Clearly, several women loitering nearby also found him so. Their heated stares promised Gavin anything he wanted.
Noelle tensed. She shot them damning glares, and the trio turned away. From the courtesans’ gossip, she knew a rich protector was to be closely guarded at all times, lest another brightly plumed bird swoop in and snatch him away.
It didn’t concern her that she was only playing a part. She didn’t want a scandalously dressed strumpet putting any part of her anatomy anywhere near Gavin. For this evening he was hers, and hers alone. She’d unsheathe her claws if she had to.
Ignoring the other courtesans, Gavin pressed a kiss to the side of her neck. “I’ve never been called beautiful.” She felt him inhale deeply against her skin. She’d worn the lemon and cinnamon scent just for him.
“Then the women of your acquaintance have been remiss, Mister Blackwell. Gavin.” His mouth moved down her neck to her collarbone and on to her bare shoulder. All sorts of delicious sensations followed his heated mouth. “You most assuredly have a male beauty to be envied.”
He chuckled against her skin, then nipped her shoulder gently. She gasped, and was certain she heard the trio of women twitter. In her disguise, she was seductive and free to behave as she wished.
Noelle struggled to remember the real purpose of their attendance. A difficult task when Gavin was teasing her breathless. “You must look for your footpads. You cannot do so with your lips pressed against my neck.”
Gavin murmured against her skin, “Unless they are in disguise, I’ve seen nothing to indicate their presence.”
The clearing of a throat reluctantly brought Gavin’s head up from her collarbone. He peered, annoyed, at the intruder. He slipped an arm around her as a gentleman wearing black, and a wide leer, stopped before them.
Noelle flinched, planning to back away from the familiar face, but the veil and Gavin’s arm kept her still. She’d momentarily forgotten her disguise.
“Blackwell.” He reached out a hand to Gavin, but his eyes were fully on her. Noelle peered at the broken blood vessels on his bulbous nose and grimaced. A sour taste filled her mouth.
The Earl of Cranbrook. The man was a known lecher, and Noelle had always taken pains to avoid him. She had suffered through an unexpected encounter with the cad at a party three years previous, when his hand had found a resting place on her bottom. She’d quickly refused his fumbling advances with a loud slap to his cheek.
“Your Lordship.” Gavin frowned and tightened his hold on Noelle. She took comfort in his nearness. In a setting such as this, there was no telling what a man such as the earl might do. If she let any distance open up between her and Gavin, she might find herself dragged into the bushes by the earl and debauched.
“I see you have plucked the finest bird from the flock.” His voice slurred, and Noelle glared into his red eyes. If she’d felt sorry for his long-suffering wife before tonight, she felt renewed sympathy for the sweet-tempered woman now. To be married to such a man had to be hell.
The earl needed a sound beating, or two, or ten. According to gossip, he’d all but run through the fortune his father left him and was on the verge of seeing his family left penniless. Noelle vowed to do whatever she could for his wife and daughter, if there ever came a day they were thrown into the street.
The earl licked his thin lips. “Perhaps when you tire of her, you can send her to me.” He reached for her, but Gavin blocked him, catching Cranbrook’s wrist in his grip. The earl winced. Gavin scowled and released him.
“You are touchy, Blackwell.” He rubbed his wrist. “A whore is a whore. Enough coin can get any one of these women in bed.”
Noelle lightly dug her fingernails into Gavin’s hand as a warning, then faced the earl. She needed to defuse the tension before the two men came to blows.
“I fear, My Lord, you couldn’t you afford me”—she paused and opened her eyes wide with feigned innocence—“and I fear Gavin has ruined all other men for me. I would find your awkward fumblings in my bed very unsatisfactory.”
The middle-aged man turned ruby red and blustered, casting a few drops of spittle into the air. “Why, you impudent whore!” He appeared to strain for further insults but produced only strangled gasps.
Gavin shook with rich laughter as the man spun on his heels and launched himself into the crowd. “Well done, love.”
Noelle didn’t know what warmed her more, being complimented for her tart tongue or being called “love” several times this evening. Either way, she felt pleased to be the recipient of his affectionate regard.
“He desperately needed a set-down.” She inhaled deeply. Her first test had been a success. “To call him a pig only serves to insult swine.”
“Then we shall forget about the earl and concentrate on making you a successful courtesan-spy. Then, when you’ve captured the thieves and the Home Office calls to press you into service for king and country, you will be able to use your success with disguises to flush out traitors and foreign spies.”
Noelle smirked. “I shall single-handedly take down the dangerous band of thieves and become revered all over London. My mother will be proud.” Her mother would be horrified. That thought alone was enough to bring a smile.
Gavin nodded, and his hand squeezed her waist. “But first we must bring this caper to a successful conclusion.”
Covertly, Noelle glanced around. She peered into the shadows and looked at many faces for any sign of danger. She saw no one who matched Gavin’s descriptions.
“I fear our presence here has been a waste.” She sighed. “It has been nearly an hour, and we have we flushed out nothing more than one drunken lord.”
“We may not gain anything tonight but an assault to the senses,” Gavin said. “But you have become a very successful courtesan. All the true courtesans are filled with envy.”
She scanned his face. “Why, Mister Blackwell, I believe you mean that.”
He tipped his head to press his lips against her temple. He said against her skin, “I do. All of your lessons have paid off. If this night doesn’t end as we hoped, it will not be your fault. No one would ever suspect you are a Lady.”
Normally, Noelle would take offense at being called unladylike. Instead, she reached up to pat her wig. “Thank you.”
He lifted her hand to his lips. “You, My Lady, are an incredible adventure.”
Touched, Noelle moved into his arms and slid her hands around his waist. He was warm and inviting. “And you are a charming rogue. From the moment we met, you have made sure you are the one thing in my life I will never, ever forget.”
A crooked grin was his response.
In this setting, it was easy to remember their stolen moments in the coach and forget they were not truly lovers.
Oh, how she wanted them to be! It would be easy to make it so. But she couldn’t. Couldn’t! She was Lady Noelle Seymour. As such, she had to live by certain rules.
It was becoming difficult to concentrate on anything but Gavin. Her thoughts were never far from him, and worry crept into her mind. She started to feel as if she was setting herself up for a broken heart. It was time to take a few steps back. She needed to look at their situation with a clear mind.
She reclaimed her hand. “Since we have failed miserably as investigators, perhaps we should go.”
He frowned. “Is something the matter, love?”
“Must something be wrong?” She tried to keep her tone casual. “Can I not just be tired of nipples?”
Noelle’s face flamed when he chuckled. How could she have said such a scandalous thing? Gavin’s presence in her life was certainly having a negative influence. It reconfirmed her need to put some distance between them. He was far too handsome, and she was far too interested in his sensual draw.
She opened her mouth to speak again but was interrupted by an approaching couple.
Gavin didn’t bat an eye as an older man escorted a woman past them. The courtesan winked at Gavin as she tottered by, and he return
ed her wink with a nod.
Noelle sighed, frustrated and a bit jealous. “If you’d care to run off that randy old goat and spend the rest of the evening in her bed, I can undoubtedly find my way home without your help.”
He dismissed the pair and turned back to her. “Is that so?”
“I wouldn’t want you to miss an opportunity to find a new lover. A real lover. I know men such as yourself suffer from needs they have difficulty controlling. I hear that if you don’t slake them frequently and with due diligence, certain parts of your body can turn a vicious shade of blue.”
It took a full minute for him to settle from his laughter. “My dearest Lady, you are a delight.” He caught up her hand and drew it to his mouth. He held her with his gaze and turned the hand over to nibble on the bare flesh exposed at the top of her glove. “You’re jealous.”
“I am not,” she insisted. “I don’t care enough for you to be jealous. We are only casually acquainted. I simply find it rude for a man to escort a lady to a social function, only to find his interest focused elsewhere.”
“Trust me, love.” He lowered her arm and leaned to whisper in her ear. “My interest is fully engaged right here.”
It was impossible to remain angry with him when he ogled her with a mixture of raw sensuality and teasing humor. He was a cad, an arrogant cad. But when he held her in his blue eyes, there was little she could remember to be angry about.
“I despise you,” she said breathlessly as he bent and pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth. She smoldered beneath her gown. “You are far too arrogant and confident for your own good.”
He straightened and collected her hands. “And you are far too beautiful. Come, let us partake in one dance before we call this night at an end.”
The waltz was still considered shocking among the older members of society, yet it had been widely accepted for years. However, not many mamas allowed their newly minted debutante daughters to partake in the seductive dance.
Gavin led her through the crush to join the other dancers and pulled her into his arms. Noelle tried to keep from getting too intimate. Gavin refused keep a respectable distance between them. His hand on the curve of her back kept them close together. “Clearly you have decided my annoyance with you isn’t enough to keep you from attempts to seduce me,” she said tartly.
“My dearest Noelle,” he countered, and pulled her closer. “The thugs could be standing at the edge of this dance floor, and I’d still want nothing more than to charm my way into your drawers.”
“You are despicable,” she wheezed, surprised by his frankness. It took lots of will to keep from smiling. Even the most annoying aspects of his personality left her wanting to laugh. “Do you ever think of anything but launching a coup against my drawers?”
He shrugged. “I’m afraid not.”
This time she did laugh. Somehow, even his lack of manners was charming. He was bold and arrogant and far too free with his hands. And he was unapologetic about it all.
“I believe it is time to change the topic before you break into an explanation of how to launch a successful attack on my undergarments.” She narrowed her lids.
He faltered ever so slightly, then easily regained his footing. Her saucy comment was only a temporary distraction. He was an expert at seductive banter.
“Perhaps later, when we have privacy, you’ll let me draw you an assault map.” He stared at her mouth. “That way you will know every attack point on your body before it comes, and can eagerly anticipate my next move.”
Noelle rolled her eyes heavenward and shook her head. “You are entirely too confident that I would enjoy your seduction.”
“You will.”
“There has to be at least one woman who left your bed dissatisfied.”
“Never.”
The conversation was shockingly intimate. “You are saying that only in the hope that by the time I realize you are a braggart without skill to back up your claims, it will be too late. I will have already sacrificed my innocence to your lackluster ability.”
Intensity took any humor from his face. “My Lady courtesan, I will make you this wager. If I ever fail to satisfy your every desire, in bed or out, I will give you my entire fortune, down to the last ship and shilling, to compensate you for your disappointment.”
From someplace outside herself, Noelle felt herself treading on his toe. He didn’t flinch. She was locked onto his eyes and her whole body exploded with heat. “You are that confident,” she whispered as the music died.
“I am.”
She felt his hand flex on her back, then dip to just above her buttock. She leaned into him until her breasts flattened against his chest. “Then I accept your wager.”
The music swelled, and she hardly noticed they were dancing again. She’d just agreed that if she ever lost her common sense and became his lover, she’d accept a wager that would financially ruin him. By the look of shock on his face, he hadn’t expected her to accept the bait.
For the first time, she’d won against his sharp wit. He was speechless. It was a most satisfactory victory.
“You dance quite well, sir.” She acted as if nothing important and intimate had passed between them. He clearly needed a minute to collect himself. She enjoyed studying the grim line of his mouth. “Though you do need some instruction in proper hand placement.”
He blinked and shook his head. Then he cocked a brow. The confident American was back. “Trust me, love. I am very well versed as to where my hands are supposed to be, as you will soon find out. Unfortunately, you have on far too many clothes.”
Noelle pretended to yawn. She wouldn’t let him see how deeply the thought of fulfilling the wager had affected her. The chance he’d actually satisfy her needs was slim. She had no intention of bedding him; therefore, no wager. Besides, sex was for procreation, not pleasure. Enjoying his kisses did not make her a vixen in bed.
“Have we returned to that again?”
“Back to what, exactly?” He offered a mock puzzled frown as if deeply confused by her implication. “Tell me details, and leave nothing out.”
“I think I shall hire a pinch-faced matron to give you instruction on proper topics of conversation, like the weather. Clearly you have spent much of your formative years with doxies and whores, as you seem to want to turn my every word into some sort of opening for seduction.”
He wasn’t the least bit taken aback. In fact, despite his sober demeanor, there was mischief in his expression.
“Indeed? Then you must forgive my forwardness, My Lady. Making a wager against my fortune, and your acceptance, has left me reeling. However, I’ll not regret the offer. I’ve been suffering from a serious case of frustration for several days now, and you are the key to my fulfillment.”
“See?” She slid her hand from his shoulder and jabbed a fingertip into his chest. “You cannot help yourself.”
He sighed and frowned. “I can speak quite eloquently about the weather. ’Twas a fine day today, was it not? There were just enough clouds in the sky to keep the day from becoming overly warm.” He looked up. “The night is cool and clear with a few stars to draw the eye. Tomorrow should be much of the same, unless a storm is brewing that we didn’t expect. Hence the reason it is considered unexpected.” He drew her to a stop when the music died again. “I think it would be wise to ask Lady Penny for her thoughts, as her left foot seems to swell when bad weather is brewing.”
Noelle was laughing by the time he ended his haughty speech. His humor was infectious. Not a hint of the American accent could be found in his perfectly proper words. But the stiff manner behind his pontification caused a stitch in her side.
“Well done, Mister Blackwell.” She clapped several times. “Stuffy old Baron Wegan could not have done better.”
Gavin snorted. “I would much rather talk about your skin. Discussing thunderclouds is quite dreary.”
Her laughter faded to puzzlement. “My skin? What about my skin?”
The m
usic began again, and he swept her into his arms. “Your skin is like a sweet siren song that calls me to explore its silkiness. When I press my mouth to it, I have never tasted the like. When I inhale the light scent of lemon and cinnamon, I find I cannot think of anything but how I’d like to nibble every inch until I can assure myself I have fully tasted heaven.”
“Oh, my.” The words tumbled from her mouth. She expected jests and instead received verse. Not excellent verse. Still, anything that issued from his perfect mouth sounded like poetry.
“And your eyes.” He bent slightly to peer into her eyes. “They are the softest, beautiful amber, with a ring of pale green around the center. The color reminds me of new spring grass.” He paused. “The way you looked at me the night in the coach, I was certain I had experienced something wondrous, something no man has ever experienced, no matter how many women have passed beneath him. It was the purest desire, and it was directed at me. It was a gift I shall always treasure.”
Noelle gaped. Many men had spun odes to her beauty over the years in an effort to woo her, but she’d never heard anything so lovely.
But he wasn’t finished. “From our first kiss in my bedroom, I’ve been able to think of nothing but having you in my arms again, tasting the sweetness of your lips.” His eyes darkened. He danced her to the entrance of the rotunda and stopped. “I know it is madness. You are a Lady and a maiden. I have no right to you, to your body, lovely Noelle, regardless of the outrageous wager. I think I should take you home.”
Gavin took her hand. He dragged her pell-mell down the path, and she had to totter to keep up.
He wanted her. Not what her title could offer him. Not the obscenely generous dowry her father had left for her. Only her.
At a curve on the path, she dragged him to a halt.
“Wait, Gavin . . . the investigation . . .”
“Damn the investigation,” he growled.
Damn everything. They hadn’t seen or felt one hint of trouble. The night hadn’t gone as expected, but it didn’t need to be a failure. She’d steal a bone-searing, bodytingling kiss before he dragged her home.
The Accidental Courtesan Page 17
