Sinjin

by J. A. Templeton

  “I am Marilyn,” the brunette said, who nodded to her companion. “And this is my sister, Katelyn. We are the daughters of the late Lord Melton.”

  Drawing a blank when it came to Lord Melton, Sinjin bowed. “Marilyn and Katelyn, let me be the first to welcome you to Claymoore Hall.”

  “Thank you, Lord Mawbry,” they said in unison, and laughed gaily, the sound making him grin.

  “Have you traveled far today?”

  “From Sussex,” Marilyn replied. “I enjoy traveling. I read most the way, or talked with Katelyn.”

  “And you, Katelyn? How did you find the journey?” His heart did a little flip in his chest as he stared into her brilliant green eyes, which matched the color of her gown perfectly.

  “The journey was uneventful, thank you. Though I confess I did not travel as far as my sister.”

  He very much liked the sensual quality of her voice.

  “Pray, why did you not travel as far as your sister?” he asked, curious.

  She brushed her teeth along her full lower lip. Devilish thoughts raced through his mind at all the wicked things she could do with that lovely, full-lipped mouth.

  “I have been visiting my fiancé at his home just outside of London.”

  His heart dropped to his feet. “Fiancé,” he said, disappointment making his voice harsher than intended.

  Katelyn’s cheeks pinkened. “Yes, my lord. I just recently became engaged.”

  “Her betrothed does not deserve her,” Marilyn muttered under her breath, just loud enough for the three of them to hear.

  “Marilyn,” Katelyn said in a warning tone.

  Sinjin straightened his spine, all ears. When she did not elaborate, he said, “It sounds as though your sister does not approve of your betrothed, Lady Katelyn.”

  Katelyn opened her mouth when her sister cut her off.

  “It is not that I don’t like Lord Balliford. I just believe Katelyn should marry someone more suitable.”

  “Lord Balliford is plenty suitable, Marilyn,” Katelyn said, anxiously glancing over her shoulder to be sure no one else had heard the exchange.

  Lord Balliford? Where had he heard that name before, and why in the hell would Katelyn marry someone her sister so openly despised?

  Katelyn looked down at her slippers and his gaze followed. Ironically, the answer came to him when he glanced at her worn shoes. Now that he actually looked a bit closer, her gown fit a bit too snug on her full breasts and was a good inch too short.

  Marilyn’s clothing was in similar condition.

  Their family had obviously fallen upon difficult times.

  And suddenly it came to him where he had heard Lord Balliford’s name. It had been over a card game with his good friend William, a wealthy merchant who kept up on all the local gossip. He’d said a bachelor, an earl, if memory served, with a quick temper and absolutely no personality had just paid a good sum for the hand of a beautiful young woman whose father had bankrupted them. Though the lady’s father had been a viscount, he had squandered away his entire fortune on drink and gambling, leaving his daughters to atone for their father’s sins.

  Sinjin had thought the situation sad at the time, then forgot about it. Now that he faced this beautiful creature, knowing she had been sold to the highest bidder in order to save her family, he felt a rush of anger and deep sadness that he had missed the opportunity to marry her. And now, a somber, disagreeable man would have the privilege of taking this amazing woman to bed each night.

  Damn, if only his mother had made her ultimatum months ago.

  “Do you know Lord Balliford?” Katelyn asked, shifting on her feet.

  “Not personally. I have only just recently heard of him.”

  Rory approached, two glasses of champagne in each hand. Sinjin sent him a look that said to go away, but when did his little brother ever listen?

  “Good afternoon, ladies,” he said, interrupting them.

  “Good afternoon,” Katelyn and Marilyn said in unison.

  “Since my brother is lacking manners, I thought I would offer you lovely ladies a refreshing glass of champagne,” Rory said, an easy smile on his lips.

  Sinjin refrained from pushing him out of the way.

  “Thank you very much,” Marilyn said, taking the glass he offered. Her gaze shifted slowly over Rory.

  To Sinjin’s surprise and relief, Katelyn did not seem to be as intrigued by Rory as her sister was. “Thank you for the champagne,” Katelyn murmured, glancing past them to a group of women who kept moving closer.

  Rory flashed Sinjin a cocky smile. “Sin, would you be so kind as to introduce me to these lovely ladies?”

  “Of course. Ladies, let me introduce my brother, Rory. Rory, I would like you to meet Lady Marilyn and Lady Katelyn.”

  Rory barely acknowledged Marilyn, giving the brunette a flash of white teeth. Then Rory lifted Katelyn’s hand slowly to his lips, his eye contact rather intense. “A pleasure to meet you.”

  4

  Katelyn felt immense relief when Sinjin’s brother joined them, and not because she found Rory more appealing than his brother—but rather she found Sinjin much too appealing.

  Indeed, Sinjin was, as were all the Rayborne brothers, handsome to be sure, but not as handsome as his youngest sibling, whose beauty was downright staggering as to be uncomfortable. She could not imagine being married to someone so much more beautiful than herself.

  In fact, she liked that Sinjin had a rugged masculinity about him that his brother lacked. Perhaps it was the thin white scar above his right brow that made him less intimidating than Rory’s perfect beauty, and Sinjin’s blue eyes were positively lovely, framed by thick, long lashes. And she loved his deep, rich voice, not at all like Ronald’s nasal tone that grated on her nerves.

  Since Sinjin had approached them, Katelyn had wondered what it would be like to marry a man like the young viscount. A man whose bed she would love to share, to discover everything that could happen between two people…instead of dreading her wifely duties, something that haunted her since her engagement to Lord Balliford.

  She envied the woman who would one day be Sinjin’s bride, and wondered who in this room would win his heart.

  Taking a sip of champagne, Katelyn’s gaze fell on the eldest Rayborne brother again, glad he had turned his attention to Marilyn so she could stare without being obvious. She liked the way his long, dark hair curled at his collar, how wide his shoulders were, and how lean and narrow his waist. He was the opposite of Ronald in every way. Her betrothed’s paunch extended far beyond the waistband of his pants. She knew that on several occasions he wore a girdle, since she could make out the bulky garment beneath his waistcoat and jacket.

  She shuddered at the thought of seeing her fiancé naked. However, seeing Sinjin Rayborne naked would be an absolute delight. Her gaze shifted from Sinjin’s hard abdomen to the material that cupped his prominent sex. She and Marilyn had studied a good deal of health books their Aunt Lillith had collected. Those books had always made her feel strange and eager to discover what happened between a man and a woman behind closed doors. Indeed, she had touched herself under the covers or in the bath, amazed at the way her body responded. What if a man touched her in such a way? A man like Sinjin Rayborne, for instance.

  Marilyn cleared her throat, and Katelyn looked up with a start. Her sister smiled at her above the rim of her champagne glass. How did she always seem to know what Katelyn was thinking?

  Good Lord, who else in the room had witnessed her bold gaze?

  Katelyn noticed how the women around them watched the brothers with an almost greedy look in their eyes. It was a bit sobering to realize that three women in this room could very well be engaged to the brothers by the end of the fortnight. Lucky, lucky girls.

  She felt so cheated, so angered that she herself would not be in the running. All her life she had hoped she could pick her own mate, fall in love, and build a family and a future together.

  But those were the drea
ms of a young girl who fancied herself married to a man who adored her. Not a man who preferred spending time in his study, or with his sister, and at every given opportunity told her what she was doing wrong.

  Marilyn cleared her throat and Katelyn glanced up. “I will be back shortly.” Katelyn headed for the nearest doorway, receiving glares from the women she passed. They were no doubt furious that two of the Rayborne brothers had approached her and Marilyn immediately. She had never expected such attention. Strangely, she felt no excitement or anticipation—just bitter disappointment that she was already spoken for.

  And that was why she must clear her thoughts, steady her nerves, and return to the parlor and help her sister land a Rayborne brother for her husband. Despite what Marilyn said, Katelyn knew it was silly to hope for something that could never be. Her mother would never relent when it came to Katelyn marrying Lord Balliford and allow her to marry someone else.

  Her sister deserved to be happy, and she would do what she must to make sure that happened. If not, Marilyn would end up like Katelyn, married to an old man whom she had nothing in common with and facing a lifetime of loveless matrimony.

  Crossing into the hallway, she heard women’s voices approaching, so she slipped into the first room to her right.

  It appeared to be a study, with dark paneling and lots of tomes stuffed into tall bookcases. The drapes had been pulled and she welcomed the darkness, the only light slipping in through a small gap in the curtains and from the embers burning in the grate. She walked toward the fireplace and stared down at the charred coals.

  She had seen Sinjin’s gaze fall in the vicinity of her faded silk shoes and the short hem of her old gown. Her embarrassment had been intense, but thankfully when she looked into his eyes, she did not see pity or judgment. Just kindness…and something else she had not expected.

  Desire.

  Lord help her, but Katelyn desired Sinjin Rayborne with a desperation that frightened her. Never had she expected to experience such an immediate attraction to another person. She felt exhilarated and horribly frustrated about her circumstance.

  The door opened, and Katelyn brushed trembling hands down her face. “Marilyn, I will be out in a moment. I just need to catch my breath.”

  “What is wrong, Katelyn?”

  Katelyn gasped. It was Sinjin Rayborne, and instead of leaving, he came closer. So close she could feel the heat of his body. She took a quick step back, ran into the mantel, and nearly knocked a picture off the ledge before righting it. He made her so nervous!

  And good lord he smelled lovely—a mixture of sandalwood, fine brandy, and a masculine scent that was all his own.

  “Why did you run away, Katelyn?”

  “I did not run.”

  “Yes, you did.” He stood before her now, his presence all-consuming. His dark suit must have cost more than her yearly allowance—the fine material in such stark contrast to her faded gown.

  “I run from my circumstance, not from you,” she managed, looking at him, mesmerized once again by his beauty. He was everything a man should be—everything she had hoped her intended would be.

  He reached up and lifted her chin with gentle fingers, his thumb brushing over her bottom lip.

  His touch was sheer heaven.

  “Sweet Kate,” he said, a second before his lips claimed hers.

  Somehow her arms encircled his neck and her breasts pressed flush against his wide chest. She couldn’t get close enough, wanting to feel every inch of his hard body against her own—a delicious feeling she would relive every moment of every day for the rest of her life.

  The kiss grew deeper, his hand holding the back of her head like she would flee. She had no such inclination. Indeed, nothing, and no one, could pull her away from this man at this moment.

  Heat flooded her veins, coursing through her body. Now this was what it felt like to be desired and to desire in return. A white-hot need had her insides twisted in a tight knot. “I want you,” she whispered against his lips.

  He pulled away slightly.

  Oh dear God…had she said the words aloud? She opened her eyes to find herself looking into intense blue eyes. His hands bracketed her face. “What did you say, sweet Kate?”

  “Nothing,” she blurted.

  The sides of his mouth curved in a knowing smile, and she wondered if he would be so cruel as to laugh at her. She could not stand it if he did, and nearly told him as much when his lips brushed against hers again. “Don’t ever be afraid to tell me your true feelings.”

  How different he was from Ronald, whom she was terrified to speak to for fear of him reprimanding her. Always, she had to be on guard with her intended.

  “I want you, too, Kate. Most desperately.”

  His words thrilled her, making her think of long nights in his arms, discovering each other’s bodies, making love until the early morning hours.

  A knock sounded and Sinjin moved quickly, bracing his foot against the door. He brought a finger to his lips.

  Her gaze shifted over him slowly, taking in every single detail. She could not help the smile that came to her lips. How lovely he was, his hair slightly mussed from where she’d slid her fingers through the silky tresses. Handsome, powerful…and dangerous.

  Never in a million years would she have envisioned such a scenario when she had left Rose Alley yesterday afternoon. She had expected a week of unchaperoned splendor with her sister until their aunt arrived, but never had she imagined that one of the Rayborne brothers would want her.

  “The damn door is locked,” she heard someone say on the other side.

  She held her breath when the door handle turned, but thankfully, whoever it was gave up seconds later, their footsteps fading down the hallway.

  Sinjin locked the door and turned to her, a wicked smile on his handsome face. “Now, where were we?”

  Sinjin took Katelyn by the hand and led her toward the settee. He kissed her softly, savoring the taste of her sweet lips against his own. How tentative she was. So uncertain, so untried. He wondered if she had ever been kissed before. The way her heart pounded made him believe this could be her first time.

  Oh, the things he could teach her.

  She pulled away abruptly, looked at the settee, then back at him. “What do you intend, my lord?”

  This was no lightskirt he could tumble and then leave without consequence, nor did he want to. Katelyn Davenport was a lady, and should be treated as such.

  A lady who was also engaged to another man.

  He pushed the unwanted thought far from his mind.

  Katelyn pressed her full lips together and he was reminded she had asked him a question.

  He reached out and toyed with the curl resting against her collarbone. “What do I intend?” His finger slid from her hair, and he drew a line down to the slope of one lovely breast. “Why, I intend to kiss you, Kate.”

  She swallowed hard, then looked toward the door. “And what else, my lord?”

  His lips quirked. “Do you not trust me?”

  Her gaze returned to his. “Should I trust you, Lord Mawbry?”

  He could not help but laugh at her serious expression. One second she said she wanted him, the next she looked ready to bolt.

  She frowned and took a step back, nearly upending a side table in her haste. “I am engaged to another man,” she blurted, steadying the table with a trembling hand.

  The smile died on his lips instantly. “You need not remind me that you are spoken for.”

  He took a step toward her, and she immediately took another step back. Coming up against the settee, she let out a startled gasp as he kissed her.

  One hand rested on her hip, the other brushed the hair from her lovely face. How delicate she appeared, her every feature fragile in its beauty.

  And that bastard Balliford would look into that beautiful face every day of his miserable life.

  Some men had all the luck.

  Sinjin wanted to tell her not to marry Balliford, and yet
he could not very well ask her to marry him already. He was not a man to beg, and honestly, even after his mother’s ultimatum, he felt that marrying was merely a contract, and a nuisance at best. It would change very little of how he lived his life. He would take a wife…and go about his life as he always had. Indeed, his wife might prefer to live at one of his estates while he spent his time at another. He would still have his other women, take them to bed when he wanted, and when he grew weary of them, that was that.

  And yet what would happen if he had a wife like Katelyn at home waiting for him? Would he get caught up in the excitement of having a lovely young woman as his bride, or would he quickly grow tired of her and move on?

  Irritated with the path his thoughts had taken, he deepened the kiss and was pleased when she kissed him back. Quite exuberantly, too. Her right breast pressed hard against his bicep.

  * * *

  As the minutes ticked by without any sign of Katelyn, Marilyn started to grow more uneasy. Her sister could certainly hold her own with most anyone…but Sinjin Rayborne wasn’t just anyone.

  He was an impossibly handsome man, and Katelyn was most assuredly smitten with him. Marilyn had seen the look of desire in her sister’s eyes the instant Sinjin had approached them.

  And the feeling was mutual. From the second he had joined them, Sinjin had eyes only for Katelyn. Indeed, many of the women in the room had sent her sister scathing looks as she passed by, but she did not seem to notice. She had been too occupied with her own thoughts, and Marilyn would almost guarantee those thoughts focused on Lord Balliford and her impending marriage. Perhaps Sinjin could talk some sense into Katelyn and convince her to call off her engagement.

  What concerned Marilyn more than her sister’s fragile state of mind was the fact that Sinjin had disappeared moments after Katelyn had excused herself, and neither one had surfaced since. And his family was starting to take notice. Rory kept watching the doorway the two had exited while managing to hold his own in a conversation with a young lady who had joined them seconds after Sinjin’s departure.

  Marilyn didn’t bother to excuse herself, as she had been absent from the conversation for the past few minutes anyway.