Chapter 10
In the three days since he’d last seen Evelina, Vaughn had not stopped thinking about her and that charged moment in the carriage when their lips had met and it wasn’t for anything but pleasure.
She had been the star of his vivid fantasies, as well.
So as his carriage arrived at her home so they could go together to the gathering of a few friends and their mistresses, he had both a spring to his step and a little embarrassment in his heart.
He was going to have to look at her and try to pretend that in his dreams he hadn’t undressed her with his teeth.
Not to mention she would likely have an answer to his suggestion that they renegotiate the terms of their arrangement.
If she said no, he would have to hide his disappointment and recover.
After all, this thing between them was never supposed to be about connection or sex.
If she didn’t want those things with him, he could manage that.
And somehow stop fantasizing about it so their affiliation wouldn’t become uncomfortable.
When he got out of the carriage and went up to her door, he was greeted by her butler. Unlike when he’d taken her to the opera, he was escorted to a parlor and found she was already there waiting for him.
She turned from the fire as he entered and he caught his breath.
She truly was lovely. The dusky pink of her gown matched the bright color in her cheeks and the lines of it accentuate her gorgeous curves.
Her hair was done loosely tonight, with pretty little ringlets arranged to highlight the angles of her face.
“Aren’t you a vision,” he murmured, and it wasn’t a lie.
She smiled, that blush going even darker than the dress. “You are too much of a flatterer, I will get a swelled head at this rate.”
“I say nothing that isn’t true. Certainly, I cannot be the first man to give you compliments. They must line up to do so.”
Her lips thinned a little and he realized he’d hit upon a point of true pain for her without meaning to. “Not exactly,” she said.
He shook his head in disbelief. “Southwater wasn’t free with his compliments? Even when he got to regularly see you looking like this?”
She shrugged, but the dismissive action didn’t match the emotion on her face. “Not in the last six or seven months we were together. I realize now he must have been saving those compliments for someone else.”
Anger flared in him, but for the first time in this situation, it wasn’t for himself. Right now it didn’t matter that perhaps Southwater had been complimenting Florence instead, it was only how the removal of his affection had hurt Evelina.
He stepped a little closer and caught her hand, lifting it to her lips.
“The fact that he couldn’t only see you in any room is proof enough of what a fool he is.
You are stunning, Evie, truly a sight to behold and any man who doesn’t track your every move and breathe out the word goddess in your wake is an idiot. ”
Her gaze darted down and her cheeks pinkened even further. “You see, entirely swelled head.”
“I doubt that,” he teased. “And now, shall we go?”
She nodded and they moved into the foyer together where she retrieved her wrap from her butler and then they were off to the carriage. He helped her into her seat and they rattled into the night toward their destination.
She shifted as they rode, her hands crossing and uncrossing her lap. “Er, remind me what friends we’re visiting?”
“The Marquess of Ravenscroft and his mistress—”
“Matilda,” Evelina provided with a smile. “Oh, I like her.”
“Good. And I believe the Earl of Thistlebury will also be in attendance.”
“Thistlebury.” She seemed to search her mind for a moment. “Harriet Benson,” she supplied at last. “She’s a very experienced courtesan and I don’t know her well, but I’ve always respected her.”
“Then it shall be a very fine evening,” he said. When she nodded and then her gaze darted away, he sighed. “Evelina, it appears you have something that is weighing on your mind. The ride is more than a quarter hour to go, won’t you clear your thoughts and tell me?”
She huffed out a breath. “Very well. Yes, I’ve something to say. To ask. To discuss.”
A frisson of anxiety made his arms tingle momentarily. She didn’t sound pleased and he feared she would, indeed, deny him. Somehow he managed to keep all that emotion from his voice as he said, “Go ahead.”
“I’ve been thinking about what you said the other night after we kissed in the carriage. That we could renegotiate the terms.”
He arched a brow and metered his breath. “Have you now?”
Her expression tightened. “Oh, please don’t play games with me. If you’ve changed your mind about…about what you want…then just be direct.”
He stared for a moment. Her upset made him realize that she had been just as afraid he didn’t want to change the trajectory of their affair as he had been.
Here they were, two idiots who would have probably had a great deal of fun days earlier if they’d just been brave enough to have this conversation.
He leaned closer and caught her hand. “I wouldn’t ever play games with you, Evie. At least not this kind. I would very much like to renegotiate terms with you. That kiss is all I’ve thought about, in detail, since it happened.”
Her lips parted and then a little smile tilted them. “Oh.”
“And what about you?”
“Oh yes,” she whispered. “In great detail.”
All he wanted to do was launch himself across the carriage, gather her up against him and finish what they’d started in that exact position two nights before. But the vehicle was slowing as they reached the home of his friend’s mistress and he forced himself to remain just where he was.
“You’ve no idea how much I want to start these ‘negotiations’ with you right now, but it will have to wait since I think this evening could further both our goals for the future.”
She nodded and then inched forward on her seat, her knees invading his space and the soft cherry blossom scent of her curling into his nostrils like a drug that made him lose all control.
“Well, some people say the waiting is the best part.” She stroked a fingertip along his jawline and electric desire seemed to follow in its wake.
“That is absolutely not true,” he said with a tense laugh. “If the waiting is the best part, the man is definitely not doing something right.”
She laughed along with him and dropped her hand as the carriage door opened. He stepped out and waved off the footman so he could reach back for her. “May I help you down, my dear?”
Her smile faded a fraction and he actually watched the moment when she put back on the mask of the courtesan. She was going to play a role tonight of his lover, the woman who was making him forget all the betrayals that had cut open his soul. It was their game, no matter what happened next.
He knew all that and he was still shocked by how much it bothered him to see her pull away from whatever real connection they were developing. He shouldn’t want that. Desire was one thing but that…that was something else.
He shook all those thoughts away as she slipped her hand into his elbow and he guided her toward the house. He was not going to let anything get in the way of having a good time tonight, both for show and for reality.
* * *
Evelina hadn’t been entirely sure how this night would go, but as supper ended, she had to admit she’d actually had…
fun. The courtesans in attendance were lovely, their protectors influential men but also seemingly decent.
They were all kind to Vaughn, at any rate, and that was all she wanted.
He had smiled a great deal as the meal went on.
He was very handsome when he smiled, truly smiled and it went all the way to those stunning green eyes.
The man had also flirted with her shamelessly. He was always letting his hand linger on hers or locking eyes with her for a little too long. She found herself squirming in her seat all night, thinking about what would likely happen when the gathering was over and they were alone again.
“Shall the ladies retire to the parlor while the men share some port?” Matilda said as she and Lord Ravenscroft rose and smiled at each other.
“That’s a fine idea,” Lord Thistlebury said. “I haven’t played a round of billiards with Blackburn for months and I am owed the chance to best him after the last routing.”
“I’m rusty, so you might get your wish,” Vaughn said as he helped Evelina from her chair.
The couples started from the room together, talking and smiling before they’d part ways in the hall. Vaughn took her hand and lifted it to his lips before he whispered, “Just a short time now and we can go back to my home and…negotiate. Be prepared, I think I shall want to negotiate all night.”
She shook her head and swatted at his chest playfully. “You are terrible. But…I am looking forward to doing some negotiating.”
They followed the others and Vaughn kissed her hand again before he let her trail off into the parlor where the other courtesans had gone before he hustled to catch up with the two gentlemen.
The two women were already at the sideboard, pouring wine and spirits. “Harriet is having a scotch, wicked thing,” Matilda said as she turned to Evelina. “What will you have, my dear? I’ve a wonderful madeira.”
“Madeira is my favorite, I’ll have one with you,” Evelina said, and walked to the fireplace. She smiled at the miniature of the marquess that was perched there. “You and Ravenscroft seem well matched,” she said. “You’ve been with him for what…a month or two?”
“Oh yes, is he still making your toes curl in every room in this wonderful little house?” Harriet asked.
Matilda laughed and shook her head. “You two are terrible. And Harriet is spot on. It’s wonderful when the sex is actually good, isn’t it? Makes the entire endeavor much easier.”