Taming the Rake Read online

  She settled into her seat next to Mrs. Persimmons across from Lord Rockingham and Lord Ashley. The voice of the coachman rang out, a flick of the ribbons and they were on their way.

  The entire week had been an exercise in frustration. Gina had begun to think that irrespective of how efficient or organized she was, Coventry would never heed the benefits of a wife. Nor could she imagine him hopelessly besotted. In retrospect, the wager seemed doomed to fail. But she wasn’t willing to admit defeat just yet.

  There was always tonight.

  Hell. This is what it must feel like. The torturous twisting of emotions that clawed at him, refusing to let go. Over the last week, Coventry had been plunged into the fiery pits of the eternally damned, and he couldn’t wait to climb his way out.

  Tomorrow it would all be over. Tomorrow would be the end to the charade of propriety, the end of his unplanned house party, and the end of being forced to stand witness to the courtship of Lady Georgina.

  Watching Rockingham fawning all over her this past week had been pure torture. Torture that was slowly driving him mad. His body fired just thinking about the two of them together. Was she aware how his friend’s eyes shadowed with lust whenever she appeared, how Rockingham boldly admired her breasts and backside, how he touched her whenever he could find an excuse? Coventry was finding it harder and harder to not intervene. Harder and harder to hold himself apart. He took a long hard drag of his cheroot, filling his lungs with the calming smoke before slowly exhaling.

  Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.

  He stretched his legs out in front of him, sinking deeper into the leather back of the chair as if he could escape from the turmoil surrounding him. The festive din of the crowd made it impossible, but while the other guests made their way to the dining room for a light supper, he removed to the card room, enjoying the sanctuary of solitude if only for a little while. Idly he cracked his jaw, watching the circles of smoke rise above his head and fade into the ornamental plaster ceilings above him.

  His absence would be remarked upon, but he didn’t care. He’d had enough propriety this week to last him a lifetime. But he might as well go back to his usual helling around, as his proper behavior hadn’t deterred Lady Georgina any. She still pursued him relentlessly, taunting him with her sweet beauty. Oblivious to the desire she sparked in him.

  He couldn’t take it much longer. She was like an itch that couldn’t be scratched, an itch that prevented him from thinking of anything else. He was utterly bewitched, taunted daily by the very thing that he wanted above all else, but could not have. Even the blatant offer by the sensuous Lady Darby earlier tonight had not tempted him.

  Something was definitely wrong with him.

  He had to do something to get her out from under his skin. And more and more he’d begun to realize that it would not be a simple matter of finding another woman.

  The soft patter of dainty feet and a gentle perfume of roses alerted him to her presence—he hadn’t heard the door open. He forced himself not to move, even though every nerve ending immediately fired to attention and every muscle in his body tensed. Yet she was blissfully unaware of how close she was to danger.

  “You are alone,” she said.

  He thought he heard a faint trace of relief. “Shouldn’t I be?” He dared not raise his eyes to look at her. He knew how she looked. Beautiful. Desirable. Like she needed to be ravished.

  “I w…wasn’t sure,” she stammered.

  Ah. Lady Darby. Georgina thought he was having a tryst. If only she were right.

  Her tone changed. “It’s quite boorish of you to skip supper.” She looked down her nose at his cheroot disapprovingly. “Your aunt will be furious.”

  “Isn’t that where you should be?”

  “A sudden malady of the stomach.” He knew her eyes were twinkling, but he was too much of a coward to look. “I won’t be missed for some time.”

  God, did she realize how much that sounded like an invitation. His blood pounded. “What do you want?”

  The harshness of his voice made her hesitate. “I had some questions about the travel arrangements for the morning.”

  He sighed. He might not have let her know it, but he was aware how well she’d managed the house party. He’d have to be blind not to admire her accomplishments. But unfortunately, he had perfect vision. He finally met her gaze. “And it couldn’t wait?”

  She blushed.

  “Does Rockingham know where you are?” The question came out more snidely than he’d intended.

  She looked honesty puzzled. “No. Of course not. Why should he?” It was clear from her tone that she was completely oblivious to the havoc she was wreaking with both men.

  “He wants you.”

  Her blush intensified and she lowered her gaze. The long feathery curl of her lashes rested enchantingly against her flushed cheeks. Something squeezed painfully in his chest.

  Her innocence angered him. Such a child. She didn’t even realize what she was doing—teasing, encouraging, seducing. Someone needed to teach her a lesson. Teach her what would happen if she didn’t stop prodding lions.

  “Why are you really here?”

  She didn’t answer.

  “You thought I was with someone?”

  Uncomfortable, she fiddled with the beaded shawl that barely covered the delectable ivory skin revealed by her plummeting décolletage. She forced herself to lift her chin, but he could see the way her mouth trembled. “Of course not,” she lied.

  He took another drag of his cheroot and snubbed it out in a tray next to him. Standing, he forced her to meet his gaze. “Lady Darby’s offer did not appeal to me. Care to see if you can better it?”

  She gasped, her eyes widened with shock. “You shouldn’t talk to me like that. It’s unseemly.”

  “Why? There’s no one here to object. I believe you made sure of that. Tell me, isn’t our being here together, alone, unseemly?”

  In an indignant huff, she spun around to leave. But he knew she’d be back. If not today, then tomorrow. He had to do something. Something that would ensure that she didn’t come back. Ever.

  He’d tried everything to dissuade her foolish pursuit but one. Perhaps he could turn her away with passion, give her a taste of the fire she was playing with.

  But how? He could force her mouth beneath his, but the idea repulsed him. He wanted her willing.

  He had to think of something to appeal to her sense of challenge. His eyes darted around the room. Right before she opened the door that she shouldn’t have closed, his voice reached out to her. “Do you like to gamble, Lady Georgina?”

  She turned. “Of course not.”

  He quirked a brow. “No?”

  Annoyed at the reminder of the race, she pursed her lips. “Occasionally,” she conceded.

  “Then may I suggest a wager.”

  “Whatever for?”

  He had to make it too tempting to resist. “Anything you want.”

  Tilting her head, she gazed at him questioningly. Her luminous green eyes seemed to fill her tiny face. “Anything?”

  She was thinking of a proposal. He’d have to make sure there was no chance of that. “Anything,” he agreed.

  Guardedly, she considered him. “And what do you get if you win?”

  He paused, lifting a glass of whisky from a table and swirling the contents before taking a long swig. The empty glass landed on the table with a slam. “A kiss.”

  Horrified, she looked around as if someone might have heard him.

  “You’re outrageous. I should have guessed you would suggest something so highly improper.”

  His mouth curved. “It’s only a kiss. Bargained against anything you desire.” They both knew what she wanted. Though why she wanted to marry him, he could not fathom. “Surely you’ve realized that if you win, I will eventually be doing much more than kissing you.”

  From the sudden widening of her eyes it was clear that she hadn’t made that particular connection. The littl