Page 10 of Reforming the Rakish Marquess

She folded the missive and tucked it inside the book next to her. She hadn’t expected Marina to so openly push her towards the idea of propositioning Jude. What would she do? Could she go through with such an audacious plan?

Heat pooled in places she hadn’t noticed until she had become fixated on what Jude might offer her. She longed to feel the touch of a man and understand what made her married friends content and enamored with their husbands.

Juliana didn’t need to decide right then. She could take time to think about the matter and make the right choice for herself. Jude may not even wish to entertain her offer, should she make one. His rejection would be mortifying, not that either of them would ever tell anyone. She knew Jude well enough to be certain of that. Pushing off the thoughts, she grabbed her book and returned to her chamber to ready herself for a night of dancing.

*

Later that evening, she stood with Hannah and Tabitha at the Beamont’s ball. She looked out among the crowd and told herself she was not searching for Jude. But she also had to laugh at herself, acknowledging she couldn’t even convince herself of such a lie.

She needed to see him and be in his presence again to determine if she still felt the pull she did before. If so, she had decided earlier while Bonnie had dressed her hair, that she would consider approaching him with her request. The shock of the baron’s suggestion and the excitement of being back out in society may have gotten the better of her. It all may have put ideas in her head and made her consider Jude in a way in which perhaps she didn’t wish to act on after all.

“Who are you looking for?” the very man asked from behind her. A shiver of awareness shot up her spine, and she forgot all the nonsense she had just convinced herself of.

“No one. Just taking note of who is here tonight,” she said as casually as she could.

He laughed and took her hand to bow over it. “I wasn’t sure if one man had already caught your eye. I heard you were popular at the last ball.”

“I was quite tired from all the dancing,” she responded. “I am glad we had a few days of respite before the next event.”

“Might I have a dance before the line forms?” he asked, motioning towards the dance floor.

She smiled up at him and took his arm, silently willing her hand not to tremble from the wicked thoughts racing through her mind. “Of course, you will be the most pleasant company of the entire evening. Well, other than perhaps Matt. I don’t think there is a more pleasant soul alive than him.”

Jude chuckled. “I think you are correct in your assessment. I don’t know how he remains so amiable.”

The dance was a waltz, and Juliana took it as a sign from the gods. She would be in Jude’s arms for the entire dance, and able to carry on a conversation if they wished. Not that she would proposition him in the middle of a ball. Assuming she even wished to.

Of course she did.

He wrapped his arm around her back, and she fought to keep herself from imagining what his hands might feel like on her bare skin. Her desire had just about made her a wanton. She didn’t know what she would do if Jude didn’t take her up on her offer.

“Do you have plans this evening after the ball?” She didn’t know why she asked. Part of her wanted to know if he would seek one of the many women he was rumored to keep at the ready and waiting for him.

“I think I am going straight home tonight. Not that you should know of the late-night happenings of gentlemen.” He gave her a pointed look before spinning her and pulling her back to him.

She laughed, attempting to hide her delight that he would be alone for the evening. “You forget that I am no debutante. I am, in fact, a widow.”

He contemplated her words. “I guess you have a point there. It is still nothing you should know of.”

“Whatever you won’t tell me,” she said, “the scandal sheets will. Society can’t get enough of you, Jude.”

He groaned. “I do not know why. Most of what they print isn’t even true. I just don’t bother to correct it.” He leaned close to her ear and whispered, “But don’t tell anyone.”

Her skin heated, and his masculine scent infiltrated all of her senses. She swallowed and forced herself to focus her thoughts on their conversation. “I would never. The gossip doesn’t prevent you from being invited to every entertainment, and the matchmaking mamas steer their daughters away from you. Everything a bachelor could want, I wager.”

“Indeed.” He smiled, but she noted it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Here goes nothing. “I wondered…” She paused and resolved to find the courage.

“Yes? Juliana?” He eyed her with concern in his expression.

“Would you join me for tea tomorrow? I so enjoy our conversations, and it gets so boring living alone.” There, she put it out there. If he didn’t accept a simple invitation to tea, that would be it. She would accept that the entire idea was nothing but folly.

He furrowed his brow and his head tilted, clearly surprised by her request. She had never invited him to take tea before.

She fought to steady her breath, as every moment he took to answer her felt like hours.

“Yes,” he replied, “I would enjoy a visit for tea.”