Page 54 of Sinfully Wed
Her unwanted earl had been avoiding her since that night at Lady Curchon’s a week ago. She didn’t blame him. The storm of bitterness, lust, and resentment trapping them in the alcove didn’t give Odessa much hope for their future union. Emerson’s distaste for her and her father had been made abundantly clear. His rejection of Odessa required no disguise on her part.
She accepted her fate, though Odessa wasn’t quite as distressed about Emerson as before. The anger hurled at her at Lady Curchon’s had been distressing, but once taken away, something else remained.
Odessa had spent the days since being nearly ruined by Emerson pretending to read while sitting in the garden. A page or two into her book, Odessa would imagine the warmth of the sun was actually Emerson’s broad form pressed to hers. The supple muscles of his chest moving beneath her palms. She would tilt her chin up, remembering in detail every moment of that kiss. Odessa’s fancies became more erotic every day, with images of her naked and Emerson pressing her down into the grass. Yesterday, a whimper left her, frightening off a bird in a nearby tree.
Flushed and aroused, Odessa would limp back inside, embarrassed at her own behavior. Aunt Lottie cautioned her against reading so many romantic novels and told her to stay out of the sun for her cheeks were red.
I would never have willingly chosen you.
Such loathing filled those words. She had been arrogant in assuming herself a great prize not even considering the situation from Emerson’s perspective. Had he any other option, Emerson wouldneverchoose her. Not even after sharing the most passionate, thrilling kiss of Odessa’s life. Not to mention the fondling of her person.
Warmth curled inside her midsection at the thought, causing her to halt and catch her breath. It would do no good to be red-faced and mildly aroused when she faced the object of her improper thoughts.
If she must wed Emerson, and it appeared that was the case, then Odessa wanted more of what she experienced in that tiny alcove. And if Emerson gave her the opportunity, she meant to convince him that they should reach some sort of understanding.
Odessa had done a great deal of thinking since Lady Curchon’s. She would never be completely comfortable with Papa dictating her future, but in all fairness to Emerson, he seemed to not have any choice either.
If I could beg off, I would.
Those words rang in her mind with greater frequency when she wasn’t considering how splendid Emerson probably looked out of his clothing. Papa had done something Odessa wasn’t ready to contemplate. Her entire life, she assumed that society’s disregard for Papa was because he was a self-made man of business. One who had made himself wealthy by sheer will and intelligence. Yes, he’d been ruthless, but only because he’d had to be.
Threatened with worse if I don’t comply.
But perhaps that wasn’t the case. Odessa loved her father, but—her perceptions of him were clouded by that love. It was a difficult, painful truth. Looking back at the handful of events she’d been fortunate to attend, the forced greetings Papa received, even from Lord Norris, a clearer picture of Angus Whitehall was forming in Odessa’s mind. It was not favorable.
So it was with great trepidation that she made her way to the drawing room to greet Lord Emerson, a man who she hadn’t wanted but was now sympathetic to. A titled lord who was anything but the foppish dandy Odessa once thought him to be. A man, who by all accounts, had faced a great deal of challenge in his life, raised pigs, worked with his hands, and survived by his wits.
In short, the very sort of man Odessa found incredibly appealing.
Had Emerson lifted her skirts at Lady Curchon’s and decided to take her virtue, Odessa would not have protested. That washertruth, one she’d ignored from the first time Emerson sat across from her and tried not to cringe at the smell of onion. The worst part was knowing therecouldhave been something between them.
Throwing herself at Captain Phillips. Honestly, his armsweretoo thin to hold a sword.
We must come to an understanding, Emerson and I.
Odessa was resolved to do so, no matter what it cost her. Continuing to be at odds with Emerson wouldn’t serve her. She’d unwittingly touched a nerve at Lady Curchon’s at the mention of his mother. The previous Lady Emerson had beenreviled. The Sinclair children taunted endlessly over their mother’s origins, according to Aunt Lottie. Emerson himself was considered no better than a savage.The Deadly Sins.That was how society referred to the Sinclairs.
She hadn’t known. A poor excuse, but the only one Odessa possessed.
Pausing for a moment, Odessa clasped her hands before walking sedately into the drawing room to stand before the blindingly handsome man who came to his feet as she entered.
Emersoncouldn’tbeg off. Papa had secured him.Somehow. The best course of action was to reach an understanding of sorts with Emerson. Because once wed, he would have control over her very existence. He could have her thrown into an asylum if he wished, particularly if she kept going on about ghosts, dead pirates, and the assortment of oddities she found so fascinating. Emersondidn’tlike her. He resented her. Found her strange. But there had been passion between them, a spark, that if nurtured might be enough so that Odessa had some hope of affection. Friendship, possibly. Children. A family.
Odessa briefly considered just running away. But then what? Her pin money would only last so long, and there was Aunt Lottie to consider. If Papa would stoop so low as to coerce an earl, what might he do to her elderly aunt?
She bobbed politely. “Lord Emerson.” The flutter over her heart made itself known, gently pressing against the confines of her chest. Odessa decided to no longer beg it to ease.
“Miss Whitehall.” Emerson greeted her as he normally did. Politely. Respectfully.
Odessa searched the depths of those hazel eyes, looking for any sign of emotion, but if Emerson felt anything towards her, disgust or desire, there was no sign.
Chapter Twenty-One
Jordan didn’t wantto reply to Miss Maplehurst’s request to call upon her and Miss Whitehall. He’d been toying with the idea for days of visiting Odessa, but kept putting it off. Part of him wanted to simply wait until Epps returned with his report and avoid seeing her again. But the need to apologize to Odessa for his loss of temper gnawed away at the joy in knowing he was about to become richer than Croesus.
And hewantedto see Odessa.
The unexpected longing for her came as a surprise. Last night, he’d dreamt of his limbs entangled with hers. The slate blue of her eyes gazing up at him as he fucked her senseless. Awaking with a jolt, he was unsurprised to find his cock tenting the sheets. Over a splendid breakfast from Mrs. Cherry, Jordan decided it was only that he hadn’t had a woman in some time. His obvious arousal over Odessa wasn’t really forher.
