Some Like It Wicked (Hellion's Den) (14 page)

“Yes, I see,” he at last murmured, moving to settle upon a plush velvet chair, his amusement still visible upon the thin countenance.

“What do you see?”

“Either a miracle or a tragedy. Time will tell.” He leaned back with a faint smile. “Now, tell me why you came to see me this morning. Surely it was not merely to receive my best wishes for your upcoming nuptials?”

Hellion forced his stiff muscles to relax. Perhaps it was understandable that his friend was somewhat rattled, he told himself. Hell, he was rattled. And he did need assistance, as much as it rubbed his pride to admit it.

“Actually your best wishes would be rather premature,” he grudgingly conceded. “She has not yet agreed.”

“Fah.” Biddles lifted an elegant hand. “A mere technicality. You cannot suppose she would be daft enough to refuse your suit, do you?”

Hellion gave a humorless chuckle. “Without hesitation. Miss Middleton has a mind of her own and is not at all impressed by the knowledge I am considered an enviable catch among the Ton. Indeed, I believe that it is one of the reasons that she hesitates to accept the sincerity of my offer. She cannot accept that I would truly desire her as my wife.”

“A mind of her own, eh? That could prove a problem,” Biddles acknowledged wryly. “I have lately discovered women with their own minds can be shockingly difficult to train to the leash.”

Hellion gave a lift of one brow. “
You
have discovered? My dear Biddles, whatever do you mean?”

Startled, the sly gentleman gave a discomfited cough at the blunt question. “Nothing more than a passing acquaintance with such a female. Thankfully we are discussing you and your troubles this morning. Tell me of your plans to win Miss Middleton’s agreement to your proposal.”

Hellion resisted the urge to torment his friend. It would be a delight to discover precisely who this mystery woman was who had put him in such a twit. That would have to wait until later, however. When he could fully enjoy the pleasure of watching Biddles squirm.

“I haven’t a plan,” he admitted with a hint of frustration. “Unfortunately, I am discovering that there is a considerable difference between seducing a woman and courting an innocent maiden. Especially a maiden who has no interest in the usual flirtations.”

Biddles templed his fingers beneath his chin. “You are certain she is so opposed to flirtations?”

Hellion smiled dryly. “Well, she certainly is in no danger of being overwhelmed by my brilliantly pathetic attempts.”

“That was when she thought your attentions were merely a ruse that she had bought and paid for. She would have been a fool to be swayed by your charm before you announced your intention to wed.”

Hellion was not so easily convinced. “She did not seem any more amenable to my charms even after I proposed. In truth she fled from me as if she feared I might carry the plague.”

“Well, you can hardly blame her. No doubt she was somewhat caught off guard by your offer,” Biddles soothed, his lips twisting. “God knows I was.”

Hellion frowned as he pondered the explanation. It was true enough that he had taken Jane by surprise. Hell’s fire, she had been shocked to the tips of her tiny toes.

“Perhaps.” His fingers tapped an impatient tattoo upon the arm of the sofa. He did not like this feeling of uncertainty. It was not at all what he was accustomed to. “So you believe she will welcome my attentions once she accepts that I am in earnest?”

Biddles offered a faint shrug. “Unfortunately that is impossible to say. Miss Middleton does not seem to be the type to give her heart lightly. Especially not to a seasoned rake.”

“Well, that is a bloody lot of help,” Hellion muttered in exasperation. “Do you suppose I should toss her over my shoulder and haul her to Gretna Green?”

A decided amusement tugged at his companion’s lips. “I do not believe such a drastic action is called for. At least not yet.”

“Then what the hell am I to do?”

“Romance her.”

Hellion blinked in bewilderment. “What?”

“Every young woman dreams of romance,” Biddles patiently explained.

“Not Jane,” Hellion retorted in stubborn tones. “She is far too wary to allow herself to be seduced. I will have to win her trust before I can bed her.”

Biddles gave a click of his tongue. “I did not mean to seduce her. Or at least, not exactly.”

“Then what the devil do you mean?”

“I mean that you must offer her romance, not the shallow flirtations that the more sophisticated women enjoy.”

Hellion abruptly grimaced. “Gads, you cannot mean spouting hideous poetry and kneeling at her feet like a besotted fool? I could not bear it. Not to mention the fact that Jane would have me committed to Bedlam.”

“I mean considering how best to please her. Discover what she enjoys, what makes her laugh or stirs her emotions. And of course you must be unpredictable. Shower her with surprises until she does not know what to expect from one moment to the other.” A sudden gleam entered the pale eyes. “If nothing else such things will keep her off guard until you can lure her into your bed.”

Despite his uncertainty that such tactics would sway his utterly sensible Jane, Hellion gave a slow nod. He supposed it was worth a try.

And if it didn’t work, then he would reconsider the notion of Gretna Green.

Or perhaps taking her to his bed and not letting her out until she admitted he was the only gentleman who could bring her happiness.

“Very well. Let us decide precisely how I am to romance Miss Middleton into my arms and up the nearest aisle.”

 

 

It was three days later when Hellion was at last prepared to approach his reluctant bride. Attired in a striking blue coat and pale breeches he called for his tilbury and matching grays. From there it was only a short drive to Jane’s tidy town house.

Leaving his groom to walk the restless horses, Hellion vaulted up the steps and offered a ready smile for the butler who held open the door.

“Good day, Reeves. I presume Miss Middleton is at home?”

The elderly servant offered a regretful shake of his head. “I fear not, sir. She left quite early to take a stroll through the nearby park. She should be returning at any moment if you would care to wait.”

A sudden smile curved Hellion’s lips. He had realized that the most difficult part of his scheme would be luring Jane from the protection of her home. She could be extraordinarily stubborn when she desired. And while he was quite willing to simply toss her over his shoulder and carry her out, if worse came to worse, he preferred not to start off their journey with her temper in full fury. He was, after all, intent on romance.

Thankfully it appeared such pirate tactics would not be needed. She had readily left herself available to be swept off her feet.

Now, he just had to track her down so he could start his sweeping.

With an impatient lift of his hand he had his groom hurrying back to the curb and within moments Hellion was bowling down the road toward the small park. He had just reached the gates when he spied the familiar slender form in a plain gray gown and straw bonnet walking briskly in his direction. With a pleasurable tingle of antici-pation he pulled the carriage to a halt and watched her approach.

Not yet aware of his arrival Jane continued down the path with her head lowered as if in deep thought. Hellion leaned back upon the leather seat with a flare of amusement.

Gads, but she appeared a dowd, he acknowledged with a low chuckle. The dull gray of her gown did nothing to compliment the dusky skin or the lovely blue eyes. And no lady of style would be caught dead in a bonnet that would have been more fitting for a milkmaid.

Still, he could not deny the intense pleasure that filled him at the sight of her. Not just a sensual awareness, although he ached for her with a desperation that was nearly frightening, but more an odd warmth that seemed to ease the restlessness that constantly plagued him.

This woman offered what no other woman had ever offered.

A peace and deep sense of security that he had not even realized he longed for.

Unaware of the glow of contentment that smoldered in his dark eyes, Hellion waited for his soon-to-be-wife to reach the gates. Then, with the swift grace of a hunting panther he was leaping from the carriage and moving silently to place his large form directly in her path.

With her head still lowered Jane had no warning of his sudden approach. Not until she was within touching distance did she abruptly come to a halt. Then, as if already sensing who stood before her, she slowly lifted her head.

“Good day, my sweet,” he murmured.

“Hellion.” An expression of sweet longing, or at least what he convinced himself was sweet longing, briefly rippled over the gamine countenance before the staunch composure was wrestled back into place. “What are you doing here?”

His lips twitched at the question. From any other woman he would presume she was being deliberately coy. Jane, however, was never coy.

“Seeking you, of course.”

“Oh.” She folded her hands together, as if to hide her unease. “Why?”

Instinctively his hand lifted to gently touch the amazing softness of her cheek. At the same moment he leaned just close enough to catch the intoxicating scent of sweet spring that clung to her skin.

“It seems to have become rather a habit lately,” he murmured, his gaze drifting toward those soft lips that had become a nightly torment in his dreams. Soon, he told his frustrated body. Soon those lips would be performing every erotic fantasy he had ever harbored. “I do hope you are not so elusive once we are wed. I prefer the thought of us comfortably settled in each others’ arms before a warm fire to dashing through the neighborhood in pursuit of my wife.”

He heard her breath catch before she was forcing herself to regard him with a stern gaze of disapproval.

“I have said nothing to indicate that I am willing to be your wife, sir.”

Hellion merely shrugged. “But you will. It is inevitable.”

“Nothing is inevitable.” The finely arched brows rose in a silent reprimand. “Especially when it comes to my future husband.”

He countered the stern words with a deliberately bland smile. “If it comforts you to believe so, my sweet.”

An exasperated sigh hissed through her clenched teeth. “Saints give me patience. You truly are . . .”

“Arrogant? Impossible? Utterly enchanting?” he helpfully supplied.

The blue eyes flashed, but the irrepressible sense of humor that was such a part of her charm curved her lips in a reluctant smile.

“Utterly daft.”

“Perhaps.” He lowered his gaze as his fingers lightly drifted to stroke over the maddening lips. A foolish mistake. His randy passions were instantly stirred as he easily imagined those lips pressed beneath his own. Or better yet, feeling them stroking down his throat and nibbling softly over his chest. Perhaps they would tease at his nipples before straying downward over the tense muscles of his stomach and then . . . damn, damn, damn. He abruptly cut off the persistent image before he became completely aroused. Why the devil did he continue to fantasize about those damnable lips? With an effort he returned his wicked thoughts to less dangerous terrain. “They claim that all gentlemen become incomprehensibly daft once in their life and that the only cure is marriage. You hold the return of my sanity in your delicate hands, my dear.”

Jane appeared oddly flustered by his soft words. “I . . . Why did you wish to see me?”

“Ah.” He regarded her with a mysterious smile. “I have a surprise for you.”

He felt her stiffen beneath his fingers. “A surprise? For me?”

He did not expect the squeals of delight and excitement that he had come to expect from his mistresses at the mention of a surprise. Or even the impassioned kisses that they readily bestowed.

Still, there was no call for the guarded wariness that shrouded her.

“Do not regard me with such suspicion,” he said dryly. “I do not have a special license tucked in my pocket, nor do I intend to haul you off to Gretna Green, as tempting as the thought might be.”

“What is it?”

“It would hardly be a surprise if I tell you.”

She unwittingly gnawed upon her lower lip as she searched his countenance for some hint of his intentions.

“Then where is it?”

“Ah, that is part of the surprise.”

“You truly expect me to simply allow you to take me off heaven knows where for heaven knows how long without the least concern?”

His smile faded as he shifted to take her small hands firmly in his own, waiting until he had firmly captured her gaze with his own.

“I hope you will trust me.”

Her eyes darkened as her teeth continued to worry her poor lip. “I do not know if I can.”

A sharp stab pierced Hellion’s heart at her hesitant words. He had always avoided the sort of entanglements that would demand another’s trust. Such close relationships came with responsibilities that he did not desire. Now he found himself struggling to find the means of proving he was worthy to command her confidence.

“Jane, all I am asking for is your faith in this one moment,” he urged in husky tones. “How else will you ever learn that you can believe in me?”

“I . . .”

“Please, my sweet.”

Hellion held his breath as Jane silently battled within herself. No doubt her common sense was urging her to flatly refuse to spend a moment in his company. As she was well aware he was a rake and rogue who could easily take advantage of the slightest vulnerability. But at the same time there was a hint of curiosity that she could not completely deny. And a renegade desire to be in his company.

At last she sucked in a steadying breath and lifted her chin to a defiant angle.

“Very well, Hellion. But I warn you, if this is a trick I shall make you regret your deception.”