by Sara Bennett
Although her parents seemed to like him very much, Mr. Little as a prospective husband did not fill her with joy. Horace was her first and only option. The pressure for him to propose was mounting with each passing moment.
By the time Tina entered Richard Eversham’s sitting room she could feel emotion roiling inside her, like a great whirlpool, and keeping it hidden was becoming more and more difficult. Practical, levelheaded Tina was feeling very shaky indeed, and as she removed her gloves she was shocked to see her normally steady hands trembling like leaves in the wind.
“Mr. Eversham.”
“Miss Smythe.” He was watching her with his usual warm and charming smile, and in a moment of madness she longed for him to put his arms about her and hold her close.
Tina took a deep, calming breath, but her voice was anything but calm. “I am so glad to see you, Mr. Eversham.”
The expression in his gray eyes appeared a little startled, but his smile remained. “Are you? Are you so in need of my guidance, Tina?”
She meant to give an insignificant answer but instead heard herself saying, “You are the only one I can speak to plainly. Without subterfuge.” She glanced up at him doubtfully. “At least I hope so.”
Richard waited for her to sit down before he followed suit. “Of course you can speak plainly to me. That is because I am of no consequence.”
Tina was startled into a laugh.
Richard leaned forward, still a hint of a smile in his eyes although his manner had become serious.
“No, don’t laugh. It is the truth. At the moment I am your teacher. A mentor. Once your object is attained you will no longer need my services. You can tell me all your secrets, and I promise not to betray your confidences. I have a good many secrets myself.”
Tina decided he probably did. Richard Eversham must be privy to all sorts of concealments by his clients, but if he told tales, then people would soon stop coming to him for help.
And yet she hesitated, her emotional whirlpool growing wilder and even threatening to capsize her.
He merely waited until the words came tumbling from her.
“My mother is planning a dinner party. It is very important that Horace notice me. More important than I can possibly explain, Mr. Eversham.”
“Didn’t he notice you at the theater?”
She considered. “Others certainly did.” And she smiled at the memory.
“Then things are progressing well, Clementina.”
She looked up, into his gray eyes, and knew he could read the confusion in her face. “Why is it so much fun not to obey the rules, Mr. Eversham?”
“What do you mean?”
“When I was good and proper, as I was taught to be, I am sure I did not have nearly as much fun as I did last night, being bad and I think rather improper.”
He grinned. “Sweetheart, I think you are exaggerating! I can’t imagine you were improper. Perhaps a little risqué, that is all.”
Sweetheart? Tina swallowed and put the word aside for later examination, concentrating on his other words. She supposed that he, being an expert, knew what he was talking about.
“Well risqué or improper, it makes no difference. Rather than draw the attention of the one man I want to marry I drew the attention of the wrong men . . . man.”
“And did you think of me there, at your shoulder?”
A warm heat washed through her as she remembered her imaginings of last night and her earlier flirtatious dream. Oh yes, Richard had very much been with her. “I did,” she said a little stiffly, hoping he wouldn’t ask any more.
“And it helped?”
“A little.”
“Did Lord Horace kiss you?” he asked her abruptly, once again throwing her heart into a wild rhythm. The only man she’d been dreaming of kissing was the one right here in front of her.
“Kiss me? Goodness, no! We weren’t even alone, and if we had been . . . well, I didn’t get the impression he wanted to kiss me. He seemed more interested in my friend, Anne, and besides, he was in a very odd mood. Agitated about something or other.”
“Agitated?”
“Or upset.”
Richard considered her, his fingers steepled under his chin. “Forgive me for being blunt but did you want him to kiss you?”
Tina opened her mouth to tell him that yes, of course she did! But the words wouldn’t come. An image of herself, clasped in Horace’s arms, suddenly poured into her brain. It was vivid, very real, and strangely unsettling. Horace’s cologne, which she wasn’t particularly fond of, his mouth on hers, his hands grasping her. It made her feel uncomfortable, almost revolted. No, perhaps that was too strong a word. Rather it was how she might feel if Horace were Charles and Charles had suddenly decided to kiss her in a very unbrotherly fashion.
She took a ragged breath. This was completely ridiculous! Horace was definitely not her brother. No, he was the love of her life and the answer to all her troubles. She was absolutely positive that once Horace kissed her it would all be simply wonderful. Yes, one passionate embrace, and all these silly doubts would disappear like smoke on the wind.
“I want Horace to kiss me very much,” she said decisively. “I do. It is just that”—she lifted her chin to hide her sudden sense of vulnerability—“I have never been kissed by a gentleman, so I am uncertain how to proceed.”
Never been kissed?
It was too good to be true, and far too tempting a prospect for Richard to pass up. Oh, he knew what he should do. He should tell her to use her instincts and all would be well. Then he should change the subject.
But the words refused to be uttered.
Tina’s lips were there in front of him, soft and pink and gorgeously lush. He desperately wanted to kiss her, to make her remember this kiss forever, and he was damned if he’d give the privilege of her first kiss to a man like Gilfoyle.
“Perhaps you need me to give you a lesson or two in the art of kissing. So that you feel more comfortable about the whole process.” He spoke as if he was doing her a favor, as if he cared for her peace of mind.
He did care, he told himself. Of course he did. He cared so much that he was willing to bear the brunt of her anger by undermining her chances of marrying a brute like Gilfoyle. Surely that was because he cared about her? Certainly not because he was a greedy fool who was lusting after a woman he could never have, no indeed!
She was looking at him in that serious way she had, as if she were weighing up the pros and cons. As if the decision she was about to make would be one of life or death.
“Tina, do you want to be kissed by me?” he said, his voice deepening. “Purely as part of our business contract.”
“Of course. I understand that. And yes, I think perhaps I do want to be kissed by you.”
Richard stood up and reached out his hand, and she placed hers trustingly into it. He drew her toward him, slowly, giving her time to change her mind although he had no intention of changing his. Her breath was a little uneven, her lips parted in anticipation, and then he pressed his lips to hers.
Soft, just as he’d imagined. He brushed his mouth against hers, but she didn’t respond, simply allowing him to kiss her. Clearly she had been telling the truth when she said she’d never been kissed. Never mind, he had plenty of time, and it wasn’t as if this was a hardship.
Her skin was scented like orange blossom, sweet and fresh, and he breathed her in as his lips coaxed hers, gently but firmly, into responding. Until finally, with a little sigh of pleasure, she began to kiss him back.
Tina’s cheeks were warm. Her arms were heavy where they rested about his neck, her fingers catching in the hair at his nape with a tug that was more pleasure than pain. Her sleepy green eyes were almost closed, shielded by her lashes.
This was no longer a lesson.
There was nothing cool and measured about this. Richard wanted her. Like a bolt of lightning it came to him that, given half the chance, he’d lay her down on the sofa and undress her until she was pale and
naked under his touch.
But he couldn’t do that.
If he did, he’d be risking everything, and certainly destroying any trust she had in him. He simply couldn’t.
He lifted his head and gave her a friendly smile to disguise what he very much feared was the expression of blatant lust on his face. Gently, with a hint of regret, he set her at a distance.
“You kiss very well, Miss Smythe,” he said, his voice light and teasing.
She appeared a little dazed and turned away, reaching to tuck a curl of dark hair behind her ear. “Do I?” she said, her voice husky. She cleared her throat. “Perhaps it is just that you are an expert, Mr. Eversham.”
Richard bit his lip. He could start to boast about all the women he’d kissed, but he didn’t think she’d want to hear that, and suddenly he didn’t want to hear it either. Something about having Tina in his arms, her lips opening under his, had stirred surprisingly tender feelings in him.
“I’m certain Lord Horace will find nothing amiss in your kisses, Miss Smythe. He might be a man of the world, but he’d be a fool to let you slip from his grasp.”
The words were heartfelt, and she looked up in surprise before quickly veiling her eyes. But not before he saw something in them that made him long to step forward and take her in his arms again.
And kiss her swollen lips until she surrendered entirely to him.
Had she really been kissing Mr. Eversham? Mr. Eversham, the rogue whom gentlemen paid to show them how to win the women of their dreams? And yet, as he had held her in his arms, he hadn’t felt like a rogue. And if she was honest, rogue or not, she’d enjoyed his kisses very much indeed.
Was that another example of improper behavior being so much more fun? That must be it, for surely there could be no other reason for Tina to be suddenly longing to throw herself into Mr. Eversham’s arms and kiss him forever.
Instead she half turned away, and said, “My mother is planning a dinner party. She is inviting a large number of people, including Lord Horace. I may be able to tease him into kissing me if we have a moment alone.”
“He will make certain you are alone.”
He said it with such certainty she was tempted to stare at him but she stopped herself because too much gazing into Mr. Eversham’s eyes was dangerous. She took a little breath to try to calm herself. For Tina, the cool and practical girl, who considered herself a thinker rather than ruled by emotion, this was a revelation indeed. Goodness, who would have thought a kiss would have such an effect on her? For a moment there, in Richard’s arms, she’d been all passion, and her thoughts had grown so unsteady that they’d been flying about like shooting stars.
Still trying to calm herself, she moved to the window and gazed out at the street below.
Get a grip, she told herself. This is a lesson to capture Horace into proposing marriage, it has nothing to do with Mr. Eversham. If he thought you were imagining his kiss as something more than part of your business contract, he would probably show you the door.
And she really couldn’t do without him at this juncture.
When she thought she was ready, she turned with a smile. “It is a pity you cannot come to the dinner party and tell me what to do, Mr. Eversham.” Then her face colored as she remembered why he could not, why he would never be invited to her home.
He read her dismay perfectly but chose not to acknowledge it. “I’m afraid I am otherwise engaged,” he said dryly.
Mr. Eversham was a scoundrel. How could she have forgotten even for a moment that they were members of two completely different strata of society? Although, it occurred to her, if her family’s fortune kept declining, then perhaps she would eventually fall far enough to enter his realm. To her dismay, instead of being shocked, the idea gave her a glimmer of hope.
“You will manage very well at the dinner party,” he said with polite finality. “I have complete faith in you.”
Their lesson was at an end.
“You can always flirt with the other men. Horace will notice, believe me. He’s probably noticed already.”
“I can practice on Sir Henry Arlington. He’s one of my father’s old army friends. He’s always the complete gentleman.”
“Sir Henry . . . ? Oh. Yes.”
“Or I can flirt with Mr. Little,” she added with a wry smile.
His smile remained, but there was a stillness about him she’d noticed before. “Mr. Little?” he asked lightly.
“I met him at Horace’s soiree. He is the wrong man I spoke of attracting. Anyway he called upon me this morning. Rather bold of him, I thought, and to tell the truth I barely remembered him, but he’s made quite a hit with my parents, for different reasons. He is a wealthy importer of tobacco, you see. A self-made man. My father is very admiring of self-made men these days, and my mother is on the lookout for a wealthy son-in-law.”
He was listening attentively, and yet she had the feeling his thoughts were far away. “So he’s not a gentleman,” he said mildly.
“No,” she agreed. “My father does not seem to be as strict about such conventions as he used to be.”
She was glad he didn’t ask why. She’d already said too much, and she didn’t want him to start asking about her financial woes and perhaps begin to pity her. Or ask for her fees to be paid immediately instead of later.
“Next time you can tell me how things went.”
Tina nodded. Now that it was time to go she suddenly felt lost and alone. She didn’t want to go. She wasn’t sure she was ready. What if she tried to kiss Horace, and he laughed at her?
Impulsively she said, “Do you mind if we do it again? Just to be sure I have it right?”
Amusement flickered in his eyes, but he inclined his head gravely. “Of course, Miss Smythe, it is important to get these things right. Perhaps if you were to approach me this time, if you were to kiss me?”
“That is rather bold, is it not?” she ventured.
“But you must be bold. Take the bull by the horns, or in this case, take Horace by the lips.”
She straightened her back and approached him, purposely resting her hands upon his shoulders, taking a moment to gather herself before she lifted her face toward him and gently brushed her lips against his. He did not respond; he dared not. She did the same again and then, perhaps frustrated by his lack of response, took his lower lip between her teeth and nipped it gently.
Desire skewered him.
His hands went round her waist, holding her against him, not caring if she could feel his obvious erection. He was responding now, and she kissed him with a lack of self-consciousness, totally immersed in the moment.
This time it was Tina who broke away, breathless, flushed, her lips swollen. “My goodness,” she gasped, green eyes shining. “That was . . . was very instructive. Thank you, Mr. Eversham! I am sure I have the hang of it now.”
He thought he might smash something, but instead he smiled his polite smile and put on his charming face, disguising how he really felt. If she knew how much he wanted to lay her on the sofa, she’d be frightened of him. He almost frightened himself. Lack of control was not something Richard was used to feeling—he’d trained himself to be cold and heartless.
“Good, Miss Smythe. I shall see you next time.”
She was saying something about the time and place, hurrying to the door as if she couldn’t wait to escape him, and he let her go. With the door closed he told himself he was back in control, that there was nothing underhanded about what he was doing, it was simply his job, and if Miss Smythe led him to his brother’s killer, then that was all that mattered.
Then why did he have to go to the window to stare down at her, to watch her hurry away?
After a moment his thoughts calmed, and he remembered what she’d said about Little. That was the second time that name had cropped up recently. He wondered just what Mr. Little had to do with Horace Gilfoyle; why was he at his soiree? They didn’t seem to be cut from the same cloth, and yet here they were together.
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br /> Tina was right, it was a pity he could not go to her dinner party. He would have liked to observe the main suspects interacting. He would have liked to know just what they were planning next.
And then he remembered that Sir Henry Arlington was also going to dinner. Sir Henry could pull some strings, surely?
It was an audacious idea. Richard wondered if he dared, and what would Tina say if he did? It would move their relationship into a completely different sphere if their kissing practice hadn’t already done that.
Did he dare?
Richard smiled. Of course he dared.
Tina felt light-headed, a most unusual sensation for her. And she felt warm, very warm. Her body was one warm glow. Who would have thought a kiss would have such an effect on her? And would being kissed by Horace be as pleasurable?
She hoped so, but deep in her heart she feared that it was kissing Mr. Eversham and not the kiss itself that had made her ache and glow all over.
And if that was the case, then she was in quite serious trouble.
Chapter 10
Archie had arranged to meet with Maria on her next free afternoon, and he found himself looking forward to it far more than he’d expected. Not that he’d tell Richard Eversham that; after all this was meant to be work, prying information from the woman, not gadding about enjoying himself.
But who said he couldn’t do both?
Archie had taken more pains than usual with his appearance, plastering his unruly curls down on his head, brushing down his jacket and trousers, and shining his shoes. He felt he was looking his very best when he arrived at the park opposite the Smythe residence.
Not long afterward he saw the very alluring Maria Baez walking toward him, her head tilted to one side, her mouth curved in a smile.
“Mr. Jones,” she said with her charming accent. “You are early I think.”