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How to Marry a Rake in Ten Days by Samantha Holt
The years had added the slightest touch of grey to his hair at the temples. Though he must have shaved in the morning, stubble was beginning to show on his jaw and upper lip. Something about that roughness made her want to reach out and stroke it. Lines crinkled the corners of his eyes. Not a lot but enough that his intense eyes were softened. And his lashes...dear Lord a man should never have such thick, long lashes. It was thoroughly unfair to the fairer sex.
âI always watched you,â he told her in a low voice, the timbre of it spearing deep inside her and making her feel warm and all twisted up inside.
She knew that. But she wouldnât admit as much. A lady shouldnât be aware of these things. However, he likely didnât realise that she understood the reasons behind his stares. He probably had little clue that she even knew he was responsible for Robertâs change of heart.
âI never noticed.â
The lift of one brow told her he didnât believe her. âI watched you dance. Watched you flirt. Watched you laugh.â
âA lady does not flirt.â
âYou did.â
âWell, I have changed.â
His gaze met hers. âI noticed. A pity.â
Angelina eyed him. A pity? Here was the man who had so thoroughly disapproved of her behaviour that he had warned his all too impressionable friend away from her and now he was claiming that he liked that behaviour. Though she supposed such behaviour was favourable in a conquest but not in a wife.
There was no chance she would be a conquest. She was here for a marriage.
âI have grown up, Benedict, that is all.â
His lips curved. âYou have grown up in many ways.â He glanced over her figure. âThe years have done you many favours, Angie. However, Iâm not sure you are all that different.â
âI am,â she insisted. âIâm nothing like I was when we knew each other.â
Benedict released the curl and tilted his head to view her. âWell, we have ten days together. Iâm certain it will become clear whether you have or not.â
âThat sounds almost like a challenge, my lord.â She cursed the words once they were out. Those were the words of impulsive, silly Angie. Even the addition of his title had been used with every intention of being daring instead of polite.
He lifted a shoulder. âPerhaps.â He leaned forward and took her hand in his. She eyed their gloved fingers meeting and tried to force her arm to retreat but she had gone boneless at his touch. He eased his palm into hers and held her hand.
âA challenge would certainly make this rather dry party a little more interesting, do you not think?â
She was too busy gaping at their linked hands to even agree with him. Or tell him no. She already had one challenge to worry about, she didnât need another.
âWe have ten days together. Let me prove to you that you are not changed. That the Angie I knew still resides behind those stiff manners.â
âWhy on earth would I agree to such a thing?â
âTo prove me wrong.â He lifted her hand up toward his mouth and brushed it over her knuckles.
âI have no need to prove it.â
âAre you scared?â
She raised her chin. âNever!â
He released a flash of a grin. âAh, there she is.â
âDamn you, Benedict.â
His grin widened. âAnd again.â
She puffed out her cheeks, feeling how hot and red they were. This was all going so wrong. How was she meant to act like a lady when he was so infuriating? She should probably start thinking about a new job already. Sheâd never persuade Oliver theyâd do well together if this continued.
Angelina tugged away her hand and shook her head. âYou wonât win, Benedict. I can assure you of that. Now it is not appropriate for us to be alone together so I shall bid you good afternoon. Will you tell the marquess that I am suffering with a headache and I shall join them for dinner?â
âOf course, my lady.â He offered a mockingly formal bow and Angelina just knew he had no intention of giving up his idea of scandalising her.
She shook her head again. As if he could scandalise her further.
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âThe Rogueâs Seduction by Lauren Smith
Perdita pushed the door open and froze when she realized it was a bedchamber. Darlington had the audacity to call her to his bedchamber? Did he believe she had come for amorous reasons, or that she would condone such a brazen attempt at seduction? It was entirely possible, given the scandalous hour and the fact she was without a chaperone, but she would set him straight if he dared to try to seduce her. She wished for the hundredth time it would have been possible to visit him during the day, but there had been no alternative. People would have seen her enter his home, and that would be the end of her carefully kept reputation. She tensed when a dark, rich voice spoke. Vaughn Darlington, the viscount dubbed by ton as the Devil of London. His voice sent tingles of excitement and fear through her. She took an instinctive step back toward the door. âFleeing so soon? I would have wagered you were braver than that, Miss Darby. Or perhaps, given the lateness of the hour and the method of this meeting, I should call you Perdita?â She bristled and pushed the hood of her cloak back to better peer around the room. There was a four-poster bed against one wall and a fire crackling in the hearth. The wood floor showed dusty outlines of where carpets had recently been. The dark-green brocaded curtains about the bed were faded, and a few rings were missing, letting the fabric gape in odd places. Worn and peeling silk wallpapers depicting men hunting in the forest covered the walls. A once beautiful wardrobe stood in one corner, a door missing. The shaving stand held a white china basin with a large crack down its side. The masculine air of the room was overpowering, just as the man himself was, but the circumstances and the condition of his rooms filled her with a strange pity that made her go still as she turned her focus on the man himself. Leaning against one worn, ancient chair was Lord Darlington. He was tall, broad shouldered, and had a dangerous look about his all too beautiful face. With piercing blue eyes and light-blond hair, Darlington could have passed for an angel if it werenât for the sensual, wicked curve of his lips. He wore buff trousers and a white lawn shirt, with a dark-blue waistcoat. His cravat had been untied and lay loose over the back of one chair. Perditaâs heart quickened. She had never stood in a room with a man in a state of partial undress like this. She forced herself to rally to the task at hand. âLord Darlington, I come here with a proposal.â Her tone was brusque with a manner of business about it. This was not about seduction, no matter how sinful he made her feel. Though sheâd rehearsed this speech a dozen times on her own, she had not been prepared for the strange and frightening feelings that assaulted her now as she spoke to him alone. He crossed his arms as he studied her with that wicked twist of his lips, making her breath quicken. She shifted in place, and her boots scraped softly against the wood floor. âDo go on.â He chuckled, seeming to enjoy her discomfort. âWell, you seeâ¦â She spoke haltingly, still mortified that she was here begging him for his help. âI need to stop an unwanted marriage proposal.â She twined her fingers nervously as she removed her gloves. âMy mother has convinced a certain gentleman that I am willing to consider his offer, when I most certainly am not.â She tried not to think of Mr. Samuel Milburn and how that man had made it clear he would imprison her in a life that would slowly kill her. She could still see him leaning in close to her and whispering: âThe women I care for know better than to seek the company of others, when I should be enough. My home has all you will need, so I will hear no talk of travel or nights out. They would only distract you from your duty, which would be pleasing me.â He was a brute and a tyrant and worse, but Perditaâs mother, despite her ambitious nature, didnât usually believe in society gossip. Perdita did. Sheâd heard that Milburn had thrown a woman to her death from a window, but because the woman was his mistress, no questions were asked. It had been dismissed as an unfortunate accident. All Perdita knew for sure was that this man was a monster. She had tried to tell her father and mother what sheâd heard, but her words had been dismissed as idle talk. If her older brother Thomas hadnât been away at sea serving in His Majestyâs royal navy, she would have sought his help. In Perditaâs experience, being a wealthy heiress was a terrible burden. It put a mark on her. Sheâd fought off fortune hunters for the last few years, but a man like Milburn was dangerous in other ways. He didnât care about her moneyâhe cared about breaking her spirit and possibly even killing her if she didnât give him what he desired. She was sport. Secluded with My Hellion by Dawn Brower With a sigh, she headed to the door of the cabin and stared at the pile of snow blocking it. Maybe she could start removing it before Gavin returned. The sooner they were inside, the sooner they could find shelter from the storm. She prayed there was a way to light a fire in the hearth. The cold had already seeped into her bones. A broken branch lay near the steps. She picked it up and started to move the snow out of the way. It was a tedious process and sweat started to furrow on her brow. At least she was finding some warmth in it. âGood job,â Gavin said. His husky voice filled her ear and made her shiver from the inside out. He stood directly behind her, his body encasing her in warmth and blocking her from the unforgiving wind. âGive me the branch and Iâll finish.â She handed it over to him reluctantly and waited as he cleaned the rest of the snow from the entrance. He was a handsome sight to behold on any given day, but something about watching him work made her belly flutter. His arms bulged against his jacket and his breeches seemed to hug his thighs tighter. Maybe it was her imagination, but every inch of him appeared larger. She shook her head to clear the thoughts away. Finally, he brushed the last bit of snow off the front step and yanked the door open. He gestured toward her to enter. âAfter you,â he said. She slowly entered the dark cabin, almost afraid to see what lay inside. Gavin came up directly behind her, closing the door behind him. His hot breath brushed across her ear. âYou can go farther in.â His heat enveloped her, and she had no desire to go any farther than where she was. She wanted to lean back against him and marvel in every inch of him. The need to beg him to kiss her almost overtook her. Her cheeks warmed at the idea of his lips pressed against hers. How had she gone this long without feeling that wonderful sensation again? The one moment sheâd kissed him, it had been so chaste and over before the blink of an eye. âI canât see anything,â she said. He exhaled. âWalk a little more inside so I can move past you. I need to start a fire or weâll both freeze.â She did as he told her to do, and he quickly moved past her. With his heat no longer warming her, shivers wracked her body. The sweat on her brow made her skin clammy and cold. The sooner that fire was started, the better off sheâd be. She wanted to urge him to move faster, but it was futile. He couldnât make the fire blaze any faster because she wanted it to. Sheâd have to wait even if it irritated her. âPlease hurry,â she couldnât help the words. Her teeth chattered hard. âSo co-cold.â âYour clothes are probably soaked through,â he said. âYouâre going to have to remove your dress and hang it up to dry.â Surely he didnât suggest⦠âThatâs indecent,â she gasped the words out. âI canât undress.â How to Marry a Rake in Ten Days by Samantha Holt The years had added the slightest touch of grey to his hair at the temples. Though he must have shaved in the morning, stubble was beginning to show on his jaw and upper lip. Something about that roughness made her want to reach out and stroke it. Lines crinkled the corners of his eyes. Not a lot but enough that his intense eyes were softened. And his lashes...dear Lord a man should never have such thick, long lashes. It was thoroughly unfair to the fairer sex. âI always watched you,â he told her in a low voice, the timbre of it spearing deep inside her and making her feel warm and all twisted up inside. She knew that. But she wouldnât admit as much. A lady shouldnât be aware of these things. However, he likely didnât realise that she understood the reasons behind his stares. He probably had little clue that she even knew he was responsible for Robertâs change of heart. âI never noticed.â The lift of one brow told her he didnât believe her. âI watched you dance. Watched you flirt. Watched you laugh.â âA lady does not flirt.â âYou did.â âWell, I have changed.â His gaze met hers. âI noticed. A pity.â Angelina eyed him. A pity? Here was the man who had so thoroughly disapproved of her behaviour that he had warned his all too impressionable friend away from her and now he was claiming that he liked that behaviour. Though she supposed such behaviour was favourable in a conquest but not in a wife. There was no chance she would be a conquest. She was here for a marriage. âI have grown up, Benedict, that is all.â His lips curved. âYou have grown up in many ways.â He glanced over her figure. âThe years have done you many favours, Angie. However, Iâm not sure you are all that different.â âI am,â she insisted. âIâm nothing like I was when we knew each other.â Benedict released the curl and tilted his head to view her. âWell, we have ten days together. Iâm certain it will become clear whether you have or not.â âThat sounds almost like a challenge, my lord.â She cursed the words once they were out. Those were the words of impulsive, silly Angie. Even the addition of his title had been used with every intention of being daring instead of polite. He lifted a shoulder. âPerhaps.â He leaned forward and took her hand in his. She eyed their gloved fingers meeting and tried to force her arm to retreat but she had gone boneless at his touch. He eased his palm into hers and held her hand. âA challenge would certainly make this rather dry party a little more interesting, do you not think?â She was too busy gaping at their linked hands to even agree with him. Or tell him no. She already had one challenge to worry about, she didnât need another. âWe have ten days together. Let me prove to you that you are not changed. That the Angie I knew still resides behind those stiff manners.â âWhy on earth would I agree to such a thing?â âTo prove me wrong.â He lifted her hand up toward his mouth and brushed it over her knuckles. âI have no need to prove it.â âAre you scared?â She raised her chin. âNever!â He released a flash of a grin. âAh, there she is.â âDamn you, Benedict.â His grin widened. âAnd again.â She puffed out her cheeks, feeling how hot and red they were. This was all going so wrong. How was she meant to act like a lady when he was so infuriating? She should probably start thinking about a new job already. Sheâd never persuade Oliver theyâd do well together if this continued. Angelina tugged away her hand and shook her head. âYou wonât win, Benedict. I can assure you of that. Now it is not appropriate for us to be alone together so I shall bid you good afternoon. Will you tell the marquess that I am suffering with a headache and I shall join them for dinner?â âOf course, my lady.â He offered a mockingly formal bow and Angelina just knew he had no intention of giving up his idea of scandalising her. She shook her head again. As if he could scandalise her further.
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AuthorLayna Pimentel is a multi published author of romance since 2013. Educated in computer technology, her true passion is all things romance: music, books, movies and food of course. pre-order todayout nowEventsArchives
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