He shook his head. She wished she could see the expression on his face. “I want you to show me exactly where you found the barrel.” He turned to leave calling over his shoulder, “Only then will I know if you deliberately lied to me.”
This time a shiver that had nothing to do with delicious desire slid down her spine. How could he do that? It was as if the splendor of their intimate moment had never transpired. She was still tingling all over, while the warm yearning in her feminine center continued to throb.
Rheda’s heart ached in her chest. God he was ruthless in his pursuit of the truth. And skillful. Her body stilled hummed. She tidied herself up determined to remember that she could not let his seduction weaken her resolve.
“I lied, my lord,” she whispered hoarsely under her breath. “And no matter how much you make my body sing, I’ll never tell you the truth. But I’ll play your game. I’ll let you seduce me until I’m sated with pleasure.” His seduction of her should keep him off balance and out of their business.
Invitation to Ruin – March 2011
Excerpt…
Anthony chose to ignore her remark and once they’d entered the study, Lord Wickham walked to the large windows that overlooked Cassandra’s back garden. His shoulders were tense and he seemed to lose himself in thought.
Melissa cleared her throat.
Still he did not respond.
The silence was nerve wracking.
“I’m sorry the situation has got so complicated. I would’ve hoped that I might have been able to talk my brother around this morning, but he was not inclined to change his mind.”
Anthony nodded, still looking out of the window.
“I’m pleased you did not take up his challenge for a duel. Getting yourself killed wouldn’t have helped anyone.” She gave a shudder. “I couldn’t bear to think I’d been the cause of anyone’s death, whether it was actually my fault or not.”
He gave her a piercing stare over his left shoulder. “No, killing your brother would not have been the solution.”
Melissa licked her lips. “Speaking of which my lord - ”
“Please, we are well beyond formality, call me Anthony.”
“Yes, well, Anthony -, ” She counted to ten. “Can’t you turn around? It’s difficult talking to someone’s back. It’s rude and very off-putting.”
His big shoulders rippled beneath his navy coat as he sighed and turned to face her.
Her breath hitched, he was so handsome. His grey eyes pinned her beneath a probing gaze. She moved, hoping to distract herself from the affect he was having on her. She crossed the room to one of the large leather armchairs and sat demurely. “I may have a solution to our situation. You do not wish to marry me – “
He raised a perfect dark eyebrow and gave her a smile that literally took her breath away. “We are getting married. I will brook no argument. I will not have the Wickham name disgraced. There has been enough scandal in my family.”
If she didn’t already have a tendre for him, or if she knew she could never come to love him, the marriage might have worked. But she wouldn’t dare love him while he simply saw her as a woman to bear his children, run his home, and plan his entertainments. A woman who never questioned his liaisons. In time she’d be left languishing in the country, missing him terribly, while he cavorted in London with his latest paramours. She just knew it.
Her friend Lady Sarah Campbell endured her husband’s disinterest. She bore the humiliation of his affairs and was often the subject of gossip and pity.
Melissa would rather not love at all, than love a man who would never love her. So it was imperative to nip this indiscretion in the bud, before she fell under his spell any further.
Melissa felt her cheeks heat. “I don’t want to marry you.”
His grey eyes darkened to the color of coal. “Am I that terrifying?”
She shook her head.
“I realize my deflowering of you could have been better, but I won’t hurt you again, I promise.”
Melissa’s bottom lip quivered as she tried to forget the feel of his body holding her, or his enormous member inside her… “I have no doubt you would make a marvelous lover, but you would likely be a wretched husband.” She shrugged her shoulders, “To me anyway.”
He ran his hand through his hair. “You are right of course. I would make a terrible husband. But you forget one thing.”
“That is…”
He strolled over to her chair and looked down at her. “You have forgotten the most important thing of all. You might be with child.” The word ‘child’ seemed to stick in his throat and his eyes widened as if he was in shock. He shook himself, drew in a deep breath and added, “I am not heartless enough to leave you to face society’s wrath pregnant with my child.”
Melissa felt the blood drain from her face. She hadn’t thought of that. “We could wait and see if I am with child before rushing into anything.”
Anthony’s face clouded in anger, his eyes narrowed and darkened like the sky before a thunderstorm. Melissa watched the tick in his taut jaw with fascination. She’d just given him a way out yet he seemed very displeased.
“You must think I have no honor at all.”
She pleaded with him. “No, it’s not that. I think, so far, you’ve proved to be very honorable, I applaud you for it. But there is no need to sacrifice yourself for me.”
He crouched down before her chair and swallowed her hand in his. “I want to protect you from a Society that would hurt you. Why are you fighting me on this?” His eyes never left hers as he raised her hand to his lips.
A hurricane of emotions swirling around her, Melissa could hardly think. What was he up to? For a man so vehemently opposed to marriage, he seemed desperate to find reasons for the marriage to go ahead. She eyed him wearily.
That was a mistake. Her body stirred at his closeness. No man ever aroused her, the way Anthony could. Just looking at him now rekindled the delicious sparks between them. She swallowed, aware of her humming nerves, the hollow flip-flopping sensation in her stomach, and the tingling warmth between her thighs.
Before she could help herself she uttered, “I just want to be happy.”
“You’re pulse is racing, I can feel it.” His lips brushed the sensitive skin of her wrist like a feather. “At the moment what would make me extremely happy would be to lock the door and make love to you in a manner more fitting than last night’s performance. To hear your small cries of passion, to make you wet with desire, and to sink between your soft thighs and let you touch heaven.”
Now she was afraid. Something was wrong. He was trying to beguile her into this marriage – why? Melissa couldn’t hold his seductive gaze. Warmth seared her skin at his touch.
Before she could even think to pull away, he leaned forward and kissed her…. Giving her a long, lingering, completely devastating reminder of the sensual power he held over her.
When he straightened, leaving her dazed and longing, his face was serious. “We will be married as soon as I obtain the special license. That is the only course open to us. I know it’s not what you would have chosen, but I could make you happy. I can’t promise to ever love you, but I can make your life comfortable. You’ll want for nothing.”
Except love, Melissa thought glumly. “I want to be happy, that’s true. I’m just not sure you’re the type of man that could make me happy.” Melissa knew with certainty he would never be faithful. The ache in the vicinity of her heart sent pain lancing down her arms, until she had to clench her fists.
Lord Wickham’s eyes noted the movement.
He was reputedly a man of insatiable tastes where the opposite sex was concerned. She did not expect him to change his ways overnight – or ever – not for her.
He was starring at her intently. “Can you say that any other man would make you happy? Are you in love with someone else?”
She sucked in a short breath. “No. I am not in love with anyone.”
“Then there is nothing more to discuss. You
will become my wife. Society will feed you to the wolves with any other outcome.”
Society. With sinking heart Melissa’s hopes of avoiding becoming the Countess of Wickham died. She would never win against the might of the ton. Her charity work, her fight for people’s freedom was all she had. She would surely lose her ability to secure funds, to lobby for changes to the law. As the Countess of Wickham she would be afforded entry into the highest echelons of Society. She could do a world of good, perhaps speed the passage of change. But she was going to have to give up her freedom to achieve her goal – the abolition of slavery in all forms – first Negroes and then she would help women. Women who, often, were no better than slaves. Owned by men. Men who could treat them as they saw fit. The ton was full of examples of men’s cruelty.
She would fight for freedom by giving up her own. The irony was not lost on her.
Melissa looked into Anthony’s silver-grey eyes and shivered. What was it about this man? She should be petrified of the brooding rake. She licked her lips not quite believing she was so readily capitulating. “Before I accept your proposal –“
“You don’t have a choice.”
“Before I accept -,” she leveled a serious gaze at him, “I have one favor to ask of you. Call it an engagement gift of sorts.” She watched his eyes narrow into cautious slits. “Anthony, I have no wish to be the laughing stock of the ton, nor do I assume would you.”
Melissa was pleased to see Anthony’s confident smile dim slightly. “I will grant you any favor in my power to give.”
She tried to keep a blush from scalding her cheeks. “I would like your promise that you won’t take my cousin as your mistress. Put bluntly, I do have some pride. I don’t want my husband sleeping with a woman I am related to.”
Table of Contents
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Epilogue
More Books
Invitation To Scandal
Invitation To Ruin
To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield (Wicked Wagers BK1-Regency Romance) Long Novella Page 14
