Page 53 of Snowbound with the Scoundrel
The point was, he probably should have stopped kissing her the second the coast was clear, but he’d wanted to keep going, wanted to have that moment with Claireso badly, that longing had beaten out what little good sense he had.
He’d probably come to regret it when she went skipping off on her next assignment, and he was left heaving sighs into his cups.Or maybe he would cherish that memory with Claire and manage to see the bright side of things.After all, what did he know?
One thing he was sure about was that he shouldn’t form any expectations.Plenty of women wanted him to warm their beds.It was one of the few things he was good for.
This did not mean that Claire wanted him in the same way he wanted her, which was for keeps.When he saw her, he needed to be professional, not start acting like a peanut and mooning all over her.
Rupert sighed.Acting normal wasn’t exactly his specialty.But he was determined to give it a go, just this once.
As she made her way down to breakfast, Clarissa had to remind herself to walk rather than skip.
Yesterday had been her first… everything.First kiss, first romantic interlude with a man.
First time experiencing pleasure.
She was coming to accept that she had been completely wrong about Rupert.She should have known that Lady Milthorpe wouldn’t have tried to match her with someone awful.And while Rupert Dupree might not be a conventional husband, honestly, a conventional husband was the last thing Clarissa needed.She was outspoken to a fault, a quality ninety-nine percent of men would consider a disqualification to marriage.But not Rupert.He actually wanted a clever wife!
And physical relations between them had proven more than satisfactory.Clarissa felt her toes curl in her slippers, remembering the sensations Rupert had conjured up within her body last night.And to think, they hadn’t even done everything yet!
She couldn’t wait to see what else he could show her.
That part—throwing herself at him physically—was the easy bit.What was more difficult was confessing that her feelings had changed.Two years ago, after Rupert had overheard her railing against their proposed union, they had become disengaged.
Now, she needed to explain to him that she wanted to get… un-disengaged.Which was not a word.No word existed for this ridiculous situation because nobody had ever managed to make such a muddle of things before.
She tried to picture herself broaching the subject.Say, Rupert, how would you like to get married after all?The mere thought had her breaking out in hives.Wasn’t the man supposed to do the proposing?That was the problem all right—she wasn’t supposed to be the one doing the asking, but what choice did she have, considering she had already rejected him?
She was pondering this predicament when Phyllis Cuthbert stepped into her path.“Miss Weatherby,” she said, giving Clarissa a pinched, disapproving look.“Might I have a word?”
Clarissa would rather not, but she forced herself to smile.“Of course.”
Phyllis led her to the Wedgewood-blue parlor just down the hall from the breakfast room, shutting the door behind them.Seeking to cut the tension that was thick in the air, Clarissa gestured to the windows.“Do you think we’ll have more snow, or—”
“I saw you,” Phyllis said, cutting Clarissa off.
Clarissa froze.“Saw me?”
“Last night.With Rupert Dupree.”Phyllis crossed the room in three quick strides.“In the library.”
“Ah.”Well, at least she now knew the identity of the person who had interrupted them.Clarissa cleared her throat.“I hope I can rely upon your discretion in—”
“He won’t marry you, you know,” Phyllis said, her voice hot with anger.
Clarissa recoiled.“I—I’m sorry?”
Phyllis’s eyes were fierce.“He won’t marry you.Believe me, I know how men are.They talk a pretty game and convince you to surrender your favors.But there is only one thing they want, and after they’ve had that, they will move on and leave you alone to face the wreckage.”
It was on the tip of Clarissa’s tongue to tell Phyllis she was wrong.That Rupert wasn’t like that.To watch and see because he was going to be her future husband.
But it occurred to her that, even if her hopes came to fruition and it turned out to be true, this probably wasn’t her best strategy.
So, instead, Clarissa waved a hand.“Oh, I know all that.As one of England’s most notorious wallflowers, I’ve long accepted that I’ll never marry.The opportunity presented itself to exchange a few kisses with Mr.Dupree, and I will admit to being curious.I had never been kissed before, you see,” she confessed.“But I know that nothing will come of it.”
Phyllis shook her head so vigorously that her tightly drawn bun trembled.“You do not seem to appreciate what dangerous ground you are treading.How quickly a few kisses can lead to other things.”
It happened that Clarissa did understand this.Rupert had proved more than capable of sweeping her up in the moment.
Not that she was about to admit as much to Phyllis Cuthbert.
