Page 9 of In a Rake's Embrace
He took a healthy swallow of his whisky. “Madam Rebecca has a wealth of carnal knowledge. Why are you not relying on her expertise?”
The idea of teaching her himself was dangerous—too dangerous. Being so close to her, demonstrating how to kiss, how to arouse desire in a man, all while denying his own instincts, would be nothing short of torture. He understood his sexual limits, and this woman could push him well beyond them.It is bloody laughable. How could he be so certain when they had never touched? And that irritated Thomas.
“Staring at me does not provide an answer, Miss Woodville.”
She delicately cleared her throat. “Madam Rebecca is not from theton. And neither am I, my lord. She explained all her clients here are men from high society. There is no lady from your society I could approach for lessons in such things.”
“What things are those?”
She tucked a wisp of hair behind her ear. “I ... how to speak better, walk gracefully, and clothe myself with elegance. Madam Rebecca explained that her clients seek women who seem … refined and exceptional. Women who speak and carry themselves like those in thetonbut with a hint of allure far more provocative than ladies of quality. They don’t come here solely for … carnal indulgences. They come for the music, the conversation, and the company that feels both elevated and enticingly unrestrained. So, a gentleman from thetonwould be far more appropriate to help me. I merely asked Rebecca to recommend someone skilled and honorable who wouldn’t exploit my inexperience. She believed you to be that man, sir.”
Her words were a challenge, almost daring him to refuse, but there was also a quiet plea in her gaze—one that unsettled Thomas. She knew what she was asking, yet she had no real idea of the world she was stepping into or the dangers she would face. He felt a pang of something unexpected—concern. It was fleeting, but there. She was far too innocent for what she sought, yet her determination was undeniable.
What had driven her to such desperation?
The question lingered, but he shoved it aside. He wasn’t here to understand her motives.
“Will you help me, my lord?” she asked softly.
“I am considering it.”
Her toes curled deeper into the carpet. “Do you ... do you need payment? I am happy to share the monies—”
“Do not insult me.”
Those lovely green eyes widened. “That was not my intention.”
Thomas frowned into his drink, feeling the duality of wariness and interest stirring inside him. He was never indecisive—his decisions were typically pragmatic, logical and unapologetic. Yet now, he questioned himself. Why the hesitation? He could teach herbutmust maintain a careful distance emotionally and physically.
Thomas stilled as the realization struck.Ah, there it is.
His initial reaction to her had been an unbidden surge of hunger before he suppressed it. Thomas had always enjoyed women, enough so that his friends teased him about being a connoisseur of female beauty, a rake and debaucher. But despite his appreciation for pleasure, he never allowed himself to be consumed by it. Once, he had been foolish enough to believe he loved a woman—a belief shattered when she betrayed him and hurt someone he held dear. It had been a brutal lesson that ledhim to maintain a particular distance from women ever since, no matter how indulgent his pursuits.
But this woman ... this powerful attraction ... even the woman he thought he had loved hadn’t stirred him so on a physical level. He slashed a glance toward Miss Woodville, and she instinctively stepped back, lifting a trembling hand to her throat. That small gesture made her seem delicate, more vulnerable even, and suddenly he felt like a damn beast. She didn’t deserve his coldness. Her beauty wasn’t her fault, nor was his reaction to it. A low sound of irritation escaped him as he downed the whisky in one long swallow, savoring the burn as it unraveled the cold knot of rage that always tightened within him when thoughts of Lady Eva and her betrayal resurfaced.
Thomas opened his mouth to dismiss Miss Woodville, but before he could speak, she rushed forward, her hand lifted in a silent plea as if sensing his intention.
“Please, sir ...please,” she whispered, her voice strained, and her hands clenched at her sides.
He could almost smell the desperation on her, and his lips curled, hating how his heart wrenched at her distress. Thomas raked a hand through his hair. Could she truly understand what she was walking into? Or had her naïvety led her to deceive herself?
Agatha wishedMadam Rebecca had better prepared her for the sheer presence of the Earl of Radbourne. He wasn’t at all what she had expected—in truth, she hadn’t even allowed herself to imagine him. To her, he had been a means to an end, a necessary guide on this path she had chosen. The earl seemed impeccably refined in his appearance, from the perfectly tailoredjacket accentuating his broad shoulders and burgundy waistcoat to the gleaming polished boots. Yet beneath that elegance, there was something almost savagely carnal about him, a raw energy lurking behind his slanting cheekbones and sharp, direct stare. He was so large, masculine and beautiful.
His green eyes, cold and piercing, unsettled her. They seemed to strip her bare as though he could see straight through her, uncovering every secret and insecurity. Worse, that gaze stirred a sensation low in her belly, a flutter she didn’t understand—one that unnerved her.
“He is a handsome gentleman with reputed sexual prowess,” Madam Rebecca had said. “I know him to be a man of honor who is also … very considerate of the fairer sex.That is crucial in the tutor who will help you. Do you agree, Miss Woodville?”
“Reputed?You are not certain he ... he ... is a good lover?” Agatha had stammered, her blushes betraying her innocence.
The madam’s smile had been knowing and amused. “Sadly, I have never had the pleasure.”
Their conversation had been brief and direct, leaving Agatha with little impression of the man before her. But now, standing in his presence, she was acutely aware of how disturbingly handsome he was. Even the jagged scar running from his brow down his cheek added to his allure, giving him an air of danger. It didn’t mar his beauty; it enhanced it, making him seem even more untouchable and, unfortunately, unapproachable.
“I want to understand what you want, Miss Woodville, so we have no misunderstanding. You want me to teach you how to seduce a lover? How to laugh and flirt with gentlemen. How to hide that you are not a lady of quality but could be whoever they wanted you to be in that moment.”
His voice was low, edged with a hint of skepticism.
“Yes.” Agatha swallowed, forcing herself to move a step closer. Her pulse raced, and she fought to steady her voice. “I want ... I want my lover to believe the nights spent with me were worth every penny he paid. Madam Rebecca cautioned me that while many men like the notion of taking a virgin to their bed, they do not want a lady to lay back stiffly and think of their duties. Apparently, this is a thing most men complain about their wives who ... were chaste. Rebecca agreed that the auction is a brilliant idea and will titillate many. However, I should balance my ... innocence with carnal skills. I agree wholeheartedly.”
