A Persistant Attraction

by Silvia Violet

  Hearing movement behind him, he turned to see Amanda standing close enough to touch him. “Damn it. I told you to hide.”

  “I wanted to help.”

  “We need to get some things straight right now. I—”

  “What’s that?” She pointed to the floor.

  Curiosity trumped Rhys’s need to scold her. He picked up the object. It was a gold watch with a broken chain. He turned it over and saw the initials W.B.L. engraved on the back. He handed it to Amanda. “Does this mean anything to you?” She stared at the watch, turning it over in her hands several times. “Nothing comes to mind. When I get home, I’ll see if I can make a list of the men I’ve met in London to make sure none of them have those initials.” Rhys put the watch in his jacket pocket. He was about to resume his safety lecture.

  But he saw movement down the hall, his aunt giving a few female guests a tour of the newly redecorated house. He quickly closed the door, hoping none of them had seen him or Amanda.

  He motioned for her to follow. They exited the sitting room through a side door that led into the library. Once they were back in the ballroom, he turned to Amanda, intending to tell her they should leave the ball, when he spotted a man who looked familiar. Yet, he couldn’t place where he’d seen the man before.

  He was wearing an eye patch, which Rhys surely would remember, but perhaps he’d not needed it when they’d met before. Something about his appearance raised Rhys’s

  suspicions. Could he have been sent by Les Centimes? Farrington had said the man would likely be someone they would recognize.

  He led a reluctant-looking debutante onto the floor. Rhys wanted to follow the suspicious character and see if he could discover why this man seemed so familiar. He took Amanda’s hand and pulled her toward the dancers.

  “What are you doing?” she asked, her voice much too loud for discretion.

  “We’re going to waltz.” He placed a hand on her waist and maneuvered her into the correct position.

  “I didn’t agree to dance with you. In fact, you never even asked. We need to talk, to discuss how to take care of our…” she paused and looked around as if realizing others were close enough to hear, “…problem.”

  “I have a good reason for keeping you here.” He tried to indicate his seriousness with his tone. It must have worked, because she made no further protests.

  He tried to keep his attention on the man he’d spotted as he twirled Amanda in circles that moved them closer to where the suspicious character was dancing. But the feeling of her body so close to his distracted him. Once again, he was surprised by how easily she followed the music.

  He fought against the heat her nearness sent through him, but his cock reacted anyway. Why did she affect him so strongly? It wasn’t as if dancing with other women brought his cock to attention, even those who were bent on seducing him, or those he planned to take to his bed.

  He deliberately pulled her closer than was acceptable, longing for her breasts to brush against his chest and her thighs to rub against his as they had during their kiss the night before. He wanted her to feel what she did to him. But he resisted the urge and loosened his hold, letting the space grow between them.

  He was in a crowded ballroom with a woman whose reputation he had no intention of ruining, a woman whose life was in danger. He was trying to identify a man whose plot might destroy both England and France. He had to get his baser urges under control.

  He forced himself to watch the familiar man and to ignore the warmth of Amanda’s skin. Finally, the music came to an end. His instincts still screamed that he knew the man with the eye patch, but watching him more closely hadn’t triggered any specific memories. He would have make inquiries with his contacts tomorrow. Now he needed to see Amanda safely home.

  “It’s time for us to leave.” He propelled Amanda in the direction of her aunt’s chair.

  “We’ll tell your aunt you have a headache and I’ve agreed to escort you home.” Amanda scowled. “I have no intention of leaving. If my attacker makes an attempt here, it would be the perfect opportunity to catch him.” Rhys felt his face growing red. A few more days in Amanda’s company might just cause him to explode with a combination of lust and frustration. “No.” He barely resisted the urge to yell. “We need to find your aunt.”

  “She’s not likely to let me leave with you.” Rhys laughed. “Of course she will. She secretly adores me.”

  Chapter Five

  As Rhys helped her into his carriage, Amanda’s heart thumped in fear. She’d botched the entire conversation about his offer. She’d intended to appear aloof and sensual, the type of woman a man would want for a lover. Instead, she’d felt nervous, petulant and worst of all, desperate.

  She silently cursed the situation that had put her at the mercy of such a rake. At least he’d agreed to help her. Now she could have the assistance she needed and learn more about the hidden pleasures of the bedroom while she was at it. Whether her heart would survive remained to be seen.

  Rhys settled himself across from her and gave her a serious look. “Now that I have you alone, you’re going to listen to my rules for how this investigation is going to work.” Amanda resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She didn’t trust herself to speak without screeching, so she simply nodded.

  “If I am going to protect you, then—”

  She interrupted him. “I did not ask you to protect me. I asked you to assist me.”

  “It amounts to the same thing.”

  “No, it does not.”

  “I can find the man who is after you. But in order to do that, I need to know that you are safe.”

  “As you said earlier, I can hold my own with many men. I can shoot, use a knife and get myself into and out of tight places. I refuse to be left at home like some princess in a tower.”

  Rhys closed his eyes and groaned.

  “If I am so much trouble, then forget it. I will find someone else to help me.”

  “I assure you, any other man you find will either insist on the same rules as me or he will be so overrun by your forceful personality that he will be of little use to you.”

  “Are you calling me a shrew?”

  Rhys ignored her. “You can tell me everything you know about this man and help me strategize the best way to track him down. When it comes time to do the actual tracking, you are going to stay home where you can be protected.”

  “No.”

  “Amanda, this is not negotiable.”

  Amanda lifted the curtain and looked out the carriage window. As she’d suspected, they’d passed the street her aunt lived on. “Where are we going?”

  “To my home.”

  “I thought I could trust you to take me home.” He sighed. “We’re only stopping briefly so we have a private place to talk. I didn’t think you would appreciate the gossip it would generate if I entered your aunt’s house with you.”

  She snorted.

  He moved to sit beside her and grabbed her arm, forcing her to turn and look at him.

  “Amanda, I know you think I’m a scoundrel, but I have no intention of damaging your reputation. I intend to keep you safe without ruining your chances of making a decent match or bringing shame to you or your family.” She tried to ignore the flash of pain she saw on his face. “I’ve only stayed in London to help my aunt. I have no intention of marrying. After my sister is safely settled, I intend to go back to the country where I can forget about all the horrid people I’ve met here.

  Refusing your advances has nothing to do with my reputation and everything to do with the fact that I don’t trust you.”

  When she stopped speaking, she realized he was staring at her as if she’d sprouted a new head. She felt color rise to her cheeks. Why had she exploded like that? Only Rhys could make her lose control of her temper so easily.

  “I’m sorry you feel that way. I don’t suppose I’ve given you reason to think otherwise, at least not lately. But you never know when you might meet a man who

&nbs
p; changes your mind about marriage. I insist that we take the necessary precautions to keep our association quiet.”

  He looked sadder and more solemn than she’d ever seen him. She couldn’t fathom his reaction. Anger she expected. And stubbornness. It stood to reason he’d want to do everything his way. She’d had to fight him when she’d insisted on helping in Mark’s rescue. Why would this be any different? But why would he be sad? She’d agreed to his terms. For the second time that week, her perception of him shifted.

  Impulsively, she reached for his hand. “We’ll talk, and then you’ll escort me home?” He gave a thin smile. “Yes.”

  When they were seated in his study, Rhys continued his lecture on protection and safety. Eventually, she grew too tired of his fussing to tolerate any more. “We’re not going to agree on this topic. Why don’t we discuss what needs to be done and argue later about who needs to do it?”

  “Fine, but don’t think this discussion is over. I intend to do what you asked, and I can’t do that if you are constantly putting yourself in danger.”

  “I’m not—”

  “I thought you wanted to end this conversation.” She let out a slow breath and forced herself to unclench her fists. “I do.”

  “Good. Have you received any notes other than those you’ve shown me?

  “No. I thought I’d get one today, but I did not.”

  “Is there anyone you or another member of your family might have angered enough that they would want to kill you?”

  “No, unless my father has done something I’m unaware of. That’s always possible.” Rhys scowled. “Do you communicate with him at all?”

  “Aunt Claire does, but I haven’t seen him or written to him since I left home.”

  “You are unwilling to involve your aunt?”

  “She’s been ill. I can’t risk her having a relapse.”

  “Perhaps she is stronger than you think.”

  Anger rose in Amanda’s chest. “You weren’t there when she was really sick. You didn’t see how weak she was. I thought we would lose her.” Hot tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

  Rhys moved closer and took her hand in his. “I’m sorry.” The memory of her aunt’s illness flooded Amanda with emotion. All the fears she’d tried to ignore came racing to her mind. She had a horrible urge to ask Rhys to hold her.

  Accepting his help was one thing, but needing him to comfort her was quite another. It scared her almost as much as the threats from her attacker.

  She pulled her hand back and scooted away. “Talking to Aunt Claire is out of the question. We will have to find this man another way.”

  “Would you consider examining your aunt’s recent correspondence?” Amanda hated to invade her aunt’s privacy, but at least she wouldn’t be putting her health in danger. She nodded.

  “Good. I will contact some friends of mine who can discreetly inquire into your father’s recent business.”

  Amanda frowned. “Who are these friends?”

  “No one you know or would want to know. But they owe me plenty of favors and they do not gossip.”

  Amanda did not like his cryptic answer, but she let it go for the moment. “What if he’s not linked to my father?”

  “Then we’ll have to follow the other leads we have. I’ll go to the Black Eagle tonight and see if I can pick up any news about criminals working in the area.”

  “I’ll go with you.”

  “No, you won’t.”

  “I might hear a name I recognize, especially if my father is involved.”

  “The Black Eagle is no place for a woman. Didn’t you learn that last night?”

  “I won’t go as a woman. I’ll wear my breeches, and we can pretend I’m your servant.”

  “Amanda, no one in their right mind would believe you were a boy.”

  “But I—”

  “I’ve seen you in your ‘disguise’. It doesn’t work.”

  “Then you will just have to help me make the disguise better.”

  “Amanda, you are not coming.”

  “We’ll see about that tomorrow. What if the man tries something before then?”

  “I’ve placed guards around your aunt’s house. No one will be able to get in undetected.”

  “What will Aunt Claire say when she sees them?”

  “She won’t. They couldn’t do their job very effectively if they didn’t know how to hide.”

  “Who are these men? More mysterious friends of yours?”

  “You could say that.”

  “You’re a man who according to some is an accomplished businessman, and according to others is a rake whose sole accomplishments are drinking to excess, gambling and entertaining ladies of dubious character. What have you done to have friends such as these?”

  Rhys grinned. “I am in fact a successful businessman.” Amanda experienced a moment of shock. She’d never really believed those rumors.

  “Yes, I’ve actually sullied my hands in trade.” She snorted. “As if I care about that.”

  He smiled. “No. You are one of the few ladies who wouldn’t. I meet lots of people through my work. Don’t worry who the guards are. You need only believe they will keep you safe tonight.”

  She wanted to argue with him, but his words made her realize how much danger she was truly in. No matter where she was, she was vulnerable, even at home in her bed. Why hadn’t she thought of that before? Perhaps because she was in denial. Feeling shaken, she leaned forward and rested her head on her hands. “Do you really think we’ll find this man?”

  Rhys frowned. All the fire seemed to have drained from her, and as infuriating as she could be when she kicked up, he couldn’t stand to see her looking defeated.

  He sat beside her and took one of her hands. She tried to pull away, but he tightened his grip. “We’ll find this man. I will go to any lengths necessary to see that he pays for trying to harm you.”

  He’d not intended to touch her. But he longed to take the fear from her expression, and he knew no other way to do it.

  He pulled her other hand from her face and leaned toward her even as he told himself to stop. Her eyes widened, but she didn’t move away. “Are you going to try to seduce me now?” she whispered

  “Yes.” He drew the word out and watched her shiver from its effect.

  Nothing short of a protest from Amanda could have stopped him at that moment. He had to taste her again. “Whenever you wish me to stop, tell me. I will do as you say. I am only interested in a willing partner.”

  She nodded. The look of surrender on her face made his body thrum. Just when he needed her to fight, to slap him for his arrogance, she smiled at him and tilted her head back, waiting for his kiss.

  Forcing himself to move slowly, he touched his lips to hers. When her mouth parted with no coaxing at all, he groaned and deepened the kiss, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth and relishing her warmth.

  He shifted position until he was kneeling on the floor in front of her, her legs pushed apart by his body. He could feel her firm breasts against his chest, and he fought to keep his hands on her back when he wanted to rip the front of her dress and feast on her creamy skin.

  When she tentatively slid her tongue into his mouth, he feared he would combust. He tightened his grip on her and pressed his lips harder against hers.

  She clung to him, her hands kneading his back. She tightened her legs around him.

  Her tongue tangled with his, fighting for the chance to taste him. His fingers found the

  satin ribbon that crisscrossed its way up the back of her dress. He loosened it until it slipped from her shoulders.

  She pulled away, her eyes wide, her hand holding up her bodice. Rhys forced himself to back away while she drew a few shaky breaths.

  “I think we should stop now.”

  He nodded, but every inch of his body throbbed. He wondered if he’d ever been so aroused. If she hadn’t stopped him, he would have taken her right there on the sofa.

  She re
ached behind herself and tugged on the ribbon of her dress, but she couldn’t seem to tighten it. He drew in a long breath. “Let me.” She gave him a wary look.

  “I promise I’ll do nothing but straighten the dress.” She nodded, her breathing still too ragged for speech. He could barely keep his hands from skimming along the soft skin of her back as he pulled the ribbon tight and secured them. Stepping away from her took excruciating effort. He had to get her out of there fast.

  He pulled the bell cord to summon Meadows. When his valet entered, he asked him to bring the carriage around and have two footmen escort Amanda home.

  After Meadows left, Rhys risked a glance at Amanda. She was gazing out the window with her arms crossed in front of her. He saw her shiver. He cursed himself for proving to be the scoundrel she’d assumed he was. “I think it would be best if I didn’t accompany you home.”

  She turned to him, her cheeks still deeply pink. Tendrils of her hair stood out around her head like a halo. She looked like a woman who’d been well-loved. He hoped to God her aunt and sister hadn’t yet returned from the ball.

  “I agree.” Her voice was lower than normal.

  He walked her to the front door and handed her into the waiting carriage. “I’ll call on you in the early afternoon.”

  “I’ll be expecting you.” She rested her hand on his arm. He was so edgy from their kiss that the simple touch made him jump.

  She smiled as she turned to leave, and he was troubled by the look on her face. He’d expected wariness or anger, but he’d seen amusement in her eyes. He couldn’t begin to imagine what she was up to. Whatever it was, he feared for his sanity.

  *

  Late the next morning, Rhys entered his club. Farrington’s informant had indicated that the Frenchman would be interested in attending some of the fast parties Rhys used to frequent. He’d distanced himself from that set after some of the baser men tried to kill Mark, Cassandra and Amanda.