touch of hauteur.
He grunted, as if annoyed. “And what will your husband who sounds to me like one of those elegant and proper dandies think of you knowing to fight, and how you came by the knowledge?”
She bit back a laugh. “He will not know unless necessary.”
“Ah…a marriage with deception then, so a normaltonmarriage from what I have observed.”
Verity smothered an exclamation of annoyance. “You are trying to vex me!”
“Perhaps,” he said with provoking amusement. “And I do not need a wife with connections. While it would be beneficial to my future ambitions, it is not a requirement. I can make it anywhere, no matter how brutal the climb, on my own terms.”
There was that unbending resolve in his tone, and she realized it was his innate pride which had pushed him to be the man that he is today. Many would have crumbled under the expectations of turning around the fortunes of several estates and to provide for so many dependents. Most would have married a woman of fortune and not done much more.
But not James.
“I would like my countess to possess intelligence, kindness, and all the social graces and proper knowledge of how to behavein society to help our children take their place in the world. In that regard I am sorely lacking, with blunt edges that will never be smooth enough for me to wade through these shark-infested high society waters without a few bites. Though I promise I will bite back.”
Yet he sounded so uncaring. And a pulse of awareness echoed inside of her. “But most of all, you wish for a lady who would accept you how you are. That is one of the reasons you are no longer interested in pursuing Lady Susanna.”
He stared at her for a moment, and then said, “Your break is over.”
With startling speed, he rolled atop her, caught her wrists, and caged them at her side, rendering her helpless. A wave of heat burst through Verity, like molten lava.
He dipped his face perilously close to hers, their noses almost touching. “Use all resources I’ve shown you so far to escape.”
She struggled to push his massive weight from her body.
“Remember, Verity. Bite. Knee in the groin. Scream if need be. One aspect of fighting is learning how to be scrappy. You are small, but quick and agile. That quickness is your greatest advantage.”
She lifted her hips with a hard jerk, but his grip did not break. The man did not even budge. And most mortifying, she had to stop as a ripple of heat shuddered through her. How humiliating that he was not similarly affected. She did everything to mask how unsettled his presence atop her body made her feel. It was not fear, nor a sense of disgust or worry that he would hurt her. James was being a gentleman in every way. It was her secretly hoping he would kiss her. Verity felt awful. She wriggled and bucked beneath him, wicked thoughts stirring despite every attempt to bury them deep in her mind.
“Think,” he snapped, sounding rough and tight. “Escape me!”
A snarl of frustration slipped from her, and she reared up and brushed her lips along his collarbone. When he did not release her, she pressed her lips to his.
James froze in astonished silence, then lurched from her so quickly, he knocked his elbows onto the floor. He winced and scrabbled to his feet, and she awkwardly stood.
“I am terribly mortified, James. I cannot imagine why I did that. I am so sorry!” Verity wanted to die from the humiliation coursing through her. She hadkissedhim. It had been a quick peck on the lips, and it had wrought the loosening of arms she’d needed for a quick escape.
