Alex turned his gaze back to Scarlett and suddenly became aware of just how tightly her body was pressed against his own. How easy it would be to dip his head and capture the sweet fullness of her lips, he noticed. “For someone who practically grew up in a stable, I’m surprised that you would be frightened by the sight of a mouse,” he teased softly, fighting against the treacherous thoughts that swirled within his head.
“Silly isn’t it?” she replied breathlessly.
“Well I think it’s gone. Are you alright now?” he murmured.
Scarlett didn’t respond, the words lodging in her throat as she relished in Alec’s nearness. Their faces were only inches apart. Their eyes locked and held for an endless moment. She parted her lips just the tiniest bit and Alec’s teasing smile faded. She beckoned him with her eyes.
Alec’s sanity fled. As if without conscious thought, he lowered his head and brushed his lips softly against Scarlett’s. She returned the kiss without hesitation, and when his lips became more demanding, she responded in kind. Before he knew it, he was lost.
Though she was a novice, the kiss felt so natural, so right. She opened her mouth at his gentle coaxing, her knees nearly buckling as his tongue traced the delicate curve of her lips and then moved to plunder the softness within. She was stunned at how much she liked the shockingly intimate caress. Of their own accord, her hands traveled upward, her fingers delving into the thick, dark hair at the base of his neck as she crushed her body against his. Boldly she touched her tongue to his. Alec’s muffled groan of satisfaction was like an aphrodisiac. Apparently she was doing something right. The kiss deepened and Scarlett wanted it to last forever.
Alec mentally cursed the thick barrier of their clothing as Scarlett crushed her body against his own. Though warning bells rang in his head, he couldn’t seem to stop himself from drawing her even closer. Despite the danger, the physical attraction he felt toward Scarlett was so intense and overpowering that it was impossible to suppress. Her enthusiastic response to his kiss was perilous to a man unaccustomed to denying his physical desires. He attracted women like a loadstone, he always had, and self-denial wasn’t his strongest attribute. He knew he should stop, before things went too far. He had to stop now. He didn’t. Tangling his fingers in her long tresses, he ravaged her tender lips like a man possessed.
Scarlett’s senses were reeling as Alec kissed her into a near-mindless state of euphoria. She felt like she was in a dream, but astonishingly, the reality was even better than the most amazing dream she’d ever had. Thus, she was totally unprepared when he suddenly stopped kissing her and abruptly broke away. She opened her passion-glazed eyes, blinking in confusion as Alec took a step back. Her hands fell to her sides as her head slowly began to clear. In dismay, she noted the disgruntled look on his face.
Dragging his lips from the sweetness of Scarlett’s mouth was one of the hardest things he had ever done, but with the last bit of sanity he possessed, he’d done it. “We can’t do this Scarlett,” he said, his breathing heavy and ragged.
“Why not?” Scarlett asked breathlessly, struggling to regain her senses.
“My darling Scarlett, you are desirable beyond words,” he avowed with complete sincerity, “but I am not presently in the market for a wife.” When Scarlett merely blinked at him in confusion, he lightly grasped her chin, brushing his thumb across her smooth jawline. “You are not only a lady, but Colin’s sister, and unless my intentions are anything other than honorable, you are off limits to me my lovely lass.”
As Scarlett’s thoughts began to clear, she tried to make sense of what Alec had just said. It took only a moment for her to realize that despite his reputation as a rake, Alec Weston clearly was not without morals. She wasn’t surprised, for she had suspected as much, but if possible the unmistakable confirmation made him even more appealing. Unfortunately, it also made things a great deal more difficult. How could she expect to garner Alec’s affection if he wasn’t ready for marriage, and she was otherwise untouchable? She could hardly expect him to fall madly in love with her after one kiss she realized, her thoughts spinning in a crazy whirl as his thumb drifted across the smooth plain of her cheek, his expression apologetic and resolved.
As Alec moved to pull his hand away, Scarlett reached up to forestall the movement, covering his hand with her own. In that instant, she realized that she would do just about anything to make him hers. The astounding pleasure of his kisses had only reinforced the certainty that Alec Weston was the only man for her. Instinctively, she knew no other man would ever have the ability to affect her as Alec did. Now, more than ever, she wanted to be the one to tame his licentious ways, to be the woman to capture his defiant heart. She hesitated for only a moment before she spoke. “And if my intentions aren’t honorable?” She surprised even herself with the boldness of her question, but met him squarely in the eye nonetheless. She wasn’t giving in without a fight.
Despite the fact that she no longer acted like the spoiled hoyden of her youth, Alec recognized that Scarlett McPhearson was still very much accustomed to getting what she wanted. She was young and reckless and still far too willful for her own good. “You don’t mean that, Scarlett,” Alec said softly.
Did she? Was she willing to cast aside her virtue for a chance to capture the heart of a man who wasn’t interested in marriage? But what other choice did she have? In a few days he would return to London and to the scores of women who were more than willing to surrender their bodies to the glorious Duke of Worthe. So what then? Did she dare enter into a scandalous affair with Alec Weston, with only the hope that he would fall in love with her as she had with him? She didn’t have time to think or to question the possible ramifications of her actions; she only knew what she was feeling at that moment. She was in love with Alec Weston and she intended to have him, one way, or another. “You said you weren’t in the market for a wife.” Though she was trembling inside, she curved her mouth into a seductive smile. “Perhaps I’m not in the market for a husband.”
Alec had been the recipient of the exact same smile more times than he could count. Lowering his hand he studied Scarlett, his expression speculative. Was she serious? Could he have been mistaken about her? Was it possible that she wasn’t the innocent he had taken her for? Had her reckless streak taken her down a similar path before? Regardless, the fact that she was Colin’s sister remained the same, and unfortunately made the point irrelevant.
“Scarlett…”
Much to Scarlett’s frustration, whatever Alec had been about to say was interrupted by the sudden sound of voices. He quickly stepped away from her, and a moment later the door swung open as Colin and Gavin entered the stable.
“I thought I would find the two of you in here,” Colin greeted.
“Had the poor chap out riding at the crack of dawn, didn’t you, Scarlett?” Gavin joked good-naturedly as he moved forward to stand at his brother’s side.
“Indeed she did,” Alec responded jovially, praying the pair didn’t notice Scarlett’s red, kiss-swollen lips. To her credit, Scarlett appeared totally blasé and completely unaffected by what had transpired between them only minutes before. Hmm, perhaps she was more experienced than he’d thought.
“Isn’t it a bit early for you laz-abouts to be up and around?” Scarlett teased, a look of exaggerated surprise on her face.
“I’ll never understand you early risers,” Gavin said, shaking his head in bewilderment as he moved forward and draped an arm across Scarlett’s shoulders, pulling her to his side for a brotherly squeeze.
She flashed him a sunny smile. “Alec let me ride Brutus.”
“She handled him magnificently,” Alec stated with obvious admiration.
“You were lucky to get that fine animal,” Colin piped in. “Our Scarlett wanted him for herself the minute she laid eyes on him.”
“Did she now?” Alec queried with the quirk of an eyebrow.
“Indeed she did,” Gavin added. “And believe me, she wasn’t too happy to find
out she couldn’t have him.”
“Now that’s an understatement,” Colin teased, regarding Scarlett with brotherly affection. “I’m afraid our little sister was rather accustomed to getting what she wanted.”
“I was a bit of a terror in my younger days,” Scarlett admitted with an impish smile.
Alec brushed his thumb along the tiny scars on the back of his hand. “I would never have guessed,” he said with an amused smile.
Fortunately her brothers were oblivious to the conspiratorial twinkle in their eyes, as he and Scarlett were unwittingly reminded of their first encounter.
As Alec and her brothers drifted into a discussion regarding the previous racing season at Newmarket, Scarlett found it difficult to keep her eyes from lingering on Alec’s handsome visage. Seemingly against her will, her gaze repeatedly drifted to the full, firm lips that had been pressed so deliciously against her own only minutes before.
Though Alec felt the recurring heat of Scarlett’s gaze, he did his best to appear unaware. It was a difficult struggle.
Realizing that her brothers were bound to notice that she couldn’t seem to keep her eyes off Alec, Scarlett politely excused herself a few minutes later, leaving the men to continue their discussion without her.
Chapter 4
Alec stood before the mirror in the bedchamber he had been assigned, trying with no small degree of difficulty to perfect the damnable knot in his cravat, momentarily regretting his decision to leave Thomas behind. Frowning in irritation, he finally dropped his hands. He’d given it his best effort and that would have to do. In truth, his frustration had less to do with the state of his attire and more to do with his unwarranted attraction toward a certain flame-haired vixen, an attraction that tempted him as no other had before. Though Colin and his brothers had kept him busy with various amusements throughout the day, thoughts of Scarlett had plagued him without mercy.
Grabbing his dinner jacket, he slid his arms into the sleeves, silently cursing himself and his nefarious desires. He never should have kissed her. He knew that. His behavior had been inexcusable. Not only was she a young, unmarried lady from a highly respected family, she was the sister of his closest friend, a dreadful combination. Despite the question of her innocence or lack thereof, whichever the case may be, he knew that he had to keep his distance. Anything else would be an unpardonable breach of friendship and trust, as well as an appalling compromise of his integrity. He may be a man unfamiliar with denying his temptations, but deny them he would. In this instance, he simply had no other choice. With one last parting glance in the mirror, Alec buttoned his jacket and then turned toward the door.
As the only female in the family, Scarlett’s bedchamber wasn’t located in the same wing as her brothers’. In fact, it was at the opposite end of the house, directly across from the chamber that Alec now occupied. When she heard the door to his room open and close, she realized that he had gone down to dinner. Taking a deep steadying breath, she fought to calm her nerves as she smoothed a tiny wrinkle from her indigo-colored skirt and once again readjusted the low cut bodice of her silk gown. She had spent extra time on her appearance, wanting to look her absolute best, and could only hope that her efforts proved worthwhile. Reaching for the small glass perfume bottle that sat atop her vanity, she dabbed the expensive French fragrance she had received on her last birthday onto her wrists and along the sides of her neck.
When she exited her room a few moments later, Scarlett drew on every last bit of courage she possessed, knowing that the decision she had made earlier in the day had the potential to change her life forever. Rash and reckless though it might be, she was about to do whatever she possibly could to win the heart of Alec Weston. She was allowing her emotions to rule her head, she knew that, but she didn’t care. Taking one last calming breath, she stubbornly refused to consider the possibility that she might be setting herself up for a terrible heartbreak.
As Scarlett descended the stairs, she found Colin waiting for her at the bottom. His gaze swept over her and he smiled in admiration.
“You look beautiful as always, Minx,” he told her, as she reached the landing.
“And you are as handsome as ever of course,” she returned with a grin, linking her arm through his as they made their way to the dining room.
Crossing the threshold, Scarlett’s eyes were instantly drawn to Alec’s tall frame. He noted her entrance and though he smiled warmly in greeting, she thought she detected a slight reserve in his expression. Her brothers greeted her in their typical jovial fashion however, effectively distracting her from her perusal of Alec. As they playfully jockeyed for positions around the table, Scarlett found herself seated between Alec and Rory. As always, Alec’s nearness caused her pulse to quicken, as did the now familiar faint yet tantalizing scent of his cologne. The combination was doing crazy things to her senses and she struggled to appear unaffected.
“So, Scarlett, I heard you finally got your wish,” Rory said, nudging her with an impish grin as the first course was set before them.
She turned, eyeing her brother in confusion. For a moment she forgot to breathe. Surely he couldn’t mean what she thought he meant. “My wish?”
“You finally got to ride that black you had your eye on.”
Of course, Rory was referring to Brutus. “Oh,” she recovered quickly. “Yes, Alec was kind enough to allow me to ride him.”
Unbidden, Scarlett’s words took on an entirely different connotation in Alec’s thoughts, and he very nearly choked on the sip of wine he’d just taken. Fortunately no one seemed to notice. “She handled him beautifully. In fact, I’ve never seen the brute so well-behaved.”
“Scarlett’s an amazing rider,” Conner confirmed from his seat across the table. “She was astride her first pony shortly after she learned to walk.”
“I don’t doubt it,” Alec chuckled.
“Rory’s promised to take me riding on Rotten Row when we are in London,” Scarlett said, turning to Alec.
“The park is lovely this time of year. I’m sure you will thoroughly enjoy the experience.” As will every gentleman who has the good fortune to see you pass by, Alec thought somewhat wistfully. Scarlett was going to be a head-turner to be sure.
As it had the previous evening, the conversation flowed easily and continuously and Alec did his best to keep his thoughts from straying too frequently to Scarlett. However, being seated so close to her, made it far more difficult than it should have been. Whenever he turned his head in her direction, he couldn’t seem to keep his eyes from lingering on the delicate curve of her neck, or falling to the lush rise of her breasts, the latter enticingly accentuated by the revealing cut of her gown. Even worse were the soft, gentle tones of her voice and the delicate ring of her laughter, the sweet, beguiling sounds like potent aphrodisiacs. Perhaps it was the fact that she was forbidden fruit, he wasn’t sure, all he knew for certain was that despite his best efforts, he wanted her more than any other woman he had ever known. The notion was disconcerting to say the least. Actually, it was frustrating as hell. Thankfully, the presence of her brothers was a constant reminder that Scarlett was hopelessly out of his reach.
As they dined, Scarlett got the distinct impression that Alec was trying to distance himself from her, emotionally if not physically. Although he appeared as charming and cordial as ever, she detected a subtle difference in his overall demeanor. She understood perfectly. He had told her that she was off limits to him, and it was clear that he was doing his best to adhere to that decision. Unfortunately for him, she intended to do everything she could to change his mind. And so, as the evening progressed, she smiled and laughed and did her best to garner his attention. She had worn one of her most revealing gowns, one that put her generous feminine curves on blatant display, and she deliberately leaned into him when she spoke, repeatedly awarding him an unobstructed view of her copious charms. She peeked at him from the corner of her eye when she thought he was looking and cast inviting smiles in his direction wh
en no one else was watching. She was playing the unfamiliar role of coquette, but as the night wore on, it was becoming easier and easier.
By the time the final course was served, Scarlett was quite pleased with the change in Alec’s disposition. Although he tried to maintain his reserve, it was obviously becoming more difficult for him. She deliberately brushed her hand against his arm as she reached for her wineglass and the air between them nearly crackled with awareness. She recalled what Bethany had once told her. “Men are ruled by their desires Scarlett. A woman who possesses both beauty and intelligence can bring even the strongest of men to his knees.” Though she couldn’t imagine Alec Weston brought to his knees by any woman, she had definitely regained his attention. It was a start.
She had to be careful though, for she dare not raise her brothers’ suspicions regarding her interest in Alec. Despite the physical and emotional changes she had undergone in the past years, they still thought of her not as a woman, but as their baby sister. She could only imagine their reaction if they knew she had set her sights on one of England’s most illustrious rakes.
“It appears that the weather has taken a turn for the worse,” Colin commented once the desert was cleared and they had all risen from their seats at the dinner table.
Turning to the window, Scarlett could see that the light snow that had begun to fall as they had sat down to dinner was falling much harder now, and the wind seemed to have picked up as well. Though she was careful not to let it show, she could scarcely contain her joy. She’d feared that her brothers had been planning to take Alec to the local village later to partake in the offerings of the local tavern, as well as the local women. It had been a decidedly unpleasant notion, and Gavin and Rory’s grumbling comments quickly confirmed that her suspicion had been correct.
The Hellion and The Heartbreaker Page 7
