Page 6 of Moaning Under the Mistletoe
“Food and drink aren’t included in the membership at any club. Why should it be here? If people eat and drink here, they will spend more, and they’ll stay longer so they can enjoy their membership benefits in the evening.”
“Clever.”
“It would have to compete with the lunch at Whites, because most of your members will be members at other clubs too.”
Mr Mardin tilted his head. “Most of our members either can’t afford Whites or wouldn’t be accepted there. It’s not the same crowd.”
He nodded at the astute comment. “There is some overlap, like myself.”
“And the Duke of Edenwick although I’ve yet to meet him.”
Ambrose smiled. “He doesn’t leave his farm often.” The Duke had married fifteen years ago and the marriage was rumoured in certain circles to be a lavender marriage with his Duchess involved with the Duke’s secretary, a Miss Ginny McPeachy, and the Duke in a committed relationship with his stablemaster. Ambrose knew the rumour to be true and if he was honest, he envied the four of them, finding happiness like that. He didn’t expect to have the same for himself, which is why he’d set his cap at Lady Lavinia.
Mr Mardin folded his arms. “Given I’ll never grace the doors at Whites, it doesn’t matter. I can’t become something I am ignorant of.”
“I didn’t say you should become Whites.”
“You didn’t?”
“No. I said if you provided a lunch as good as Whites, you could charge extra for it, and those who prefer the offerings of this establishment would pay. Whites is filled with stuffy peers.”
Mr Mardin raised his eyebrows and grinned.
“What?”
“How do you know what Whites is like? Are you a stuffy peer? Or merely a stern one?” That cheeky smirk was back and Ambrose leaned in to kiss it away. He’d never been drawn to someone like this.
“I will take you as my guest tomorrow. Dress appropriately.” He had to leave before he spent all night chatting to Mr Mardin. He wasn’t a chatter. What was happening to him?
“Tomorrow, it is.” Mr Mardin smiled, a fresh softness in his gaze.
He picked up Mr Mardin’s hand and kissed his knuckles. “Until tomorrow.”
“Promises, promises.” The quiet laughter chased him out of the room, and Ambrose paced all the way home where dismissed his valet and slipped into his bed with his hand wrapped around his cock, stroking himself to completion, again, with his mind filled with Mr Mardin. It wasn’t like him to obsess like this. He decided to make himself wait a few days before fulfilling his promise to Mr Mardin.
Chapter Four
