by Maya Banks
Quinn smiled. “That will make her happy, and that is all I want.”
“Me too,” Sebastian murmured.
###
Jenna dressed for the ball feeling a good deal lighter than she had earlier in the day. Stuart was no longer an issue, at least for the present, and she was free to enjoy the last waning moments of her freedom. She already regretted her outburst, and would at first chance apologize to Sebastian. It wouldn’t do for him to know the extent of her discontent. She would play the whole thing off as pre-nuptial jitters.
Promptly at eight, Quinn knocked on her door, and she made haste to go and meet him. She collected her fan and stole a quick glance in the mirror at her upswept hair before opening the door.
Quinn whistled when he caught sight of her. “You look exquisite.”
She smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Your partisanship is appreciated.” But still, the compliment thrilled her. She’d taken care in her appearance, donning her favorite peach silk dress and arranging her hair in the newest style. And now that Stuart would be nowhere near her tonight, she could relax and enjoy the evening. And look forward to her first rendezvous with Gray.
They hurried downstairs and Quinn handed her in to the waiting carriage. He and Sebastian climbed in behind her, and they set off for Lady Lockhart’s residence on Curzon Street.
“You look lovely,” Sebastian complimented.
She smiled at her older brother. “Thank you, Sebastian. And thank you for understanding. I do not know what came over me. I suppose I am a bit nervous with the wedding so close at hand.”
He reached across the seat and squeezed her hand. “I only want what’s best for you, Sprite.”
She smiled at the name she’d been called since she was a child. Sebastian, Quinn, and Stuart had taken to calling her that during the endless summers she had spent following them around.
Several minutes later, their carriage rolled to a stop, and a footman opened the door and lowered the step. Sebastian climbed down and offered his hand to Jenna. He escorted her in and through the receiving line before stopping in the ballroom for Quinn to catch up.
“I will relinquish you now,” Sebastian said to Jenna. “But I won’t ever be very far.” He kissed her hand and walked slowly away.
Jenna turned to Quinn, a wide smile on her face. “I suppose I have you to thank for Sebastian’s change of heart.”
“He wants your happiness every bit as much as I do.”“Well, come then. Escort me across the room. I want a spot where I can see the entrance.”
He took her arm, and they made their way through the crowd. They paused to converse with acquaintances along the way before ending up across the floor from the entryway.
When they stopped, several gentlemen immediately came over to reserve a dance with Jenna. She smiled welcomingly at them and accommodated each of their requests. As she looked beyond their heads to the entrance, her smile froze, and her gaze riveted on the man greeting Lady Lockhart.
Dear heavens, it was Gray. And he was coming in her direction. Their eyes locked across the crowded ballroom, and the rest of the room disappeared for Jenna.
“I say, Lady Jenna. Are you ailing?”
She turned hastily to the gentleman who was speaking to her. Offering him a bright smile she said, “I am fine. Do be a dear and fetch me some lemonade.” Then to Quinn she murmured, “I have need of the retiring room. I shall be but a moment.”
Avoiding his questioning look, she hurried away. She slipped into the lady’s retiring room and stopped in front of the washbasin. Dipping a face cloth in the cool water, she dabbed at her flushed forehead.
She checked her appearance in the mirror, willing the high color in her cheeks to return to normal. He was here. The man she’d asked to become her lover was here. She’d tried to put her scheduled meeting with him tonight to the back of her mind, though she had thought of little else, but now it was shoved to the forefront in one startling moment.
With shaking hands, she smoothed her hair and patted her hot cheeks. She had to return or Sebastian, who was most assuredly watching after her, would worry.
Taking a deep breath, she marched back into the ballroom, hoping that her calm façade belied her inner turmoil. Scanning rapidly for any sign of Gray, she headed in the direction of Quinn.
“Lady Jenna, I do hope you will reserve a dance for me.” Gray stepped in front of her, his husky voice sending pinpricks over her entire body. “Preferably a waltz.”
Not trusting herself to speak, she nodded. He bowed and backed away into the crowd.
On shaky legs, she moved toward where Quinn stood, the men vying for her attention gone now. “Is something amiss?” he asked.
“No, not at all,” she said breathlessly.
“Who was the man who stopped you on your way over?”
“Oh him. He asked for a dance, and I consented.”
“Then why are you biting your lip?”
Her hand flew up to her lips. “Oh, you vile man! I was doing no such thing.”
He chuckled. “Whoever he is, he seems to have made quite an impression.”
She breathed a sigh of relief when Lord Malcolm returned bearing a glass of lemonade. Taking it from him, she placed the rim to her lips and surveyed the ballroom, looking for Gray. Given his reputation, she assumed he would be in the company of large crowds of women, but he was nowhere to be found.
Then her eyes lighted on him, his dark head bent in conversation with Lady Lockhart. He looked up, and their eyes met. She shivered as a slow smile spread across his face. He inclined his head slightly in her direction. Butterflies danced in her stomach and threatened to swirl into her throat.
Quickly, she turned away, as her next dance partner claimed her attention. As she completed the turns of a quadrille, she felt Gray’s eyes on her. It felt as if he were sliding her dress down her back with the sheer force of his gaze.
His burning stare followed her into her next dance and then the next. Every time she looked up, he was caressing her with his gaze. Undressing her with the slow movement of his eyes. The ballroom warmed considerably, and she was forced to snap open her fan.
When she broke away from her partner after the third dance, a warm hand curled around her elbow. “I believe this dance is mine.”
She turned to face Gray as the orchestra struck up the first chords of a waltz. He gathered her into his arms, and she placed one hand on his shoulder. His fingers curled around her free hand, his touch burning through the thin layer of her glove.
“I didn’t expect to see you here,” she murmured, even as she recognized the silliness of her statement. He frequented society functions, even if he wasn’t a regular attendant. But still, seeing him had been a shock.
“Lady Lockhart is a close acquaintance of mine,” he replied. “And though I am not well connected, I am welcome in society circles.”
“I didn’t mean to imply that you weren’t, sir. I am sure your wealth and your...expertise makes you very popular with the ton.”
He quirked an eyebrow. “I am not sure I want to know what you mean by that.”
A flush crept up her neck and threatened to take over her face. If he continued to look at her thus, she was going to go up in flames right here on the ballroom floor.
“Shall I send my carriage for you at midnight? Or is that too early?”
His heated whisper slid over her ears and down the bare expanse of her neck. She nearly closed her eyes and leaned into him, her need making her legs unsteady. “No...I do not plan on staying out late.”
“A wise choice,” he murmured. “You must save your energy for other matters.”
She swallowed convulsively. “You are quite forward, sir.”
He gave her an astonished look. “This coming from a woman who sought me in my home and asked me to become her lover?”
“I see your point,” she said ruefully.
They settled into silence as they d
ipped and swayed with the music. She kept a keen eye for any untoward glances thrown in their direction. The last thing she needed was scrutiny over why she was dancing with a man renowned for his seduction of women.
“I’ve danced with many other ladies tonight.”
She yanked her eyes away from the other dancing couples and stared at him in surprise. How could he read her thoughts so easily?
At his smile, she flushed guiltily. She must seem such a snob, but he was well aware of his reputation, and he must know that she couldn’t chance any slip in what was deemed proper for a young lady of her stature. “I appreciate your discretion.”
His hand tightened at her waist, and her flesh tingled, sending sparks up her back. The fingers that held her hand loosened, and he slid his thumb over the thin material covering her palm.
Her lips parted, and she immediately snapped her mouth shut again. She mustn’t let her attraction for him become so evident. When she met his eyes, there was amusement reflected. He knew precisely what affect he was having on her.
The last note of the waltz faded, and they stood in the middle of the floor, neither moving. Finally, he relinquished his hold on her and stepped slowly back. He bowed in front of her. “Until midnight, my lady.”
Chapter Three
“Bloody fool!” Viscount Dudley rounded on his son with all the ferocity of a lion. “What do you mean you let her attend Lady Lockhart’s ball without you?”
Stuart flinched and curled his lips into a pout. “It’s not as if I had a choice,” he whined.
“Imbecile! It’s bad enough Penbury took off to Italy mere months before the marriage, but he left Lady Jenna to her own devices. Silly chit has no business flitting about London. It’s unseemly.” He studied his son and thought for the hundredth time since his birth what a complete waste of seed he was.
But Stuart was the only heir he had thanks to his incompetent wife. Now that she was dead he could focus solely on the task at hand. He must get that locket back from Penbury’s daughter.
This task should have been taken care of years earlier, but the earl had insisted that Jenna not wed before her twenty-first birthday. Ridiculous condition. The chit was beyond the normal marriageable age. But no amount of persuasion had swayed the earl to let the marriage occur before now, and he’d feared if he had pressed further, the earl would have backed out of the contract.
So he had watched and waited. It had been relatively easy to make sure Jenna hadn’t discovered any untoward information. After all, the earl rarely took his family out of Westerleigh. He’d monitored her activities as best he could with frequent visits. He’d also paid close attention to any change in attitude toward him or Stuart.
And now when he was so close to achieving his objective, the earl had suddenly decided to take a trip with the countess and had allowed Jenna to stay in London.
He rubbed his jaw in concentration and watched in disgust as Stuart turned to a nearby wall mirror and meticulously checked his appearance. Bloody fop. How had such an insult to manhood sprung from his loins?
“Listen to me, boy,” he commanded. Stuart jerked around to face his father again.
“I’m listening, sir.”
Dudley snorted. “Don’t you let the Penbury chit out of your sight until season’s end. Is that understood? It is imperative that your marriage take place. I don’t want to chance her turning fickle and fancying herself in love with some other chap. You get me, boy?”
“I understand, Father. But Sebastian won’t like it.”
Dudley winced as his son’s voice grew whiny once more. “Quit sniveling. I don’t care what Sebastian likes or doesn’t like. Lady Jenna is your intended bride, and as such, it is your duty to see her about town.”
Stuart nodded and Dudley’s gaze dropped to the pink waistcoat his son wore. “You could start by getting a more suitable wardrobe.”
Stuart looked at him in shock. “My entire wardrobe was fashioned by the premiere tailor in London. He only fashions clothing for a select number of the ton each year. I was very fortunate to gain his services.”
Dudley’s scowl grew larger. “Bloody hell, you look like a back door banger.”
Stuart’s cheeks reddened, and he stared at his father with what Dudley could only describe as hatred. He swore to himself. He’d let his anger get the better of him once again. If he was going to carry off his plan, he’d need Stuart’s cooperation.
Swallowing every ounce of his disdain, he managed what he hoped was an apologetic expression and said, “Do forgive me, Stuart. It’s been a trying day, and I am more than a little perturbed at Penbury dashing off to the continent in such an untimely manner.”
Stuart nodded stiffly. “I’ll do my best to keep in stride with Jenna, but she is the model of propriety. I would not expect her to act with anything but the utmost decorum.”
“It’s the quiet, unassuming ones you have to watch,” Dudley grumbled.
“I beg pardon, sir?”
Dudley cleared his throat. “Nothing, just a bit of dust in my throat. Carry on then and keep me informed.”
###
Gray swallowed the expensive whisky and swirled the remainder in the glass he held. He eyed the clock as the minutes ticked by. Would she come?
Part of him hoped she would, but another part of him knew the dangers such an association posed. He’d gone that route before with disastrous results.
But from the moment she had swept into his library, something long buried inside him had begun to blossom. A warmth he hadn’t felt in longer than he cared to remember had crept up his body and into his heart. And the thaw had begun.
Everything about her called to him. Beckoned him to become human again. To feel. And he felt plenty. No matter the possible consequences, he had to seize the chance to begin living again.
He would use this opportunity to banish the demons of his past. Exorcise the memory of another. Maybe she could be a much-needed balm, and maybe she would free him from years of self-imposed solitude.
The raw hurt of the past rushed in with the new awareness of feeling again, but with the pain came the hope of sunshine. Sunshine in the form of a petite, brown-eyed goddess who made him want her with every breath he took. It was high time he took advantage of the luxury his reputation afforded him.
“Sir, shall I send out the carriage as planned?”
Gray looked up as Masterson spoke from the door. He sighed and set down his drink on the desk. “Yes, Masterson. Dispatch it at once. I’ll be in my bedchamber.”
###
Jenna crept down the stairs, quickly turned the corner at the bottom and headed for the servants’ entrance. The light had still shown beneath Sebastian’s bedroom door as she had inched by, praying that no sound would betray her.
With extreme care, she opened the door leading to the alley behind the townhouse. Once outside, she closed the door and quickly donned her cloak, pulling the hood up over her head. Confident that not even the most discerning eye could determine her identity, she hurried toward the street.
As she neared the corner of Upper Brook and Park Street, she saw an approaching carriage. Her eyes flitted over the liveried driver, which she thought odd since Gray wasn’t titled or high ranking in society. Well, not unless you counted his stature among the ladies.
She smothered the giggle that threatened to burst from her lips. Lud, but she was nervous. Relief swept over her when she finally noted the emblem on the carriage doors. Gray had told her his carriage was marked with his initials, and when the carriage turned the corner, the light of a streetlamp illuminated the metal letters.
The carriage slowed before her, and she scurried toward the door. “Lady Jenna?” the driver called softly down.
“Aye,” she said in an equally low voice.
An outrider hopped from the back of the barouche and hastened to open the door for her. He assisted her up and shut the door behind her. Soon the carriage rolled forward, and sud
denly she was gripped by the enormity of her actions.
She was going through with it. It was unclear to her whether she was insane or merely the biggest idiot in the whole of England. Perhaps a combination of both. She closed her eyes and pictured Stuart in his tasseled slippers and pink coat. Her eyes flew open and she grimaced. But it had the desired effect. She no longer felt quite so badly about seeking out pleasure with another man.
Besides, it wasn’t like she’d be the only woman in London to take a lover. She knew of too many to count who took their pleasure on the side. However, most of them at least waited until they were married. Well, she would be able to say she hadn’t committed adultery. Though she didn’t think that would make a difference to Mamma or Papa.
Tension gripped her legs as she looked out the window and saw the sign for Green Street. Dear God, she may well have an attack of the vapors. She was moments from walking into the arms of London’s most sought after lover.
The oddest tightening sensation spread rapidly through her nether regions. Her breasts swelled and ached until she fidgeted in her seat. Her throat closed in on her, and she was grateful she wasn’t required to speak...yet.
The carriage stopped, and the door opened as quickly. She descended the steps and was ushered up the path to Gray’s townhouse by the outrider. Almost before she took another breath, she found herself standing in the foyer. The door closed solidly behind her.
No turning back now.
She shrugged out of her cloak and handed it to a waiting maid. “Mr. Douglas awaits you in his bedchamber,” the butler said.
Too terrified to take stock of her surroundings, she mutely followed the infuriating butler up the stairs and down a long hallway. She refused to make eye contact with the impertinent servant, sure she would find something not to her liking in his expression.
“Here you are, my lady,” he said as they stopped outside a closed door. Before she could open her mouth to say anything, he turned and was gone.
Curse the man. What was she to do now? She assumed Gray was waiting for her on the other side, but should she knock? Just go in? Would he be naked? Heavens, where had that come from? But she supposed it wasn’t entirely impossible given the nature of their rendezvous.
