Page 77 of Secrets of the Wicked Viscount (The Shadows 2)

He was holding her upper arms in a firm but painless grip. She should have been frightened. Standing in an empty dark room, alone with a gentleman, being held so tightly. But she wasn’t. Not with Jarvis. She would never feel frightened with him. Only protected, even cherished.

Olivia smiled. “You’d have to marry me then.”

Jarvis made a short, choked sound and stepped away.

“Don’t joke about that,” he said quietly.

“Jarvis, what are you doing here in the dark study all alone?” A realization dawned on her, and she narrowed her eyes. “Are you waiting for your clandestine lover? Is that why you are ushering me away? Because—”

“Shush!” Jarvis put his finger against her lips.

“I am not f—”

The door handle rattled, and the door opened, followed by drunken female laughter.

“You’re quite scandalous, Lady Carlyle,” said a drunken male voice.

“Only with you, my dear Greyson,” the lady answered.

Olivia froze in place, her eyes wide, watching as if in a daze as the door opened wider, letting a bit more light into the room from the outside.

Her heart must have jumped into her throat, and she stood there, without the ability to move or react in any way.

Suddenly, the entire world whirled around as Jarvis seized her, and the next thing she knew, everything was dark again, and she was pulled tight against Jarvis’s chest.

“Wha—” she started, but Jarvis’s hand clamped over her mouth.

He let go of her mouth and put his hand against the back of her head, pulling her closer. Olivia leaned against him, her nose burrowed against the lapel of his coat. She turned her head, only to realize that they were hidden behind the curtains in an alcove by the window.

How had they gotten there?

Loud sounds came from the room, making it clear that a gentleman and a lady were using this room for a clandestine meeting. Their words were muffled, but the constant laughing and jesting between the pair made it clear that they were flirting.

There was a violent sound of something crashing and more laughter. Olivia jumped in reaction. Jarvis’s arms tightened around her, and she calmed.

“Careful, Greyson!” the lady exclaimed.

Olivia’s heart beat loudly in her chest. If they were found out in this position, embracing in the alcove in the duke’s study, there’d be a scandal for certain. She did not want to embarrass her parents with the scandal, so she forced herself to stay quiet.

Smacking sounds indicated kissing, and the lady started letting out sighs and moans.

Olivia shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. She snaked her arms behind Jarvis’s back, so she wouldn’t fall but was getting uncomfortably over-warm.

She was plastered against Jarvis in the narrow alcove, and if that wasn’t enough discomfort, the noises from the room made her heart beat faster and her skin heat.

Jarvis held her tightly in his arms, making her heat in more ways than one.

And then the situation turned into another kind of embarrassing. There were rhythmic sounds of furniture moving, and the lady moaned, urging her partner on, begging for him to continue. Olivia shut her eyes tightly, wishing she could will her ears not to hear.

As if hearing her thoughts, Jarvis’s hands came up, and he covered her ears. Olivia was grateful for his thoughtfulness, but at the same time, the entire situation was so comical that she let out a tiny giggle.

Jarvis’s entire body tightened, but the couple in the room seemed too preoccupied with their activity to notice Olivia’s outburst. Olivia giggled again, and Jarvis crushed her face against his coat to muffle the noise.

It didn’t help, and Olivia started chuckling in earnest, her entire body shaking.

“What was that?” the lady in the room asked.

“Nothing, dear, do not pay attention,” the gentleman said in a hoarse voice.

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