Sexy As Hell

CHAPTER 25

SHE HEARD THE racing footsteps as they neared, turned, came to a shocked standstill, and thought, Why didn’t I take the carriage?

“I’m sorry,” he said as he came up. “You can have the filly.”

“I don’t want her.”

“You can have her anyway.” God, she looks good.

“Why the sudden change of heart?”

He smiled; she rarely screamed when she was angry. She usually spoke in that cool voice of disdain. “Seeing you at close range makes me feel in charity with the world, darling.”

“I’m not your darling. I believe Lady Howe is at the moment.”

“I sent her home.”

“Am I supposed to be appeased?”

He felt like saying, You should be because it practically cost me an arm and a leg to get her to leave, but he didn’t because he was the transgressor. “Could we go somewhere and talk? Seeing you-”

“Reminds you of your impending fatherhood?”

“I was going to say, makes me think of you fondly until you effectively tempered those feelings,” he said drily.

“I suspect you’re just looking for a change of partners for the afternoon to avert the boredom. Perhaps fondness isn’t a requirement after all.”

He smiled, capable of overlooking arch derision for a greater purpose. “You might be right. You probably are. But you look delectable in that gown. Come talk to me at least; I’ll attempt to restrain my baser instincts.”

“Do you dare be seen with me?” she said, snide and abrasive. “How will you explain it to Nell?”

He never explained anything to Nell, but rather than aggravate his wife’s fractious mood, he decided to eliminate some of the obstacles from the landscape. “Would it help for me to say I was sorry?”

“For which licentious offense? Surely you don’t confine your amusements to Nell.”

“How’s Will if we’re into full disclosure?” he acidly inquired, his gaze suddenly cool like hers.

“Annoying. Can you say the same for Lady Howe et al?”

“I could.” A mirthless smile lifted one corner of his mouth. “But that wouldn’t be very gentlemanly of me. How often does Will annoy you?” Fine-drawn malice at the last.

She softly sighed. “Why are we doing this? It can’t matter in the least.”

“No, I suppose not.” Struggling to keep his temper in check, he reminded himself that Will was there before him and so it would remain. “Tell me,” he diplomatically said, “how are you feeling?”

Her smile was heart-stopping when it shouldn’t have been, when it shouldn’t have mattered to him one way or another, when he’d been trying for weeks to forget that sunny smile.

“I’m feeling fruitful and happily pregnant. The staff has assembled a lovely layette and”-short of missing you, she thought-“I’m quite content. How about you?”

“Disgruntled and sullen. Although you could make me feel better.” He smiled sweetly, better seduction than actual feeling. “Come, darling. I promise to behave if you wish. Talk to me, that’s all. Davey can sit in the room with us if you like.”

She shouldn’t. She was just exposing herself to more heartache; he was more beautiful than ever even with the dark circles under his eyes. “I shouldn’t,” she said.

“I shouldn’t have asked. Come anyway. We’ll worry about the practicalities later.”

“Don’t you always.”

He grinned. “I could think about changing for you.”

It was smooth and suave and untrue. “No need for such a sacrifice,” she said, smiling herself, suddenly jettisoning better judgment because she was being offered a few moments in Elysium. “Perhaps I can stop by for a short time.”

“Thank you,” he quietly said, surprised at the shocking degree of pleasure he felt. Offering her his arm, he half turned, raised his hand, and signaled for his carriage, which had been following behind.

“I should tell Grover,” Isolde mentioned as he handed her into his closed landau a few moments later.

“Send him a message when we reach my house. Or would you like to drive back and tell him?”

“No, a message will do.” It was too embarrassing to face her steward after succumbing so readily to Oz’s invitation. But then love made one foolish.

Dimitri and Grover watched Oz’s carriage drive up, watched Isolde step inside, looked at each other, and lifted their brows.

“It’s good,” Dimitri said. “She wants him. Why shouldn’t she have him?”

“Because he doesn’t want to be had,” Grover muttered. “Damn him.”