Taming the Rake Read online

  Punishment for the crime of daring to love a scoundrel.

  He made his way to her, not knowing what he was going to say, but knowing that he had to say something. He couldn’t go on like this.

  As he drew closer, he didn’t miss the intimate exchange between her and Rockingham. Nor the way the other man’s hand possessively held her arm, or the tender smile she gave him as they looked into each other’s eyes. Coventry’s muscles tensed. Not only had her recovery been swift, but had she already replaced him in her affections? Though he knew he had no right, he couldn’t prevent the spark of jealousy and anger. Anger that only intensified when her eyes washed over him as if he were invisible.

  His sense of foreboding increased. With each passing minute, she was slipping farther and farther away from him. Or maybe—he fought a spike of panic—she’d already slipped away for good.

  She was cold and remote, every inch the prim and proper lady. It was as if all the emotion had been sucked right out of her, only to be replaced by a beautiful placid mask.

  “Oh, James.” Augusta swept to his side as he joined them. “Everything is so beautiful. How can I ever thank you?”

  “You already have.” He dropped a brisk kiss on her cheek.

  Before he had a chance to say anything further, Augusta launched into a detailed description of all the wonderful and thoughtful things her dear brother had done for her in the past weeks. He appreciated the show of sisterly loyalty, but he wished she’d exercise a bit of restraint. It sounded more like she was making his case for beautification.

  Georgina remained unmoved. “Lord Coventry is all that is considerate, I’m sure.”

  “A veritable saint,” Ash said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

  Coventry cast an approving glance to his sister when her elbow accidentally met her fiancé’s stomach. He was trying to think of a way to get Georgina alone, when Rockingham beat him to the punch.

  Pulling Georgina tighter under his protective wing, Rockingham said, “If you’ll excuse us.”

  And before Coventry could object, Rockingham led her away, leaving Coventry to seethe in silence.

  He didn’t know what he’d expected, but it hadn’t been the total lack of emotion. The total indifference. She’d barely deigned to look at him.

  He didn’t know what he wanted from her, but it hadn’t been that. He had to think of a way to get her alone. She had every right to be angry and hurt, he reminded himself. But once she learned the truth, she would see that it was all just a mistake… wouldn’t she?

  He ignored the sympathetic looks shot his way by Augusta. He didn’t deserve her pity. She didn’t know the truth. Were she to find out, it would certainly tarnish the shine of his armor.

  “Are you just going to stand there watching, or do you want to join us?”

  He cringed. Christ, had he really said that to her?

  Moving away from Augusta and Ash, he circled the room to greet his guests. All the while painstakingly aware of her every movement.

  He had to be patient. Rockingham couldn’t stay at her side all night. Sooner or later, he would have to relinquish her. And when he did, Coventry would be waiting.

  It didn’t take long. When nature took its inevitable course, he followed her, lying in ambush as she exited the upstairs chamber set aside for the female guests. Fortunately, she did not seem to share the tendency of her sex to visit the room in pairs.

  She gasped when he came up behind her. Before she could react, he pulled her back tight against his chest and drew her into an empty chamber. She did not struggle, apparently recognizing him. He had to force himself to release her. The scent of her hair and the sensation of her body pressed against his had already worked its magic. The simple pleasure of holding her in his arms was excruciating in its perfection.

  Seeing her tonight had crystallized one thing. He wasn’t closed off. Far from it. Where Georgina was concerned, he felt every blasted thing.

  “Did you think to avoid me all night?” he whispered close to her ear.

  She spun out of his arms and stared at him with those wide, luminous green eyes as if he were half-crazed. Perhaps he was.

  “Truth be told, I didn’t consider it at all.”

  “You lie.”

  One corner of her mouth lifted with wry amusement. “Your arrogance has not deserted you. You may believe what you wish, Lord Coventry. But since it appears you would like to discuss something with me, please do so, and be done with it.”

  Where was the anger? The hurt? The rash of insults he deserved? He wanted to pull her into his arms and shake her. To kiss that delectable mouth until her lips quivered with desire. To force her to acknowledge him.

  Unable to stop himself, he reached down to stroke her face, instilling all the regret and tenderness he could into the one small motion. Her skin felt cold. She didn’t move, not even to flinch. It was as if she were made of marble.

  Dear God, what had he done to her? To them?

  “I want to apologize.”

  She laughed, adroitly stepping away from his hold. “For what?”

  He didn’t like this at all. This obtuse indifference. What was she doing? Why was she acting like this? Was she trying to goad him? Coventry fought to control his frustration. You deserve it. “For what you saw. It’s not what you think.”

  Her eyes turned to ice. “I assure you, you don’t want to know what I think.” She peered down her tiny nose at him. “What precisely is it that you wish to apologize for? There is such a long and distinguished list of transgressions to choose from. Hmm…” She pretended to consider. “Do you apologize for making me believe you were something you are not? For seducing me under false pretense? For breaking your word?” Her voice turned slightly shrill. “For not even giving me the chance to explain before you took another woman to your bed? For getting caught? Or perhaps you are only apologizing for enjoying it?”

  Coventry flinched. Though he knew it was no less than he deserved. He took her arm, trying to block out the fresh surge of pain when she shrank from his touch. “Please, hear me out. My conduct was reprehensible, but I did not do what you think. I did not betray you.”

  She stared at him, incredulity and outrage written all over her lovely features. “Do you have an evil twin of whom I am not aware?”

  He flushed angrily but told himself she had reason for her sarcasm. When she learned the truth, she would understand. “You saw what I wanted you to see. I did not enter her. I wasn’t… I couldn’t…” He raked his fingers through his hair uncomfortably. “I wasn’t hard, damn it.”

  She stared at him for so long that he wanted to squirm. Hell, he probably was.

  “So her cries of pleasure were all for show?”

  He hoped he didn’t look as uncomfortable as he felt. “They were real, they just had nothing to do with anything I was doing to her.”

  “Is that…?” She stopped her question, shaking her head as if it didn’t matter. Meeting his gaze challengingly, she said, “So you had a naked woman on your lap who was touching you—stroking you—intimately, who was taking her pleasure in your lap, but because you only made it look as if you found pleasure in the act to hurt me, but didn’t have the capability of entering her, it really wasn’t a betrayal, is that it?”

  When she said it like that, it didn’t sound as instantly understandable as he thought. “Believe me, Gina, if I could take back all of it, I would.”

  “But you can’t. And you’ve lost the right to call me that.” She held his gaze for a long moment. “Answer me this. If your body had cooperated, would we still be having this conversation?”

  He was definitely squirming now. “I won’t lie to you. I went to Wycombe that night with every intention of erasing my memories of you.” He felt her stiffen; his heart squeezed at the pain he was causing her. But it was necessary. She deserved the truth. “But when it came down to it, I couldn’t do it.”

  “How disappointing that must have been for you. But buck up”—he