Page 45 of One Night of Scandal
He stood. “I must go.”
She rose next to him. “That’s it? My grandmother closes the door and leaves us alone in here, and you’re just going to go?”
He grinned at her. “She told us not to be too long. Were you hoping I’d ravish you in the space of a quarter hour?” He was sorely tempted to try.
She sighed. “I was hoping that if I’d gone to the trouble to cause a scandal, I may as well do something scandalous.”
“Is that right?” He curled his arm around her waist and pulled her against him.
She gasped in surprise but eagerly twined her arms around his neck. “That is more what I had in mind.”
He tipped his head down and kissed her, licking along her lower lip. She pushed up into him, her breasts pressing into his chest as she touched her tongue to his. He lost himself in her embrace until she pulled back he wasn’t sure how much later.
Opening his eyes, he saw her incline her head toward the front window. “The sheer draperies provide a modicum of privacy, but it’s not absolute.”
Disappointment welled inside him, but he needed to go anyway. Besides, the dowager could decide at any moment that they’d been in here long enough.
He kissed her temple, his lips lingering against her sweet-smelling flesh. “I’ll see you tonight.”
“For perhaps my last outing as Tavistock.”
He looked down at her in surprise. “I was afraid I was going to have to work hard to persuade you to stop.”
“As I told you before, I’m eager, not stupid. Even I can see when I’ve pushed to the very edge. I can always create a new identity.” Her blue eyes sparkled with mischief.
He narrowed his eyes at her. “I’m not sure I like that. We’ll discuss it later.” He kissed her again, then forced himself to leave.
As he walked to the end of the square to hail a hack, he wondered how his father would take the news of his marriage. Jack smiled, thinking his father was going to be very happy.
And that made Jack happy.
By ten that night, Viola was ensconced at a table in the main salon at the Wicked Duke. She had yet to see Jack—or Caldwell and Sir Humphrey.
“Eastleigh!”
Val scanned the room and, seeing Viola, came directly to her table. One of the barmaids delivered his tankard of ale before he was even seated. He, of course, knew she would be here because, per their agreement, she’d sent him a note.
He lifted his mug and whispered, “Congratulations.”
She scowled at him and didn’t lift her beer in return. “Shh.”
“No one heard me. Besides, maybe I’m congratulating you on buying a new horse.”
Ironically, Viola knew some men found that to be more exciting than getting married. Not that she was getting married. No, there had to be a way out of it, and yet she was concerned that Jack was intent on actually doing it. Especially since he’d apparently gone to see his father tonight.
She’d considered asking him not to, but her efforts to persuade him that the marriage wasn’t necessary were not being heard. Was that because he actually wanted to marry her? No, she couldn’t believe that. He’d always been clear in his priorities—he was focused on his career and didn’t have time for a wife at present.
Unfortunately, she’d taken that choice away from him. Well, she could give it back to him too. She’d left one man at the altar. What was another?
Ifshe could do it. Jack was different from Edmund. Jack understood her. He valued her. He admired her. She wasn’t sure she’d ever find another man like him. Furthermore, she wasn’t sure she wanted to.
And for that reason, she wasn’t sure she could force him into marriage, which was what this felt like. Was it any wonder she didn’t want to be congratulated?
“Grandmama is quite thrilled,” Val said.
“Thrilled? How on earth could that ever describe our grandmother?”
Val chuckled. “You have a point.” He glanced around. “Is Barrett here yet? And what does he think of”—his gaze raked over her—“that?”
