Page 56 of Dare to Risk it All

He stared at her for a long moment, so obviously shaken that she almost laughed, but then he claimed her mouth again, hot and demanding as he pulled her as close as she could be. Greer went willingly, moulding her body to his, feeling his erection press against the softness of her belly. A strange, empty sensation tugged at her core, the place between her thighs throbbing with want. He tore his mouth from hers to press scorching kisses down her neck and he fumbled at the buttons of her pelisse, trying to expose more skin.

“Take me to your room,” she suggested, growing increasingly desperate.

To her chagrin, the suggestion only seemed to bring him back to himself. He pulled back with a curse.

“Little she-devil,” he muttered, staring at her with bemused affection. “You destroy my self-control.”

“Self-control is overrated,” she replied ruefully.

“We are going inside,” he said, taking her by the hand and tugging her back towards the Hall. “For tea,” he added darkly.

Greer pouted, which only made him laugh.

“Behave,” he told her.

“But you promised to make it up to me,” she reminded him.

“So I did,” he replied, his voice a seductive purr which reminded her of how dreadfully frustrated she was. He glanced over his shoulder at her, his wicked smile making her heart beat faster still. “But I never said when.”

Somehow, Raphe quelled his raging erection before they got back to the hall and endured tea with everyone else in a stew of balked lust. How he’d found the strength to walk away from Greer, he would never know. Except that her happiness was more important than anything else, and he would not risk it. He knew her parents were right to want them to wait, and though his every desire protested the idea, he needed to prove to them he would do the right thing, not simply what he wanted. What he wanted was to take her up to his bedroom and keep her there for the foreseeable future. He wanted to make love to her, to worship every splendid inch of her until she was begging for him to take her and make her his. Not that he would, not right away. He’d draw it out, teasing and tormenting her until she was wild with wanting him. He’d kiss her everywhere, her toes, the tender skin at the back of her knees, the little dimples and plush curves of her bottom— Christ, stop it!

The teacup rattled in his hand. He set it down abruptly.

Think of something else, for the love of God.

Frantically, he conjured the image of his dreadful stepmother giving him a particularly vitriolic scold and his burgeoning arousal subsided reluctantly. He let out an uneven breath and tried to attend the conversation buzzing around him. Greer caught his eyes, her expression curious. A mischievous grin flickered at the edges of her mouth. The wretch. Did she know what she did to him?

He smiled back, unable to help himself as happiness fizzed inside him like his veins were full of Champagne bubbles. His abstraction was so absolute he barely heard the door open, or the butler announce another guest.

“—Baron Rothborn to see you, my Lord Roxborough.”

Raphe jerked in shock, his head snapping around to see the man himself stride in, his gait uneven as he leant heavily on the cane he always carried.

“My Lord,” Elspeth said, surging to her feet with a smile of welcome before Dare could greet their guest. “This is an unexpected pleasure.”

“For you, perhaps,” Rothborn said dryly, greeting her warmly before sending Raphe a direct look of enquiry. “I think perhaps my friend there has been expecting me with less enthusiasm.”

Raphe swallowed. He had known. Of course, he’d known Rothborn would hear about his latest scandal. Though he’d thought perhaps he had a little longer, assuming Rothborn would be away visiting family at Christmas and the news might take time to reach him. Damn the blasted railway. If it wasn’t so bloody easy to get here from London, the gossip—and Rothborn himself—might have taken longer to arrive. Raphe might even have been safe until past Christmas. Ah, well.

“Raphe,” Greer said, her expression one of concern, but her mother grasped hold of her arm and shook her head, her expression fierce.

Raphe smiled at her and echoed her mother, giving the smallest shake of his head. Greer subsided, understanding that Raphe needed to deal with this alone, but the worry in her eyes warmed him.

“My lord,” Raphe said, getting to his feet. “You will wish to speak in private, I think.”

Rothborn nodded, his sharp gaze flicking between Raphe and Greer. He’d noticed Greer address him by his given name, heard the familiarity in the way she’d said it. Well, he’d have to know about the engagement, too.

Christ.

Raphe led Rothborn to the library, very aware that it had been two months ago and in this same room Rothborn had told him to stay away from Greer.

If you so much as look in that girl’s direction, I’ll give you a thrashing you won’t forget in a hurry. Age and gammy leg be damned. If you were everything you could be, perhaps I might promote such a match, but you’re ruining yourself by degrees, Raphe, and I’m damned if you’ll take a girl like that with you.

Raphe swallowed down the acidic burn that rose in his throat and wondered if he’d made sufficient improvement to his life to avoid another of Rothborn’s set downs. The last one had damn near flayed the flesh from his bones and had been among the worst moments of Raphe’s life. This man’s opinion meant far too much to him, and he’d done nothing but let him down repeatedly.

Raphe stood by the fireplace, stiff with tension as Rothborn closed the door.

“Were you drunk?” the baron asked, getting to the point with his usual precision.