When His Kiss Is Wicked

by Kaitlin O'Riley

  Fascinated, Colette nodded for him to continue.

  “Lucien will never talk about her, but I made no such promise myself.” Jeffrey flashed her a wicked, secretive grin.

  “Go on,” she prompted, dying to know what happened between Lucien and this woman.

  Jeffrey’s smile disappeared and again his voice dropped to a low whisper. “At first there were rumors about Virginia’s behavior, which Lucien flatly denied and deliberately ignored. I had heard from a reliable source that Virginia had entertained, shall we say, a certain gentleman who was an acquaintance of mine. I warned him, because I had sensed she was nothing but trouble from the start, but Lucien was blind to everything except the exotic and sultry Virginia. They scheduled the wedding, which was heartily approved by both families. The week before the wedding, he caught her with the aforementioned gentleman.” He paused pointedly. “And I am providing you with the edited version of the events.”

  Colette gasped and covered her mouth hastily with her elbow-length-pink-gloved hand. “Oh, that’s dreadful.”

  “Believe me, it was. I had the unfortunate honor of being present when Lucien discovered the truth. He would never have told me about it otherwise.”

  Colette sat unmoving. A part of her felt sorry for Lucien, but a bigger part of her was thrilled that Lucien had suffered the pain of heartbreak. It was only fair, since he had broken her heart. Still the entire story left her feeling oddly unsettled and conflicted.

  “And being the gentleman he is,” Jeffrey continued, “he let everyone assume he was the one who broke off the engagement. He protected Virginia. He took on the scandal, while Virginia’s parents packed her off to Europe, ostensibly to mend her broken heart.”

  “I had no idea,” she breathed. This glimpse into Lucien’s past had surprised her. Lucien seemed so confident and sure of himself, it was difficult to imagine him wounded in such a way. If Virginia Warren’s reckless passion had devastated him, what about her own reckless behavior with him? What must he think of her?

  Jeffrey leaned in closer to her, his forehead almost touching hers. “Virginia broke his heart, and Lucien’s never quite been the same since. Until he met you, Colette.”

  She glanced away from Jeffrey. Until he met me? Is Lucien in love with me? As she let all this sink in, she finished off the last of the champagne in her glass.

  “Don’t look now, but you will never guess who just stepped out on the veranda,” Jeffrey whispered low.

  Of course, Colette could not help but look. There was Lucien Sinclair, the Earl of Stancliff, with the pale Faith Bromleigh by his side. She had hoped against hope that Lucien would not be in attendance that evening. Apparently luck was not on her side. And Lucien looked stunningly handsome, his height and broad shoulders accentuated by his elegant black suit. Vivid images of those naked shoulders, the strong muscled arms, and the smooth planes of his chest assailed her, causing her to suck in her breath at the sight of him. Only last night those arms were around her, holding her, pulling her against him. Only last night he made passionate love to her. Against a bookshelf, for heaven’s sake!

  And then he thoroughly humiliated her by presenting her with the bookshop to compensate for his unwillingness to marry her.

  Desperately wishing she could simply disappear, Colette had no choice but to remain where she was, watching in utter dread as Lucien and Faith Bromleigh advanced toward the little wrought-iron table where she sat with Jeffrey. The air suddenly grew charged with a palpable tension.

  “Good evening, Lady Faith,” Jeffrey said, his hand still covering Colette’s before he stood to greet her. “Hello, Lucien.”

  Lucien nodded to Jeffrey, but his dark green eyes remained locked on Colette as he made the introductions. “Faith, this is Miss Colette Hamilton. Miss Hamilton, this is Lady Faith Bromleigh.”

  With her heart flipping wildly in her chest, Colette could not look away from him. Lucien’s eyes raked her body as if he could see through her pink gown, and she felt herself grow heated under his intent gaze. She could still feel his insistent lips on hers, his gentle hands caressing her, his hardened body moving within her, her legs wrapped around his hips. Oh God. Torn between wanting to slap his handsome face or throw herself in his strong arms, she could only stare helplessly back at him.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Hamilton,” Faith said softly.

  A wave of nausea so strong she feared she might be sick right then and there washed over Colette as she murmured a faint greeting to the woman Lucien intended to marry. Completely unsure of what she said and barely able to look at Faith Bromleigh, Colette could only endure the powerful force of Lucien’s gaze on her as she struggled to maintain her composure.

  “Miss Hamilton, I must admit that I have heard wonderful things about your bookshop.”

  “Oh?” Colette mumbled awkwardly, still staring at Lucien.

  “Yes, perhaps I shall stop by.”

  “That would be lovely,” Colette heard herself say. The thought of Lucien’s future bride visiting Hamilton’s left her cold inside. Yet it hardly mattered to her at this point who came to the shop, since she was leaving for Brighton.

  “Are you enjoying Lady Hayvenhurst’s party?” Jeffrey came to her rescue by asking Faith a question.

  “Yes,” she murmured. “Thank you.”

  “We were just coming out for a bit of air,” Lucien explained hurriedly. “We did not mean to intrude.”

  “You weren’t intruding,” Jeffrey said in an easy tone. “Colette and I were simply discussing our futures.”

  Finally breaking his gaze with Colette, Lucien actually flinched at Jeffrey’s cryptic remark. “Well, we shall let you resume your conversation, then. Good evening.”

  As Lucien and Faith made their way along the crowded veranda, Jeffrey sat back down, once again placing his hand over Colette’s in a touching show of support. “Are you all right?” he asked, his eyes narrowed in concern.

  The compassion in his voice made her feel even more like crying than she already did from Lucien’s presence. Colette merely nodded, unable to speak.

  “Have another glass of champagne,” Jeffrey suggested. “You look rather pale.” He motioned to a passing footman, taking two more crystal champagne flutes from his silver tray. He placed one glass in front of Colette. “Drink.”

  With her hand trembling, she sipped the cool liquid a little more quickly than she had intended to.

  “Easy there.” Jeffrey took the empty glass from her with a grim expression. “I didn’t mean for you to polish off the entire thing.”

  Feeling dizzier than she had before but slightly calmer, she gave Jeffrey a blank gaze.

  “Oh, my beautiful Colette. You have it bad,” he said sympathetically, leaning his head closer to hers and patting her hand.

  “I’m fine,” she said, although it felt as if her tongue had suddenly grown heavier.

  “I’ve known Lucien for a very long time,” Jeffrey confided. “He’s one of the most intelligent men I’ve ever met, and he’s my best friend. Yet I can’t help but think he’s a complete idiot.”

  Colette raised her eyes to him. “Because of me?”

  “Yes, because of you,” he confirmed heartily. “He’s a fool to let you go.”

  “It’s most likely for the best,” she said with a weary sigh. “We’re so different, we probably wouldn’t suit anyway. He would make me give up the shop. I’m not at all like Faith Bromleigh. She’s a lady,” she managed to say before a slight hiccup escaped her. She covered her mouth with her hand, hoping Jeffrey had not noticed.

  “I hadn’t realized you’d never met her before,” Jeffrey remarked. “She’s terribly wrong for Lucien. However, their engagement is not official in any way. Lucien has not even asked her yet, so there’s still time.”

  “Time for what?” She felt so light-headed it was difficult to focus on what Jeffrey was saying to her.

  “Time for him to come to his senses and realize that you are the woman he should
marry.”

  Jeffrey was so sweet to worry about her, but he did not know the truth. She had to break the news to him. “Well, that is never going to happen, Jeffrey. Lucien practically told me so already.” Colette picked up Jeffrey’s full glass of champagne and took a rather large sip.

  Jeffrey took the glass of champagne away from her, his look quite intent and questioning. “What have you discussed with him?”

  Jeffrey was so easy to confide in because he really cared about her. She suddenly felt she could tell him anything. The words rolled off her tongue quite effortlessly. “Lucien won’t ever marry me, Jeffrey. Even after what happened with us that night at Devon House, he said so. Even after what we did last night…” She reached for his champagne again.

  This time Jeffrey simply handed the glass to her. “Oh, Colette,” he whispered, his expression unexpectedly somber. “This has gone further than I thought.”

  “What has?” Colette managed to ask before hiccupping loudly. She took another gulp of champagne.

  “Good heavens, Jeffrey! Did you get my sister intoxicated?” Juliette cried in a shocked whisper as she joined them at the table.

  Jeffrey gave Juliette a grim look. “Not intentionally, but she does seem headed that way. Although it proved to be a most enlightening conversation for me.” He glanced back toward Colette. “Are you feeling well?”

  “I am perfectly fine.” Colette’s words sounded slurred even to herself, but she felt absolutely wonderful. She lifted the glass to her lips and took another swallow, finishing off the last of the champagne.

  “Oh, no, you don’t!” With a swift movement, Juliette swiped the champagne flute from Colette’s grasp, as well as the empty one from the table, and handed both to a footman, instructing him to bring glasses of water. Quickly. “Honestly,” Juliette remonstrated them, “must I do everything myself?”

  “Do what?” Colette murmured, vaguely irritated that her sister would not allow her to have any more lovely champagne. She blinked, her head spinning slightly.

  “Never mind,” Juliette instructed her, focusing her attention on Jeffrey. “He saw you together?”

  “Most definitely.” He nodded. “And he was not pleased.”

  “Then now is your chance. I just saw them saying their farewells, and their daughter was with them.”

  Although she felt rather woozy, Colette still grasped that something odd was going on. They were referring to someone she should know. “Whom are you talking about?”

  Ignoring her question, Jeffrey stood. “You’ll excuse me, ladies, won’t you?”

  “Of course we will,” Juliette said, taking his seat at the table with Colette. “I’ll stay here with my sister.” She gave Jeffrey a disapproving glance. “And make her drink some water.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Green-Eyed Monster

  Lucien intended to leave the Hayvenhursts’ house after he bid the Bromleighs farewell, but first he needed to find out what Jeffrey had been up to, sitting so intimately with Colette on the veranda. The pair had looked quite cozy together, sitting alone in the shadows, whispering and drinking champagne. Almost romantic. Ignoring the strange pang of longing that gripped him, Lucien stood in the hallway and scanned the packed ballroom for Jeffrey and Colette, hoping they had finally come inside.

  After last night in the bookshop Lucien could not get Colette out of his mind, nor had he recovered from the event. Tonight, she looked more beautiful than ever. He wished he had been the one sitting with her at that little table in the candlelight. He wished he could waltz with her, holding her body close to his as everyone watched. He wished he could escort her home, right into his bed, and make love to her all night long.

  He had made a mistake with Faith Bromleigh. He could barely summon the wherewithal to engage her in conversation. Her somber expressions and calm manner, which at one time seemed to be her greatest asset, now irritated him beyond belief. He could not continue his courtship of her and she knew it, too. Faith had even stated as much to him earlier in the evening. A life with her might be calm and uneventful, but he doubted he would ever be happy with her.

  Colette made him happy.

  The errant thought stopped him dead in his tracks. Colette?

  That woman had more of a hold on him than he realized. And it terrified him. He had to get Colette out of his system. But how?

  His mind spun with vivid images of her. Colette’s beautiful blue eyes. Colette smiling at him. Colette atop a ladder in the bookshop, laughing. Colette teasing her sisters. Colette reading to his father. Colette kissing him. Colette naked in his bed. Colette unbuttoning his shirt. Colette slapping his face. Colette whispering with Jeffrey.

  He ought to warn Jeffrey away from her. She was too fragile right now. Lucien had already hurt her enough, and Jeffrey would only wound her even more with his charmingly careless ways. Jeffrey should not be flirting with her.

  He decided to make his way back out to the veranda to see what the two of them were up to, when Lord and Lady Maywood, an older couple, stopped him to say hello.

  “How is your poor father?” Lady Maywood asked, her sharp gray eyes inquisitive.

  Lucien had answered this question at least a dozen times already that evening. He knew everyone was really asking about his mother. Lenora Sinclair’s unexpected return to Devon House had caused quite an uproar. Tongues had been wagging ever since the news got out, although everyone at Devon House had attempted to keep it as quiet as possible for as long as they could. But typically, word had somehow managed to spread, and ever since then calls were made to the house for the first time in months as the curious and gossipy society matrons attempted to inveigle their way in to see the infamous Lenora Sinclair. They had been steadfastly turned away by an impervious Granger. The Marquis and Marchioness of Stancliff were not accepting calls.

  Lucien had known Lady Maywood since he was a young lad and he had never particularly cared for her or her husband, finding them both to be overbearing and pretentious. As he had done all evening he responded to them coolly but politely, not wishing to invite more scandal on the family name. “My father is much improved, thank you.” His eyes continued to scan the room for Colette.

  “I’m so glad to hear it,” Lady Maywood uttered in a tone that belied her words. She then asked pointedly, “And how is your mother, Lord Waverly?”

  Lucien had been expecting this question, too. “My mother is quite well, thank you.”

  “Lenora Sinclair! What a shock to have her return after, what has it been? Fifteen or so years since she ran off?”

  Lady Maywood’s malicious and vindictive undertone suddenly enraged Lucien. He had spent his life in the shadow of his mother’s notorious abandonment and was now expected to live down her equally scandalous homecoming. He had had enough.

  “There is no need for you to feign concern regarding my family’s well-being, Lady Maywood,” he said pointedly. “So go ahead and spread your vicious rumors and gossip. I’m honored my family could provide you with enough scandalous fodder to keep you busy over the years. With any luck, there will be more to come. Good evening.”

  Satisfied with the expression of complete astonishment on her pinched face, Lucien stalked off toward the veranda, leaving a flabbergasted Lord and Lady Maywood utterly speechless.

  Feeling somewhat lighter than he had a few moments earlier, Lucien finally caught up with Jeffrey at the entrance to the veranda. He stepped outside and Jeffrey joined him.

  “Where’s Colette?” Lucien demanded, his voice sounding edgier than he intended.

  “She’s with her sister.” Jeffrey motioned a short distance away to the little table where Colette and Juliette sat together on the veranda.

  Lucien then saw her, just as Jeffrey said. She and Juliette had their heads close together and were whispering. He felt relieved that she was no longer alone with his best friend.

  Jeffrey casually leaned his shoulder against the brick wall of the townhouse, folding his arms across his ches
t, and countered with a question of his own. “Where is your future bride?”

  “She has left with her parents already,” Lucien responded hurriedly, dismissing the fact as unimportant. “Listen, Jeffrey, I saw you with Colette just now, and there are some things you need to know.”

  “Yes?” Jeffrey gave him an expectant look, almost challenging.

  Lucien did not need to go into the intimate details about his relationship with Colette. He had to protect her reputation at least. “Well, it’s personal, but I can assure you that she’s been through quite a lot lately, and I don’t think you should be trifling with her.”

  Jeffrey’s eyes narrowed. “Who says I’m trifling with her?”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “No. Actually I don’t.”

  Put off by Jeffrey’s attitude, Lucien grew agitated. “I am merely pointing out that Colette is a very special woman, and I wouldn’t want to see her hurt in any way.”

  “I’m not going to hurt her,” Jeffrey said smoothly. “I am going to marry her.”

  Lucien’s laugh was loud enough to cause a few heads to turn in their direction. “You? You’re going to marry her?”

  “Yes.”

  At the seriousness of his friend’s tone, Lucien’s laughter died in his dry throat. Jeffrey marrying Colette was completely out of the question. It was unthinkable as far as he was concerned. “You cannot marry Colette.”

  “Of course I can. She has already said yes.”

  “Since when?” Lucien demanded in disbelief. It was impossible. Colette would never marry Jeffrey. Would she? He had made it more than clear to her last night that he wouldn’t marry her himself. Why wouldn’t she marry Jeffrey if he asked her? A sudden cold rush of fear washed over him. Colette is mine.

  No. No, she isn’t. Not really. He had given her away. Pushed her away. He felt sick inside.