“I have no intention of parting with you for a long time, Ruth.” Never.
“I do not regret agreeing to our liaison. I am simply being practical. Our relationship will end when one of us has no need of the other.”
Her stilted response made him grimace. What she really meant was when he had no further need of her instruction. God, if only he could tell her the truth. But the truth was even more dangerous than when he’d been unable to explain about his physical flaw. As long as she was his mistress he had the chance to woo her. Convince her that they could be happy together despite the difference in their ages. If she pushed him away, she would make it difficult, if not impossible, for him to court her.
“Although I enjoy your lessons in seduction very much, Ruth, that’s not why I asked to be your patron,” he said quietly as he stared down into her eyes. “You told me that you wanted me to feel comfortable with you. I do. That’s the reason I proposed our arrangement. I like being with you. I want to be with you. I want to take care of you.”
Because I love you.
Slowly, her features softened as her gaze met his. The vulnerability was still there in her violet eyes, but something else gentled her expression. Did she have feelings for him that she was afraid to share? A fear of the obstacles only she thought stood between them?
They’d found pleasure in bed together, but it didn’t mean her emotions were involved beyond the desire she felt for him. Still, she was no longer holding herself rigid in his arms.
“I like being with you, too.” A small smile curved her lips. Her body was suddenly pliable again, and he immediately pulled her tight against him.
“I should hope so, as I am in need of a great many more lessons in seduction.”
“Be careful what you wish for. Some lessons are not to be learned in the bedroom,” she said with a smile as she relaxed slightly in his embrace.
“As long as I’m in your company, I will find my time occupied quite pleasantly.”
“See, you’ve already mastered the art of complimenting a woman.” This time a small laugh parted her lips. “Soon you’ll master the art of pleasing a woman.”
He saw through the lighthearted statement and bent his head to kiss her. The softness of her skin was like silk against his lips as he caressed the line of her jaw to her pink earlobe. When he nipped at the small piece of flesh, he heard her inhale a quick breath.
“Since you are convinced I am an exemplary student, there is only one thing for me to do.”
He lifted his head so he could stare down at her. A frown of confusion furrowed her brow, while her white teeth bit down on the plump fullness of her bottom lip. She looked like an innocent young girl trying to think through a difficult problem. She eyed him carefully.
“And what would that be?”
“I shall find it necessary to abandon my studies and focus solely on pleasing you.”
Satisfaction rolled through him as a rosy blush crested in her cheeks. An expression of genuine delight lit up her face. She had no idea how young and adorable she looked. But he’d find a way to make her see herself as he saw her. Somehow he’d convince her that age didn’t matter. Not when two people loved each other.
15
Ruth descended the stairs knowing Garrick would be waiting for her in the salon. Whenever they had plans for the evening, it had become his habit to enjoy a glass of cognac while he waited for her to finish dressing. It had been more than two weeks since Garrick’s assault, and he’d recovered completely from the attack.
Although the police had taken Garrick’s statement, they had no leads as to who had attacked him. Even Garrick’s man, Blackstone, had failed to learn anything as to the identity of the two men who’d robbed him and left him for dead. She’d had Simmons query his sources as well, but like Garrick’s man, her longtime servant had turned up nothing. When she reached the bottom of the steps, she stopped to check her appearance once more in the mirror.
The evening gown she wore was a muted gold satin accented with small bits of black lace. She’d ordered it almost two weeks ago, and it was the first time she’d worn it. The vain part of her was convinced she looked elegant without looking too mature, and she hoped Garrick would find her pleasing to the eye.
She wanted to please him in every way, and not just in the bedroom. Her thoughts flitted back to the night before. In recent days, his lovemaking had contained a deep-seated passion that had intensified each moment he’d brought her to climax, but last night had been different.
The emotional intensity of that moment had struck something deep inside her that thrilled her almost as much as it frightened her. It had ignited a tiny flame of hope. A small fire she’d not been able to extinguish. The grandmother clock struck the hour of seven.
Tonight they were dining at the Rothschilds’. She knew it would be a relatively small affair, but more importantly, the insults would be minimal as those in attendance would mostly be friends. The thought of more gossip was enough to send a shiver down her spine.
The Town Talk had been particularly vicious of late, and Garrick had demanded she stop reading the scandal sheet. She’d tried, but like someone with an obsessive fascination for the morbid she still scanned the Society column every few days. She heard the soft clink of crystal and crossed the foyer floor to the salon doorway.
Garrick was standing at the sideboard, pouring himself a cognac. When she’d learned the French brandy was his favorite drink, she’d instructed Dolores to see that they always had some of the liquor on hand. She paused in the doorway to look at him. He was the handsomest man she’d ever seen. There was a dangerously wicked air about him that held her under his spell like a mesmerist, and it was at moments like these that she was certain he’d bewitched her.
Every time he came near her, it was easy to forget the future—forget how he would eventually disappear from her life. Through his eyes, she’d come to view herself as desirable again. Even despite all the vicious gossip, she was able to ignore it because Garrick was always there to remind her that the malicious talk meant nothing.
He was convinced the gossip indicated how envious others were of their obvious happiness. And she was happy. For the first time in her life she was living with little thought of the future. Being impractical was a dangerous thing to do, but she didn’t care. She was without a doubt the happiest she’d ever been in her life, and she was willing to trade the joy of the present for the pain of the future. She watched him as he raised his glass then froze as he realized she was in the room. A frisson raced across her skin at the knowledge he could sense her as easily as she could him. Slowly, he turned to look at her.
“My God, you look exquisite,” he rasped. The naked desire on his face accelerated her heartbeat until the sound of it thundered in her ears.
“One might call you prejudiced, but I appreciate the compliment,” she said with a small laugh as she moved deeper into the room.
With the measured movements of a predator, he set his glass down on the sideboard without looking away from her. Although it took only seconds for him to reach her, it felt like an eternity. Beneath his penetrating gaze, her body vibrated with a pleasurable tension that sent a shudder through her.
Even though they had known each other not quite two months, every part of her responded to him with the same intensity as the night they’d first met. He stopped in front of her, his hand reaching out to glide his fingers across her bare shoulder. The touch warmed her skin until the heat of it spread its way throughout her body and she ached for more.
“Prejudiced or not, I’ve half a mind not to take you tonight. Any man worth his salt will take one look at you in this dress and want you for himself. And I have no intention of sharing you with any man.”
The possessive growl made her heart skip a beat. It was impossible not to take pleasure in the fact that she’d aroused his territorial instincts. It made her feel even more desirable than usual. The fact that it strengthened the small flame of hope in her breast a
larmed her, but she ignored it.
Instead, she chose to revel in the way he made her feel. Young, vibrant, and alive. With every touch, the age difference between them vanished. When his fingers reached the curve of her shoulder, they slowly traced the line of her bodice down to the vee between her breasts.
The entire time his fingers blazed their way across her skin, his gaze remained locked with hers. Gone was the inexperienced man who’d come to her bed an innocent. In his place was a man who was devastating to her senses. In the past few days, he’d begun to exhibit more and more skill in the art of seduction, but tonight his touch was sinfully erotic and tempting.
It made her feel hot and feverish. Like him, she found herself wishing they didn’t have to go out. Her breathing ragged, she inhaled the delicious male scent of him. His cologne had hints of sandalwood that tingled her nose with a raw, woodsy aroma. She found herself leaning into him with the overwhelming need to be kissed. A slow, wicked smile curved his lips and he took a step back from her.
“We’ll be late if we don’t leave now.”
“You did that deliberately,” she said with a gasp of surprise.
“Did what?” The innocent note in his voice didn’t fool her as she sent him a look of amused exasperation.
“You were trying to seduce me.”
“Did I succeed?” Laughter filled Garrick’s voice telling her that he knew exactly what he was doing.
“You know perfectly well you did.” She wrinkled her nose at him.
“Good.” He quickly reached for her and pulled her into his arms. “I would not want your tutorials to go to waste.”
She pulled in a sharp breath as his mouth seared hers. The blood in her veins flowed hot and wild as he gently forced her lips apart and his tongue explored the inside of her mouth. His skill at kissing was the one thing that had always been at odds with his inexperience in the bedroom. The way his tongue danced with hers was an invitation to join him in sin, and her heart raced at the image of his naked body melding with hers. She moaned softly as his mouth brushed across her cheek before reaching her ear. The warmth of his breath teased her ear.
“Tell me what tempting lesson you have planned for me tonight, Lady Ruth?”
The dark, playfully seductive note in his voice made her stomach flutter with wild excitement. Sweet heavens but the man had learned his lessons well. A slight shudder sped through her as she drew back from him to meet the wicked gleam in his eyes.
“Perhaps a game,” she whispered in an unsteady voice.
“A game?” Puzzlement furrowed his brow.
“Yes,” she said with a secretive smile as the intriguing idea took root in her head. “At supper tonight, let us pretend we’ve just met and formed an immediate attraction to each other.”
Excitement flared in his eyes as he rubbed his thumb against her lip. She immediately pulled it into her mouth and swirled her tongue around the tip. He drew in a sharp breath as she sucked on him for a long moment. The rumble in his chest indicated his growing arousal, and she slowly released his thumb from her mouth.
“As you said, we’ll be late if we don’t leave now,” she said as she slipped out of his arms.
She headed toward the foyer, sending him an inviting look over her shoulder. The stunned expression on his face made her suppress a laugh. He hadn’t expected her to turn the tables on him. When she reached the coatrack, she picked up his top hat and cane then turned to offer them to him. The annoyance on his face made her laugh, which only served to increase his exasperation.
“That will cost you, my sweet,” he murmured as he settled his hat on his head with a resolute gesture.
“And I look forward to hearing what price you demand, my lord.” She almost laughed at his scowl as he helped cover her shoulders with the wrap she’d retrieved.
“I can assure you, it will come when you least expect it, my lady.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the sudden flash of amusement on Garrick’s face, and it shot a shiver of anticipation down her spine. As they moved out into the night she peeked another quick look at him, and he arched his eyebrow at her.
He was planning something. She could see it in his expression as if he were enjoying a private joke. She narrowed her gaze at him as he joined her in the vehicle, and the mischievous smile he directed at her as he seated himself opposite simply confirmed her suspicions. The devil. He meant to keep her on edge, wondering when he might extract punishment from her.
Suddenly, the game she’d proposed only a few moments ago had taken on a completely different meaning. Garrick truly was an exemplary student. If she didn’t take care her heart would belong to him completely. Her mouth went dry at the thought. No, she wouldn’t let that happen. She couldn’t afford to. This time the small flame inside her breast was easy to extinguish.
They spoke little during the short ride to the Rothschild residence in Mayfair. It seemed Garrick had apparently decided to begin their game ahead of schedule. He seemed to take enormous pleasure just watching her, which made her nerves tingle with a mixture of pleasant apprehension and excitement.
There was something thrilling about the way he’d taken control of the situation. Her tutoring had simply intensified the masterful side of him that she’d seen in his day-to-day activities. The carriage rocked to a halt, and Garrick assisted her out of the vehicle with his hand supporting her elbow.
As she reached the sidewalk, his fingers brushed across the side of her breast in a seemingly innocent graze. Her gaze flew to his, and the heated look he sent her said his touch had been anything but an accident. As the carriage door snapped closed behind them, he bent his head toward her.
“Let the game begin.”
The velvety note of seduction in his voice was disturbing enough, but the warmth of his breath against her ear heightened the sensation. Excitement spiraled down into her belly then moved lower until she ached to feel him inside her. It was the same type of feeling she’d experienced the night they’d first met.
The frisson skimming its way across her skin set her heartbeat racing as he escorted her up the wide, marble front steps of the Rothschild mansion. Tonight her pupil clearly intended to apply his tutoring toward a goal she was certain would bring her enormous pleasure.
Once inside, Lady Rothschild greeted them warmly. They were quickly separated as Baron Rothschild pulled Garrick away to join a discussion of finance in another part of the room. As her hostess turned to greet a new arrival, Ruth saw Allegra across the room. With a warm smile she moved toward the Countess of Pembroke. Her friend was in the middle of a conversation with another guest, but the minute she saw Ruth, she excused herself and hurried forward. Allegra beamed at her as she released Ruth from her embrace.
“Look at you! Lord Stratfield is obviously good for you. You look stunning.” The delight in her friend’s voice made her smile.
“Well, I won’t deny I’m happy.”
“You’re radiant, Ruth. There’s no other word for it.” Allegra’s words were adamant. “And you deserve happiness.”
“I shall accept it for the time I have it,” she said quietly. Her friend shot her a look of admonishment as she looked over Ruth’s shoulder then frowned with annoyance.
“Blast, I was hoping she hadn’t been invited this evening.”
Allegra’s irritable exclamation made Ruth look over her shoulder. She stiffened as she saw the latest arrival entering the Rothschilds’ salon. Louise Campton. Ever since the Viscount Bexhill had left Louise to pursue Ruth, the woman had gone out of her way to be as vicious as she could toward her.
Generally, the woman’s verbal snipes were of little consequence, except when Louise took pleasure in commenting that Ruth’s mother was a whore. The woman deserved to be slapped, but Ruth knew her mother would have expected her to simply walk away. Beside her, Allegra sniffed her disapproval.
“I don’t know what Emma sees in that woman. Louise Campton is interested in one thing and one thing only, any m
an she can coax into her bed.”
“Lady Rothschild is kind and thoughtful. I think she sees the good in everyone.”
“No doubt,” Allegra said with a sharp nod. “But one must look long and hard to see the good in Louise Campton.”
Ruth didn’t reply as she watched the woman make a beeline toward Garrick. Her heart sank at the radiant smile her nemesis flashed at him. Jealousy snagged its way through her as he returned the woman’s smile. Dear God, would he apply his newfound talents on the younger woman?
She saw Garrick glance her way, and the astute look he sent her caused her heart to sink. He knew. He knew she was jealous of Louise. Heat stung her cheeks as she abruptly turned away from him. If this was the type of game he intended to play, she wanted no part in it. Suddenly, she found herself wishing the evening was over, and it was with a sense of relief she heard the butler announce supper.
To her dismay, Lady Rothschild asked Garrick to escort Louise Campton into the dining room, while Ruth was paired with an older gentleman who was a business acquaintance of the baron’s. Throughout the meal, she struggled to keep her eyes off Garrick, but it was impossible to avoid doing so completely.
Once or twice when she glanced his way, their eyes would meet, but it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. Worse, the moment Louise saw Garrick looking in her direction, the woman would immediately distract him. Over the years, Ruth had worked hard never to be jealous of a patron’s interest in another woman, and she didn’t like knowing she’d failed where Garrick was concerned.
Jealousy was a foreign concept to her, and the intensity of the pain it could cause startled her. It was extremely unpleasant. The grating sound of Louise’s laughter at the opposite end of the table pulled her gaze back to the woman and Garrick. He seemed enthralled by Louise, and it sent a fiery anger streaking through her veins. The woman laughed again, and Ruth had a sudden urge to push her head into the crème brûlée they’d just been served.
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