Bargaining With a Rake (A Whisper of Scandal Novel) (19 page)

“Not quite yet.” Aunt Millicent was
staring hard at Alex. What on earth was her aunt up to? “Lord Lionhurst, why is
it that you are approaching the age of―”

“Three and twenty,” Alex supplied.

“And you are not married?”

“Auntie, please,” Gillian scolded.

“Luck, I suppose.” He offered the
answer with a casual shrug and a wink in Gillian’s direction. Her stomach
fluttered in response.

Auntie smacked his arm and served him
a scowl. “Be serious, young man.”

His eyes flicked to Gillian and held
hers. “I asked a woman to marry me when I was but a green boy of eighteen. She
taught me that women prefer titles to love.”

“A foolish woman,” Aunt Millicent
murmured. “You seem to attract foolish women, Lord Lionhurst.”

Gillian blinked at her aunt’s cool
green gaze, which was not focused on her. “Must you speak so plainly?” Gillian
moaned, rolling her eyes heavenward.

“I must.”

Judging by the chuckle Auntie’s
response drew from Alex, her aunt had failed to shock him with her bluntness.

“Your uncle loved my direct nature. He
always said so. Since he passed, I strive to practice it every day.”

“Oh, I daresay it’s perfected, Aunt. You
are as direct as the straightest line.”

“Lord Lionhurst, do you love direct
women?”

“I love a woman who knows what she
wants and goes after it.”

She should not look at him. She
should murmur an excuse and hurry away. Leave her aunt and Alex to this
pointless banter. But she did look. His eyes held hers, and she was sure he had
been speaking of her, and she was once again inexcusably pleased.

“Well,” Auntie said. “You’re rather handsome.
Maybe you’ll yet meet a woman who wants you.”

“That’s unlikely,” he said. “Unfortunately,
I have deficiencies in my character that appear to be irreparable”

“Such as?”

“Well for one, I’m not American.”

Auntie pierced Gillian with an
assessing look. “In my experience, the best laid plans usually somehow go
astray and lead the planner down a far better path.”

Her aunt was up to something, but
Gillian wasn’t sure what. “We better go, Auntie. I’m sure I need to explain my
whereabouts to Lord Westonburt.”

She practically dragged her aunt away
from Alex, and when he was out of distance to hear her, she hissed in her
aunt’s ear. “Stop whatever it is you think you’re doing. Lord Lionhurst is not
interested in marrying me.”

“He is. He just hasn’t accepted it
yet.”

“Auntie!” Gillian blew out a
frustrated breath. “Even if he was interested in marrying me, which he most
certainly is not, I have to marry Mr. Sutherland and move to America.”

“Whatever for? I just don’t
understand your insistence on this course of action.”

“I hate it here,” Gillian lied. “I
will not live one more month under the
ton’s
whispers and scrutiny. I’ll
perish if I don’t get away.” The stricken look on her aunt’s face was like a
knife in Gillian’s heart.

“I see, dearest. Well then, I suppose
you are doing what you think you must.”

“Yes. That’s right. So just let me do
it.”

“Fine.” Her aunt gave her a quick
hug. “I promise I’ll do nothing to jeopardize your future.”

“Thank you,” Gillian whispered and
parted ways with her aunt once they got in the house.

It was not until the next afternoon,
when after a series of unbelievable events that left Gillian sitting alone by a
stream in the woods with Alex, that she recalled her aunt’s promise and
realized her aunt had never actually agreed
not
to interfere.

“I think my aunt has decided we will
suit,” Gillian said bluntly.

Alex leaned back on his elbows and
stretched his long legs out in the grass. She watched as he casually propped
one boot on top of the other. His coat fell open, and with his shirt stretched
tight across his chest, her fingers tingled in memory of the corded muscles she
had felt under his shirt yesterday when they were riding his horse.

He turned his head to look at her,
amusement making crinkles at the corners of his eyes. “What makes you say that?
Was it the fact that she insisted Sutherland had to be the one to take your
sister back to the house?”

She opened her mouth to respond, but
he continued. “Or was it that she refused to let me accompany her back for her
supposedly twisted ankle and insisted Westonburt accompany her, though you and
I both know she does not care for the man? Or if it was neither of those things,
maybe it was the fact that she insisted your cousins had to go straightaway to
check on the tenants, even though your aunt was the one to plan this excursion
of exercise into the woods. Which one of those things clued you in to your
aunt’s plan to throw us together?”

Gillian lay back in the grass and
laughed. By God it felt good. When she was finished, her belly ached and her
eyes were filled with tears of joy. She turned her head finally to answer Alex,
and her breath caught in her throat. He had propped himself on one elbow and he
faced her directly. Butterflies flooded her stomach. “I think perhaps it was
the last―the rushing my cousins away despite their protest that they’d
already visited the tenants―that was the deciding factor for me.”

“Yes.” Alex reached out and plucked
something out of her hair, his fingers gently touching her scalp. Instantly,
her body tingled in awareness of his touch.

“You’ve grass in your hair.” He
picked out a few more blades, then smiled a devastating smile at her. More
butterflies flooded her stomach until she found she was squirming.

“Do you think anyone else noticed?”
she asked, turning her head and looking up at the sky. White puffs of clouds
dotted the blue expanse. She concentrated on the shapes to take her focus off
the blue eyes in her head.

“Doubtful. Your aunt is stealthy. If
she wasn’t a woman, I have no doubt she would be a spy for the King.”

Gillian nodded. “She’d be the best.”

“Shall we continue with the excursion
for a bit, to satisfy your aunt that we have spent sufficient time alone? Then
you can go back and charm a proposal out of Sutherland, while I run
interference against your aunt and your betrothed.”

Gillian winced. The whole affair
sounded so awful when put so bluntly. “Can we just lay here for a few minutes?”

It seemed like ages since she had
simply relaxed. Trying to keep her father and Lord Westonburt in the dark as to
what she was up to while batting her eyelashes, smiling continuously and laughing
at everything Mr. Sutherland said was exhausting. The only time she had not
felt on edge in three days was right now lying here in the sunshine. She
frowned, realizing with a start that she had also been relaxed yesterday when
riding back to her aunt’s house with Alex. And the day before, when she and
Alex had chatted while waiting for the storm to pass. Oh, they had exchanged
barbed banter back and forth, but it had been fun, until he had stolen that
kiss.

Her pulse quickened in memory of his
lips against hers. She concentrated hard on the shapes of the clouds.

“What are you doing?”

Was that her imagination or was his
voice husky? She would not turn her head his way. As long as she didn’t look at
him, she would be perfectly fine. “It’s silly, but I like to study the shapes
of the clouds.”

“Me too,” he said so casually that
she turned to gape at him without thinking. He was not looking at her though.
He was on his back, his gaze focused upward and his head propped up on his
rolled up jacket. Her eyes trailed to his chest. When had he taken off his
jacket?

Her heart thumped wildly. As he
raised his hand to point at the sky, she was helpless to do anything but stare
at him.

“I see a dog, a knight and a lady-in-waiting.
What do you see?” He turned his head to face her, his lips parting and his
breath swishing out in the softest exhalation.

All she could see was him. She was
too mesmerized by his aching beauty to even unscramble her brain and turn her
gaze back to the clouds. The wind blew a cool breeze just then. She shivered.
Perhaps it was the temperature. She had dressed for warmer weather because
yesterday had been unusually warm, but today it was cool again.

She opened her mouth to say they
should get going, but when he reached out and ran his hand up and down her arm,
all her thoughts left her head.

“Your teeth are chattering.” He said
the statement simply, as if putting his hand on her arm to warm her was the
most innocent thing. His hand slid back and forth over her arm, warming her not
only there but in every part of her body. His touch was incredible. She could
not pull her gaze away from his bicep, where his muscle bulged underneath his
shirt every time his hand stroked the length of her arm.

Belatedly, she realized she had not
responded to his statement and she was staring. She did not know what to say.
She should protest, demand he quit, but she did not want to. This was desire.
Real desire. Maybe she would never feel it again. She had not yet felt any sort
of spark with Mr. Sutherland.

With her heart thumping loudly, she
parted her lips. She knew what she wanted. For one moment in time, she wanted
to pretend that she was a normal debutante and that Alex was courting her
because he wanted to marry her. And she wanted to say yes.

She swallowed thickly, trying to find
her voice. Taking a deep breath she said, “Kiss me.”

* * * *
*

Alex did not need to be asked twice.
It had taken every ounce of restraint he possessed not to kiss her. Being
around Gillian for these last three days and denying his natural desire for her
had been more punishing than any boxing match he had ever fought at Gentleman
Jackson’s. Her simple plea was all the encouragement he needed.

He tugged her to him until their lips
were so close, he could smell her sweet breath. Her scent intoxicated him. He
breathed deeply and slid his hand to the back of her neck. Her skin felt like
silk under his fingertips. He tilted her head back and moved in to press his
lips to hers. Desire poured through his veins.

He knew he should end the kiss. Their
desire for each other could lead nowhere good for her or him. But he could not
do it. He wanted to deepen the kiss, not end it. He kissed the corner of her
mouth and then trailed kisses across her jaw. When a moan escaped her, his
heart quickened in response.

He found her mouth again and pressed
his lips harder to hers. He needed more of her. He had never wanted a woman
this much. He wanted to taste her. Taking a chance, he parted her mouth with
his tongue. She met him tentatively, and then more boldly, until their tongues
danced together. His hand moved from her neck to her back, and he pulled her
body up against his until the swell of her breasts crushed against his chest.

He knew he had to stop where this was
going, but when her hand clutched at his arm and she threw her head back to
give him further access to her neck he was lost. His fingers went to the
buttons at the back of her dress. He had one thought in his head―to feel
her bare skin against him. That would be heaven. He could be alone for the rest
of his life, if he had that memory.

He fumbled with the first button, his
own ragged breathing filling his ears. A twig snapped beside him and brought
reality crashing down around him. He pushed her away as he rolled up to his
feet prepared to explain, fight or offer for her hand―whatever it took to
protect her.

Gillian’s sister smirked at him.
“Auntie sent me to find the two of you. It’s time for lunch, and Gillian’s
betrothed is becoming quite irritated by her absence.”

Gillian scrambled to her feet. Her
sister scrutinized her, and Alex knew what she saw. The rosy lips, the
disheveled hair, the dazed look. Had his kissed really dazed her? Satisfaction
flowed through him. “Our hike through the woods was most invigorating.”

“I see that,” Lady Whitney said. Her
voice dripped with disbelief.

“And I see your ankle is all better,”
Alex commented, wishing to turn her attention.

A blush colored her cheeks. “Good as
new. Quite amazing.”

He tried to capture Gillian’s gaze to
convey his apology with his eyes, but she would not look at him. He did not
blame her. She had asked for a simple kiss, and he almost ravaged her. He
battered himself with recriminations. What had he been thinking, touching her
arm to warm her?

He had started to seduce an innocent,
when he knew perfectly well she wanted marriage. He was as bad as everyone
thought. Except, he had―he realized with numbing shock―been
prepared to offer for her hand if the person who had stumbled upon them could
ruin her reputation. What was happening to him? “Shall I escort the two of you
back to the house?”

“No,” Gillian said sharply and
finally met his gaze. “Please don’t.”

“She’s right,” Lady Whitney agreed.
“Besides, Auntie’s lady’s maid is waiting at the edge of the woods where you
left her to come back and fetch your coat.”

“I did?” Alex asked, trying to figure
out where Lady Whitney was going with this.

“You did.” She nodded. “And Lauren,
who was sent by Auntie to escort you and Gillian on your hike, waited with
Gillian at the edge of the woods for you to retrieve your coat, which is why
the three of you have been gone for so long.”

“Of course,” he said. He understood
perfectly now. Gillian’s aunt had made sure his excursion with Gillian appeared
perfectly proper, though he suspected the lady was hoping it was anything but.
What did Gillian’s aunt think? That Gillian would be so befuddled by him that
she would abandon her plan to marry Sutherland and let herself be seduced instead?
Then what? Did she suppose he would then offer for her niece’s hand and Gillian
would stay in England as the aunt obviously wanted?

He ground his teeth together. The
aunt clearly did not know how stubborn Gillian was or that he had vowed―after
Lady Staunton had taught him that women wanted the best possible match over
love―that he would never marry anyone. He proffered a quick bow. “I
believe my services here are over for the day.”

At Gillian’s sharp inhalation of
breath, he cursed himself. Why had he chosen those words? He did not want to
hurt Gillian. Hell, he had just been prepared to break his vow to save her. But
she would never know that.

* * * *
*

Gillian was not sure if she took more
care to avoid Alex the next day or if he took more care to avoid her. Either
way, their not spending any more time alone was for the best. Her desire for
one simple kiss had almost been her willing ruination.

With great effort, she put Alex out
of her head and spent the day with Auntie and Mr. Sutherland. It was a simple
matter of good luck that Father had been called away to deal with a problem on
their estate, and Auntie had suggested Lord Westonburt accompany him, so they
might have an opportunity to bond.

Gillian giggled, thinking of both
men’s flabbergasted faces. Neither had been able to refuse the suggestion,
though it was apparent both had wanted to. Gillian expected her aunt to beg a
headache or some such excuse and leave her and Mr. Sutherland to their own
devices, especially after the thorough dressing down she had given her aunt the
night before for interfering, but Auntie stayed with them all day.

It was just as well, Gillian decided
that night as she lay in her bed and tried to fall asleep. She had been rotten
company, and Auntie had carried most of the conversation with Mr. Sutherland.
Hopefully, he would not notice she had been sullen today.

She tossed and turned in her bed. She
knew what was wrong with her, but she wanted to deny it. Alex was her problem.
He had occupied the better part of her thoughts all day. His eyes. His lips.
The wonderful way he kissed. The way he rode a horse. The wounded look in his
eyes when she had asked him not to accompany her back to the house yesterday,
and then the clear anger at himself.