Ruin Me Please (47 page)

“
Poppy
!
”

Declan’s
dumbfounded
gaze followed Poppy as she
unbolted the door, grasped the
knob and hauled it
wide
exiting
the conservatory.
 
Inhaling a deep breath, he was still throbbing with unspent need from their encounter. 
He shook
his head.  His body
not only
puls
ed
with need
but now with utter frustration.

Not marry?

He could not remember a time when he had ever been this
frustrated.
  He could not remember a time when he needed to be.  The other encounters throughout his life had all been for
a
physical release.  That need was easily met.  This particular need was different.  It was more than just a physical urge. 
She was the only one for him, now he had to make her see it too.

Shaking his head, he readied himself for the
much-needed
walk in the
cold
rain. 
Gritting his teeth
,
he wrenched
open the door and sprinted
out the door
.

That man that hath
a tongue,

I say is no man, if with his

Tongue he cannot win a woman.

Two Men of Verona

*William Shakespeare

D
eclan’s mind was occupied
with warm satiny skin that
only moments before ha
d been laid bare before him
. H
e leaned against the wall with
his arms crossed over his chest d
i
s
tracted to the point that he didn’t hear a word of the conversation going on around him.

Frustrated.

T
hat’s
exactly
what he was, frustrated.

He finally
admitted to himself
that he would like to marry
, asks and the woman
says
,
‘
No
?’

Unbelievable.

Staring out the window,
he could see
the
women
artlessly laid out on benches in the garden gazebo now that the rain had stopped.  He wondered what they
were
talking
about.
  Surely, they were talking and giggling about some assuredly mundane topic such as the exact color of the perfect ribbon. 

He was sure t
he
topic of
con
versation out of doors
did not i
n
clude whining spoiled men with nothing else to think of
but themselves.  L
ike
the
one,
he was being subjected
to
right now. 

Rolling his eyes humorously, a
sma
ll smile played at his lips.  H
e wondered
if Poppy was think
ing of
him right
now
.

“Declan?
 
Oh,
Declan?
”  Seymour called
snapping his
fingers.
“Are you not interested
in our topic of conversation?”

Stirred from his mindless daydreaming, he glanced over his shoulder.
“I am positive that my mind is occupied with a more inviting subject than the
cut of your latest coat
,
Seymour,” D
e
clan
said dryly.
  “Feel free to carry on without my participation.”

“Oh, do not be ridiculous.” 
Seymour
waved
his hand in the air as if to shoo an annoying bug away.  “
Even so, w
e moved on ages ago
.
”  He laughed at his joke.  “
What we are discussing now is
Perry
’s insistence that we throw
ing a dull
little h
ouse party.  Can you ima
g
ine?”

“I can
’t
imagine a more pleasant house party
,
” Declan
said
distractedly.
  “Why are you so bored
?”
  He asked, throwing a perturbed glance towards Peyton.  “Are you so uninteresting that you cannot entertain yourself?”

“Well done, Hawk.”  Seymour guffawed.

“Maybe I wouldn’t be if I had purloined the conservatory for my own afternoon ente
r
tainment
,
”
Peyton grumbled.

“What are you talking about?”  Seymour questioned.

“Not a thing.”

“Well maybe you should leave us be Perry if you are unable to stop your infernal whi
n
ing
,” Declan
humorously
rebuked
being in a somewhat foul mood himself
especially now that he knew someone else knew what he had been doing in the conservatory
.
  “
We are all
enjoying our time together.  Be a good
boy, run along,
and take a nap.  Maybe that will
put you in
better spirits.”

“Were you unable to appease you
r
baser needs fully during
the S
eason
,
brother?”  Pa
r
ker’s eyes crinkled with laughter.  “I recall hearing all manner of
debaucheries
that you were indulging in
.  A multitude of anecdotes
reach
ed
my ears while we were in London.”  He laughed.  “Gambling hells, c
urricle
races, opera dancers, all manner of naugh
ty
tid-bits
were thrown
my way.”

“I should have stayed in London
or
better yet,
headed to Kent,” Peyton
s
napped
.  “I get enough of this
bloody
lovey-d
ovey marriage stuff during the S
eason.”  He grimaced.
“Now I have to watch it all summer long?” 
He rolled
his eyes.
“
First Durham, now Declan? 
What is the world coming to?  Surely
not all of you
feel duty bound
to wed and fill your nurseries.  I think I need to separate myself from all of this.”  He shuddered visibly.  “Or
before
you know it I will be shackled to some boring green girl trying to force me to
retire quietly in
the country.  There is something in the air here at Rosebriar this summer.  I want to be a
s far away from it as poss
i
ble
.
 
Perhaps
I
need take a long trip
to my estate or even
on the continent.”

Lining up his next shot,
Seymour laughed.  “Do you not belie
ve in love and romance
,
Perry?”

“Ugh,
i
t is enough to make me
want to
cast up my accounts
.
”  He made a harrumphing sound.  “Love is for fools
.
”  He waived his hand negligently in the air with
a cynical
smile on his face.  “I am more interested in women of easy virtue.  I have no need to set up a nursery.” 
Pe
y
ton
glanced
towards Parker.  “He will take care of th
at.  His responsibility as the m
arquis, not mine
.
”

“You are awfully young to be so cynical
,
” Seymour said flatly.

“All I need is a warm willing bit of muslin
.
”  Peyton
slowly
swirled his brandy
.
“With a little bit of spirit
,
”
h
e said on
a jaundiced laugh.

“It is becoming obvious that I have spoiled you excessively.  Are you unable to enjoy the peace of the cou
ntryside for even a few weeks?”
 
He looked
at his brother
and let out a long breath
.  “The whole of the world does not revolve around Covent Garden
.
  Besides
,
you seem to have already had a little bit too much to drink and we have not even served dinner as yet.”
  He eyed
Peyton’s glass.
  “I think you take your debaucheries too far.”

Durham
shook his head in
agree
ment. 
“I say Perry, old man,
what
has you in the do
l
drums?”

“I’m bored
.
”  Perry
yawned
.
“
I’m tired of this tedious house party
.
” 
He
glared
at Parker.  “I’m tired of all these managing females
.
”
J
ump
ing
up
he
threw down his cue
cast
ing
a spiteful look around.

“Managing females?”  Declan frowned.
  He couldn’t really disagree, but he wasn’t about to let Peyton know.
  “
How would you know? 
I’ve not noticed you socializing with anyone in particular.”

“Poppy’s enough o
f a managing female for ten men,”
Peyton
returned, slouching dee
p
er into his chair
.

“
Parker
felt the stirring of a smile as he
quietly responded back
, “
No one is forcing you to stay at Rosebriar for the summer.  You have money of your own to do with as you please.” 
He held
his gaze steady.  “In fact, I w
ill
celebrate when you leave.
  Go find the rest of your Wicked Wastrels and debauch your way through the rest of the summer.  Your attitud
e is b
e
coming quite tir
e
some
.  Just make sure your names stay out of the papers.  We have
sisters
to see wed.
”

“Well, I cannot very well leave.  As soon as I sail across the channel Poppy and Declan will be in parson’s m
ousetrap.” 
He sighed
dejectedly. 
“Poppy would never forgive me.  Ma
y
be you are right Hawk about the nap.” 
He sat
down his glass.  “Sorry all, I think I will retire for a while.  I guess I just have a lot going through my mind.  I
’
ll see you at dinner.”

Seymour laughed as Peyton left the room.  Looking at Durham
, “
Peyton seems
to be having the same problem you were having a few days ago.  Grumpy as a bear.”

“Was I like that?”  Durham asked.

“Yes,”
All three friends shouted.

Declan
grinned then
turned to P
arker. 
“Do you have a moment?”

“Sure, Hawk.” 
Parker nodded
.

“Can we go to your study?” 
Declan said with furr
owed brows.

“Will you two be fine without Hawk and I for a few moments?”

Seymour s
hrugged. 
“I think Peyton has the
right idea.  I might take a nap
as
well.”  He stood and stretched
,
then grimaced.  “I’m becoming an old man.”

***

A few minutes
later,
they were in the study sipping on some of Parker’s best whiskey.  Declan slouched further in his leather wingback chair savoring the slow heat burning down to
his gut
, trying to think of a clever way to voice his request
.