The Mammoth Book of Regency Romance

by Trisha Telep

  “Look at the moon,” Addy said, lifting her face to the sky.

  Roan thought of the nights on his ship, and how enormous the sky was. During those times, he had imagined what his friends were up to in London, and knew that he would never change places with any of them, for there had been nowhere else he’d wanted to be.

  He still had times when he missed the ship, the ocean and the camaraderie he’d shared with his men.

  Addy’s laughter rang out, bringing him back to the present. Roan slowed his pace, watching the handsome young couple ahead of him, feeling far older than his twenty-eight years. His gaze lingered on Addy’s slender form, at the way the pale-green silk fell on her curves and accentuated her long legs.

  Addy glanced over her shoulder and then stopped as she waited for Roan to catch up. She slid her hands up and down her arms. “I forgot my shawl,” she said with a shiver for good measure. “Lord Seeton, would you mind retrieving it for me? I believe I left it in the dining room, hanging over the chair.”

  Stephan glanced at Roan, pressed his lips together, and gave a curt nod. “Of course. I’ll be right back.”

  “Thank you,” she said, her tone sweet.

  When he disappeared down the pathway, Roan turned to her with a smile. “I could have gone for it.”

  “I wanted him to go.”

  His pulse skittered. “Why?”

  “Because all night I have wanted to do this,” she said, pulling him towards the high hedge, and wrapping her arms around his neck.

  His mouth opened at the same time her lips covered his, and all thoughts evaporated as her sweet tongue swept into his mouth.

  Her breasts were pressed flush against his chest. He couldn’t remember moving, and yet he had one hand flattened against the small of her back, the other at the nape of her neck. He deepened the kiss, and she moaned low in her throat.

  A door opened and footsteps headed their way. He took a step back, his heart a roar in his ears. Sweet Jesus, what had just happened?

  “I’ve wanted to do that since I was eight years old,” she said under her breath, making the blood in his veins boil. Every fragile detail of her perfection was outlined in the moon’s golden glow, and he had the insane urge to pull her back into his arms and kiss her until she couldn’t stand.

  The heavy footfalls on the pathway behind him brought him out of his musings.

  “Ah, here we are,” Seeton said, and Addy’s gaze shifted to beyond Roan’s right shoulder.

  “Thank you,” she said, as he slid the shawl over her shoulders.

  “You’re welcome, my dear,” Seeton said.

  Roan gritted his teeth.

  “Yes, that is much better,” Addy said with a husky quality to her voice. “I already feel warmer.”

  Her eyes sparkled with mischief, reminding him of the girl she had once been and the seductive young woman she had become.

  “I want to be alone with you,” Stephan whispered against Addy’s neck, the smell of brandy on his breath overpowering. His lips had brushed her ear and she took a quick step back. Just moments before she had thrown all caution to the wind and kissed Roan – and it had been wonderful.

  She hadn’t even needed to coax him. No, his tongue had danced with her own, his lips firm, yet gentle, his hands running over her body. His fingers had slid into the hair at the nape of her neck, and she had been lost.

  So lost in the moment she had not even heard Stephan return. It had been Roan who had stepped away, but he had been shaken. In fact, he was still shaken. She could see his hands trembling and she hid a smile.

  He wanted her . . . just as she wanted him.

  Already she could see the panic in his eyes. All she could hope was that he did not run away. That would ruin everything.

  And her life would never be the same.

  “Adelaide, did you hear me?” Seeton asked, sounding disturbed.

  “Why do you wish to be alone?” she asked, even though she knew exactly what he had in mind. All the girls at Saint Francis’ School of Young Ladies talked about men’s secret desires. Sister Mary Catherine said to never trust any man, for they were truly wicked creatures.

  Addy didn’t know about that. She trusted her brother, of course, and always felt protected when she was with him. Protected, the same way she felt with Roan. Aside from her brother, his was the opinion that meant the most.

  “I wish a moment alone with you,” Stephan said under his breath, and Addy’s stomach tightened. Had Roan heard his request?

  The way he straightened his shoulders said he just might have.

  Slowing her pace, she was relieved when Roan quickly caught up to them. Stephan didn’t even try to hide his agitation as Roan joined them and they made their way to the end of the path, towards the veranda that led back into the house. She covered her mouth with her hand and forced a yawn. “It is getting late, Lord Seeton. Thank you for coming over this evening. I quite enjoyed our card game.”

  “You are angry with me for not letting you win?” he asked, looking concerned that might very well be the case. “I would have given you the sweets, you know that, right?”

  She frowned. “I am not angry. Why would you think such a thing?”

  “The night is young and you wish me to leave.”

  “It is nearly eleven, My Lord, and I did not sleep all that well last night.” This was not entirely a lie. She had tossed and turned until early morning when she fell into a fitful slumber.

  “I did not realize you were keeping track of the time.”

  “You know that is not what I mean, Stephan.”

  His eyes softened at the use of his Christian name. He glanced over his shoulder at Roan, who had once again fallen behind, and she wondered if he was paying attention to the conversation.

  “Let me at least bid goodnight to your brother,” Stephan said. She knew he wanted her to ask him to stay.

  “Certainly.”

  Jack looked up when they walked into the room, and she glanced over at Roan. He appeared pale, and had a difficult time making eye contact with her brother.

  Did he feel guilty for kissing her? she wondered. What would Jack say if he knew the truth? He had been the only parent she’d had these past few years since Aunt Mildred passed away. He was not comfortable in the role, she could tell that much, especially since he seemed so keen to marry her off to Stephan.

  Would he approve of Roan courting her, or would he be angry with them both?

  She honestly didn’t know the answer. She felt Roan’s gaze on her and smiled, recalling the feel of his lips against hers, the stroke of his tongue as they kissed so passionately.

  Heaven.

  Stephan slid his hand over hers, his fingers tight. “May I call on you tomorrow?”

  She forced a smile. “I must visit an old friend.”

  “When will you return? Perhaps I can come by.”

  “I do not know how long I will be. I hate to cut my visit short, considering it has been such a long time since last I saw her. Perhaps you could come by later in the week?”

  “Of course. How inconsiderate of me.” Stephan glanced to something past her shoulder. “Thank you for your hospitality, Jack.”

  Jack closed the book. “Thank you for coming. We shall see you next time.”

  Stephan gave a curt nod in Roan’s direction. “Lord Drayton.”

  Roan nodded. “Lord Seeton.”

  She felt Stephan’s hand on her back as they walked from the room and, when he closed the door and they were alone, Stephan turned to her, taking both her hands within his.

  “I care for you very deeply, Adelaide,” he said, his eyes intense as he stared at her. “I hope you feel as strongly about me.”

  She breathed through her mouth in order not to take the full brunt of his stale breath. To her shock, he leaned in and kissed her.

  Unlike the kiss she’d shared with Roan, this kiss lacked fire and intensity. Worse still, Stephan pressed a little too hard, his teeth biting into her top lip.<
br />
  She took a step back, but it was too late. Roan had opened the door. He looked stunned to find them there.

  Three

  Sweat poured down Roan’s face. Jack had always been a worthwhile fencing opponent, but Roan had not remembered him being so fluid with his rapier. Or perhaps his injuries had finally caught up to him, giving his friend the upper hand.

  The skin pulled tight on his burned arm with each strike of Jack’s sword. Several times Jack had hesitated, and Roan had seen the indecision in his friend’s eyes. He was afraid of hurting him. The knowledge was sobering, to say the least.

  “What happened during that walk last night? You left so abruptly afterwards,” Jack said, coming back with a half-hearted blow that made Roan want to roll his eyes. “Did Seeton say something to offend you? He is young, and quite often does not think before he speaks.”

  That much was obvious.

  Roan was having a difficult time thinking of anything other than Addy. He ran through every memory of their younger days, of the time since he had seen her again. From the first moment he had realized little Adelaide had grown into a stunning woman, to that heart-pounding kiss in the garden. The kiss had been so intensely gratifying that he’d been unable to sleep last night. Instead, he’d spent the hours tossing and turning, the slight pressure of the blankets against his heated loins too much to bear. Finally, he had fallen into a fitful slumber that ended with a nightmare of Addy marrying Stephan.

  A nightmare that would soon be a reality.

  Especially if they were kissing behind closed doors. And mere minutes after she’d kissed Roan in the gardens. If only he’d stayed put and remained in the parlour with Jack, he wouldn’t have seen it.

  That kiss had been as effective as a punch to the gut.

  Jealousy ate at his insides, which was ridiculous. Seeton was obviously the chosen one. Jack seemed content with his choice.

  And why not? Lord Seeton was everything a young woman would desire in a mate.

  “You don’t like him, do you, Roan?”

  Good God, could his friend read minds now?

  Roan cleared his throat. “I think he is a typical young English lord.”

  “Meaning what, exactly?”

  “Meaning he’s confident, self-assured, if not a bit selfish.”

  Jack’s lips quirked.

  “What?”

  “Do you not recall how we were, Roan? We were all those things and more at the age of two and twenty. I am nearly thirty and the thought of marriage is only now starting to look appealing.” He brushed a hand through his hair. “I think the two suit, don’t you?”

  “If you mean Seeton and Addy, I would say no, I do not think they suit at all.”

  Jack lowered his sword. “Why ever not?”

  “For one she is much too young to marry. She only just had her coming out. Are you really so anxious to be rid of her?”

  His friend blinked as though he’d slapped him. “Of course not. Addy has spent the past few years at boarding school, so it has been refreshing to have her back home again. You know how it is with women though – if they do not marry soon after their introduction into society, then they’re put on the shelf.”

  “She’s just turned eighteen, Jack.”

  “She likes him.”

  “Perhaps . . . as a friend. Did you not notice how anxious she was to be free of him last night?”

  “She was tired. It was a long day.”

  Roan counted to ten . . . twice. “I am certain you have her best interest at heart. Far be it from me to tell you who the best man for Addy would be.”

  “Perhaps you wish to be in the running.”

  He felt his cheeks turn a little warm. “She is . . . your sister.”

  “Yes, I know,” Jack said with a wolfish grin. “I was only trying to get a rise out of you. Can you imagine you as my brother-in-law?” His eyes went wide, as though he were horrified at the thought. He lifted his rapier. “Come, enough of this marriage talk. On guard.”

  Frustrated, Roan parried, and lunged away from the blade. He came back with a vengeance, his frustration of the last few days making him more aggressive than he would normally have been with his friend.

  He had Jack up against the wall a second later, the blade inches from his throat.

  He heard a gasp from behind him.

  Both he and Jack turned to find Addy standing in the doorway. She was beautiful, dressed in a cream and blue print day dress with a low neckline that nicely displayed her full round breasts. Once again his thoughts went the way of the gutter.

  Slowly he lowered the blade, and took a step away from Jack, whose brows were furrowed as he looked from Roan to Addy.

  Addy’s gaze slid from Roan’s, down his neck, over his chest, and lower to the planes of his abdomen.

  If her brother weren’t there, that look would get her more than she bargained for.

  Addy’s thighs tightened as she stared at Roan. He had a powerful body; olive skin over muscle and sinew, which shifted with each movement. The high bones of his hips cut deep, as though pointing an arrow downwards. Realizing where she was staring, her eyes darted back to his face. His hair was tied back, allowing her to see the entire length of the burn that started beneath his right eye, covered the better part of his cheek, his neck and his arm. The last two fingers on his hand looked almost melded together.

  She could only imagine the pain he had endured. Did his wounds still hurt? she wondered. Or was it the internal wounds that pained him more?

  “Good morning, Addy. What are you up to today?” Jack asked, taking a seat and wiping his face with his shirt, which he had flung over a chair.

  “I don’t know. What are the two of you doing?”

  Jack frowned. “Well, I was considering going into London. Perhaps take a ride through the park.”

  “Can I come?”

  Roan set his blade aside and quickly donned his shirt. He didn’t make eye contact with her and she wondered what it was he was thinking. Had she shocked him with her kiss last night? Did he think her unseemly? Especially after catching her kissing Lord Seeton right after? Something in his expression said he was not entirely pleased with her. She desperately wanted to set things to rights.

  “I don’t see why not. Perhaps Seeton would like to join us?”

  Roan’s jaw clenched tight.

  “He is busy today,” she blurted, wondering why her brother was so keen to have Stephan join them. “What do you say we all meet in the parlour at eleven o’clock sharp?”

  “Very well,” Roan said, walking past her towards the door. How she yearned to reach out and touch him, to tell him exactly how she felt about him.

  She watched Roan’s retreating back from the corner of her eye, liking the way the loose shirt hung on his wide shoulders. He looked like he had just come from a tryst, she realized, and her heart quickened, imagining him leaving her chamber after a night of passionate lovemaking.

  Jack cleared his throat abruptly after Roan disappeared and Addy gave him her full attention.

  “What are you playing at, Addy?”

  Her stomach clenched into a tight knot. “What do you mean?”

  “Roan is my friend.”

  “He is my friend, too.”

  Sliding his shirt on, Jack released a deep breath. “He is too old for you.”

  “Father was fifteen years older than mother. There is only a ten-year age difference between me and Roan.”

  “Oh dear God, you are serious.”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “Bloody hell,” he said, running a hand down his face. “I cannot believe this.”

  She straightened her spine and lifted her chin a good inch. “I do not understand what is so difficult to comprehend. Roan is a good man. An exceptional man. And need I remind you that he is your best friend?”

  “In this we agree, but he is . . . Roan.” He stared at her, yet she had the feeling he didn’t see her. “Has he touched you?”

  The clock
on the mantel seemed exceedingly loud all of the sudden. “We kissed.”

  “Kissed?” He stood slowly and, shaking his head, walked past her. “I’ll kill him.”

  Roan was intensely uncomfortable. Since his accident he rarely ventured out into society, and today was the first time he had walked the streets of London.

  He felt the stares of the people they passed by, noticed the way many dropped their gaze when he made eye contact. He saw his own reflection in the mirror every morning, so he knew how startling his appearance was. He didn’t blame others for their morbid curiosity or astonished stares, but he did resent the way people he had considered friends before the accident now wanted nothing to do with him.

  And now his best friend was angry with him. He had felt it from the moment Addy walked into the parlour. The way Jack had watched them both, his eyes shifting between them.

  When they had met in the parlour, Jack had said very little, and even still, in London, he remained uncommonly quiet. However, Addy was not. She had been chattering throughout the entire ride, and seemed excited to be in the city. When she hesitated by a shop window where a beautiful scarlet gown was displayed, it had been all Roan could do not to walk in and buy it for her. Jack would hardly approve though.

  The very thought that his friend found him unworthy to court Addy was gut-wrenching. He could offer just as much, if not more, than Lord Seeton. The young man had much to learn, and he was still so immature, where Roan had seen a good deal of the world, and understood the importance of surrounding oneself with people who were true friends

  “Oh, I have heard of this place,” Addy said, stopping in front of an art studio. “I want a shadow portrait of all of us together. It will take but a few minutes.”

  “I think it will take more than a few minutes, sister. Do you remember the portrait Aunt Mildred forced us to sit for just before you left for school?”