An Improper Proposal (The Distinguished Rogues Book 6) (15 page)

When Iris glanced up at Louth to invite him to call tomorrow, he was studying Mrs. Ward as if he’d already forgotten Iris existed.

She dropped her gaze, hiding the jealousy she couldn’t suppress. This would never do. She had to learn to ignore the way he might look at other women, and how they looked at him like their next affair.

She raised her chin, drawn straight into Lady Taverham’s kind gaze. The marchioness tilted her head and drew Iris to her side. “Would you do me the honor of an introduction to Lady Heathcote? I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure yet.”

“Of course. Do excuse us, my lord.” She did not meet Louth’s gaze before escorting Lady Taverham across the room. They passed Talbot on the way. He did not approach but given the way her skin crawled, he followed her progress.

She stopped at Esme’s side and waited to be noticed. After the introductions were complete, Esme gave her a smile. “I don’t think you can claim to be invisible now. A rather distinguished rogue is watching you still.”

Lady Taverham glanced behind to where Lord Louth stood watching them and grinned widely. “Not a rogue but the best of men. I’ve never known him to be so openly appreciative of a woman before. I shall have great fun teasing him about his fall later.”

That could be disastrous. Lady Taverham must think he had honorable intentions. “Oh, please don’t embarrass him. He’s just a friend.”

“After all he has done for me over the years, I’d never dream of embarrassing him. Teasing him in private is another matter entirely. But I must correct you on one point.
I
am his friend, and I must tell you, he does not normally look that way at me or any other woman he considers a friend. You are special to him indeed.”

A blush filled her cheeks as the ladies exchanged conspiratorial smiles and she glanced across the ballroom, panic filling her. This was dreadful. Both women were going to ruin everything between her and Louth. Lady Taverham would be disappointed when she learned the truth of their arrangement.

But to protest would require her to clarify what their arrangement did entail.

She wasn’t that bold yet.

She lifted her chin, accepting that here was a woman she might regret disappointing.

Talbot hovered at the edge of her line of sight, waiting for her to pass word of their means of access to steal from Lord Windermere. She was a thief’s accomplice and now a fallen woman. She’d never meant to hurt anyone but it seemed inevitable no matter what she did.

Lady Taverham excused herself after a short time to rejoin her husband, and then Lady Ames claimed her company. Later Esme found her again, and around and around the room she went, apparently indispensible in every conversation. She never managed to have a moment alone again that evening. The window she was expected to open in Lord Windermere’s study remained locked at the end of the night as she left at Esme’s side and climbed into her waiting carriage. “What an exhausting evening.”

Talbot would be furious but for once Iris was beyond caring. “It was but a great deal of fun besides.”

Iris had felt included for the first time since her family’s ruin and she wanted to cling to the sensation of acceptance for as long as possible.

Eleven

Martin paced Lady Heathcote’s shadowed drawing room, unsure whether to call the evening out a disaster or a success. Whitney had danced four sets more than her usual two and been much admired as far as he could tell. But his relief was tempered with exasperation. He wanted to know why Iris was sneaking off to meet her former betrothed. If she had any lingering feelings for the man, she should have married him years ago.

It might be inexcusably late to call on his betrothed but he wanted to be sure there were no impediments to his alliance with Iris. Vivian Rose had taught him the value of directly questioning everything he assumed about how women think.

The door shut softly and he faced the sound. “About time.”

“Forgive me. I had not realized you were to call on me tonight.” Iris stifled a yawn. “Is something the matter? Is there something you want?”

She rubbed her arms briskly, which only drew his attention to her body and the fact that she wasn’t wearing the dusky-pink evening gown she’d worn at the ball but something far more intimate. A dark-hued silk robe clung to her curves and his breath caught. She’d come to meet him as a mistress would her protector, and that couldn’t be further from the truth.

“Yes. You.” He tried to relax, fighting the urge to touch her. “But I want to know about Lord Grindlewood first. I overheard part of your conversation.”

Her brow rose at his confession to spying on her. “Eavesdropping?”

He shrugged and made no apology for spying on her. He’d been unable to turn his attention from her all night. Soon everyone, including Iris, would know what she meant to him. As the last man who would ever kiss her, his reasons for asking about Grindlewood were fair to his mind.

She tapped the back of a chair a few times and then grimaced. “Was that woman really only asking you for money?”

He stared at Iris on hearing the bite of disapproval for Helena, a woman she couldn’t possibly know anything about other than what he’d told her that night. There was no need for Iris to feel slighted that he’d not introduced them. Helena was only a friend and would forever remain that way.

“To be completely honest, she initially asked for my protection, which I immediately refused of course on account of you.”

“Why of course?” Iris turned away, folding her arms around her. “Lord Gandy had three mistresses at once last year, if I recall the worst accusations leveled against him by his wife.”

“And he died in one of their beds, too.” He laughed and drew Iris around to face him. “A happy circumstance for him I’m sure, but entirely beside the point. Do you still love him?”

“Lord Gandy?” Iris frowned. “No, I never met the man.”

He gritted his teeth, hating that he couldn’t stop picturing Iris and Grindlewood alone on that blasted terrace. But after his ignorance of Vivian Rose’s interest in another man, he did not want to take any chances he was being used. “I meant your viscount. If he means to marry you, of course I will stand aside.”

“Ethan has not the funds for a poor wife. That is why I broke with him, so he could marry someone with a dowry.”

He caught her face and lifted her gaze to his. “I see, but do you love him?”

“No. I don’t love him.”

“Good.” Martin nodded, aware of how her words had overwhelmed him with optimism. “There was something you said tonight that made me realize you’d mistaken my intent with you.”

She stilled. “Have you changed your mind about offering for me now?”

He brought his other hand to her face and gently traced her hairline. She was so beautiful like this—so honest in her emotions that they were as clear as if she’d spoken them out loud. She was jealous of the fleeting attention he’d given a past lover tonight and uncertain again of her own appeal when there was no need for concern. “Not in the least, but I fear I might not have been clear about what I do want in a wife.”

Her eyes widened impossibly. “Wife?”

He nodded and smiled warmly at her. “As soon as I can procure your father’s permission, I will marry you.”

She eased away from his touch, staring at him in shock as if she’d never considered him as her husband. “You cannot want to marry me.”

“But I do.” He caught her tiny hand in his and rubbed across her knuckles with his thumb. “Why do you think I hated the idea of you taking lessons in passion from another man so very much? You will belong to me, Iris, in every sense of the word.”

“Oh. Oh, I see.” She rubbed her neck and spun away.

Martin watched her in confusion. He’d expected something more in response to his promise to give her his name along with his protection. “Iris? What is it? Do not say you don’t want to marry me now? Not after all we’ve done together.”

“I do want you. I do. But I never dared to dream of more.” She lowered her face. “You were so against everything I wanted.”

He touched her arm. “Your dreams were not high enough. I promise to do all I can to make you happy.”

“That is very good of you.” She turned and lifted her face to his. He was startled to see the beginnings of tears in her eyes. “I am growing concerned. Ethan has taken it into his head that he’s cursed but what if
I
am the source of bad luck?”

Martin set his hands to her shoulders, astonished by her wild imaginings. “Cursed? That isn’t possible. You are the most perfect woman in all of London. I’ve never met a lady who’s impressed me more.”

“No one is ever what they seem.” She dropped her hands to her sides and then pressed her head to his chest. “I don’t believe it’s the first time Ethan has alluded to those feelings.”

Martin stoked down the curve of her back. Beneath the silk robe, she shivered. “Surely he has family to look out for him, and you will too. You do not need to worry anymore.”

She moved out of his reach and shrugged. “He is, or rather was, a friend too. I cannot help but worry about my friends, even though I cannot help them any more than I can help myself.”

Martin was overwhelmed by the desire to drag Iris into his arms and cease her concern for other people. A good kiss would make her forget she’d spoken to Grindlewood tonight. Removing to Holly Park and leaving London behind once they wed would keep them apart. However, he didn’t want to get ahead of himself, so he held his tongue about their life after marriage. “But it was you who broke the engagement, wasn’t it?”

“I did. He was very upset with me at the time and swore the money didn’t matter. But it always does.” She sank into a chair and placed her hands in her lap. “I had thought I had done the wise thing but now I am not so sure. He is still unmarried.”

“He will find another woman eventually.” Grindlewood did not lack for admirers, from what Martin could see.

She pressed her lips together in a tight line. “Are you sure you should marry me? I would have been content to be your mistress. A little home in the country is all I want, and to see you.”

“Marrying is the correct thing to do and we can certainly remove to Holly Park as soon as you like, if you are weary of London.” He approached her and knelt at her feet. “About what happened in the dining room. If I have made you feel uncomfortable, I apologize. I took advantage of your inexperience to prove my point that we were not finished with each other. We never will be now but I won’t impose on you until we exchange vows.”

She swallowed and met his gaze. “You won’t?”

“I’ve been celibate for so long, another month or so won’t harm me.” Damn but he hated lying, even to himself. His cock and balls ached at the very sight of her like this. Beneath the robe, Iris was likely dressed in a thin white nightgown and nothing more. A tantalizing bow at the neckline laced the garment closed. The belted robe was thin enough that he might see her figure if she stepped before candlelight. “Unless you say you want more.”

Her tongue darted out to wet her lips and his own tingled. Her gaze grew soft, and then she leaned forward and boldly pressed her lips to his. She drew back after a lingering kiss. “I do want more of you.”

Encouraged, he pulled her to him, curled one arm around her back and lifted her into his arms so her legs wrapped around his waist.

Her tiny body molded perfectly to his after a little wriggle and then she settled her arms about his neck and proceeded to kiss him witless. It would be a miracle if he lasted until their wedding day before he took her to bed with him. She drove him utterly wild. Her tongue danced into his mouth, flirting with his. He groaned and sank onto the floor with her, moving Iris beneath him while he kept his weight suspended on his arms and knees.

She rubbed her hands over his chest and then tugged on his cravat, a spark of mischief lighting up her beautiful eyes and daring him to be bold too. He could not afford to lose his head. He wasn’t that much of a scoundrel but giving her pleasure was a definite possibility.

Their lips parted and they both panted. “I don’t know what I’m doing so you should stop me.”

“No, don’t stop,” she whispered, meeting his gaze shyly. “You’re making me mad with want. I’ve been thinking of you all night and I would like an end to this torture.”

Relief filled him. “Was that why you couldn’t hold my gaze for long?”

She nodded and removed his cravat pin, setting it aside carefully.

So that accounted for her distraction. He smiled wickedly. He’d been fighting the same thoughts too. Martin shifted his hand across her body slowly and covered her mound through her nightgown and robe. “Did you think of me touching you here?”

A ragged gasp rattled from her chest and she clutched his shoulders. “I was afraid everyone knew that I was thinking of your mouth on me tonight.”

He teased her nightgown up her legs until he could touch bare skin above her knees. “Shall I end your suffering quickly or slowly?”

“Quickly. Please.” She covered her face with one hand. “I can’t bear it.”

He shifted to his side and drew her to face him. He caressed her bare bottom with one hand before he slid around her hip and teased his way to her curls. The gentle touch seemed exactly what she wanted because she hooked one leg over his thigh and allowed him greater access to her body. He teased the seam of her sex, finding her damp and so warm his breath caught.