Bronwyn Scott's Sexy Regency Bundle (225 page)

Lucien was exactly the kind of man she needed and he'd spent the years since Cambourne's death proving it. He'd overseen the difficult tangle of financial matters and entailments until she'd learned to manage them on her own. He'd been the one to ride out to the mines and keep the Cambourne industries running while she was in mourning. Besides herself, no one knew the extensive Cambourne holdings better than Lucien. He was competent, handsome, well mannered, comfortable to be with. He was reliable and steady, a constant companion.

'Philip pa.'

All thoughts of Lucien vanished. She didn't need to turn to know it was Valerian. 'I came out here to be alone.'

'Then we have something in common. I came out here to be alone with you, too.' Valerian took up

Scott

a position next to her at the railing, leaning on his elbows. 'I wanted to talk to you. There are things I want to explain.'

shifted her body to face him. 'I think that's a good idea unless you want to start explaining why your hand spent most of dinner on my thigh. We are finished. You made that clear nine years ago.'

Valerian would not be put off by her harsh words.

It was disappointing, but not unexpected that he could not be handled like the ballroom beaux. set-down from her usually sent them scrambling for apologies.

Instead of begging forgiveness, Valerian laughed softly in the darkness, a beautiful, sensual sound that promised indecent pleasures. One would have thought she'd spoken love words to him instead of a scolding.

'You are more sharp-tongued than I remember.'

He paused to look at her, his voice lowering. 'And more beautiful. You've done well for yourself.'

If he refused to be scolded, then she would refuse to be taken in by his flattery. 'St Just, if you intended that as a compliment, your

is diminished

greatly. I am insulted by the idea that my beauty has done well for me as if my looks were an industry designed to turn a profit. My looks have bought me a few houses and financial security. While those are not unpleasing things, the price for them has been my personal happiness. To think that my looks have done well for me is to be misled by the shallow mind you apparently possess. You show yourself poorly by believing I would settle for so little.'

42

The Viscount
Claims
His Bride
There, such a scalding set-down should drive even him from the veranda. But

was supremely

dissatisfied with the results.

Valerian's face broke into a wide grin, showing all his white teeth. His voice was low and private, laughter lurking beneath the surface. 'I am glad to see that along with selling your hand in marriage, your parents didn't succeed in selling your soul.' He chuckled, enj oying his humour.

'You've a black sense of humour, St Just.'

Valerian reached for her hand where it rested on the railing, caressing it idly with his fingertips. 'My dear, when have I ever been St Just to you? Call me Valerian as my friends do, as you once did.'

snatched her hand away. How dare he

come out here to insult her and then expect that he could take liberties? 'Let me set you straight. I am not your "dear" or your friend. Nine years ago, I paid the price for what passes as friendship with you. I shall not make that mistake again. I have a new life now and there's no room for you in it.' It was important that she define the rules first before he had a chance to worm himself into her good graces. He could be charming and she must be wary of letting her guard down, of letting him pretend to be her friend.

His face flushed at her words. She did not think the flush was from her

but rather from a

rising anger. Valerian gripped her by the arms, his soft sensuality of moments ago replaced by a hard envy. 'A life that includes Lucien Canton? What is Lucien Canton to you? Is he your lover?'

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'Take your hands

me. I don't answer to you.'

looked him squarely in the eye. Something dangerous and erotic lurked in their emerald depths.

In an unfair moment she thought Lucien's hazel eyes merely pretended towards greenness.

He ignored her request. He crowded her against the hard iron of the railing. Somewhere in the far recesses of her mind she thought she should have minded the invasion. But his hot envy had transmuted into molten seduction.

'Your body answers to me, Philippa. My hands were made for you and you alone. No one has ever felt like you do, Philippa. I've not forgotten how your

feels like rose petals.' He pushed back the shawl from her arms and trailed the back of his hands down their length, removing the long gloves as he went until her arms were completely exposed.

'I have not forgotten what it is to span the width of your back with my hand and pull you against me.' Warm skin met warm skin where the plunging vee of her gown bared her back and she trembled against her will.

'And y ou've not forgotten either,'

whis-

pered against her

his lips moving to seal

hers, his hands moving to crush her against him, one hand finding the firm mound of breast beneath the velvet bodice. He palmed it, caressed it reverently until she cried out in his mouth from unwanted pleasure.

It was all coming back to her in a rush, how he felt against her, how he could make her body come alive, how she loved the exquisite sensations he