2. Chapter 2
Louis
Louis stood by the window in his chamber reading the letter from Max.
Look after Georgie until I arrive. Don’t let her do anything I wouldn’t approve of. I don’t want some libertine taking advantage of her. I'll be there by the second week. I owe you.
He folded the letter and tossed it onto the nearby writing desk.
Look after Georgie. He could do that. Max hadn't asked him to do anything difficult. Although his friend might not approve of their little wager, it was all in good fun and it would give him an excuse to stay nearby.
The thought of her being taken in by one of the men at the party made his jaw clench. And he told himself that it was a perfectly reasonable reaction to have over a woman who was now under his protection.
He could do this. He was good at doing what was expected of him, like following his father’s advice not to form any kind of long-term attachments.
His father had called it good sense. His father had a great many ideals about women and marriage after Louis's mother packed a single trunk and climbed into a carriage with the stable hand and never looked back.
The old man drank himself half to death and told his only son that the fool who lets a woman under his skin deserves whatever she does to him.
Louis had taken the lesson to heart. He didn't let anyone get close enough to hurt him. He let them into his bed for a good time—and then he let them go. It was exactly how he wanted his life to be, and dalliances were all he’d ever need.
His valet tended to his appearance, and then he went down to join the others for dinner.
The candlelit dining room had a table set for the thirty or more guests invited by Wesley and Thea.
Louis sat between a widow named Lady Hurst and John Liddell, Earl of Ravensworth.
John’s wife Maddie sat across the table and was making Thea laugh about something.
Maddie also happened to be another of Louis’s close friends.
Before Maddie had found her way back to John, Louis and her had an understanding of sorts.
It was one that ensured their physical needs were met with none of the attachment.
Louis thought he might have even considered marrying Maddie since they got on well and enjoyed each other sexually.
But then Maddie had married John, and the two were happily in love.
Louis couldn’t be more delighted for them. And he was relieved that John was more focused on his love for Maddie instead of any petty jealousy he might feel toward Louis.
Lady Hurst touched his arm to get his attention, pulling his focus from John and Maddie. He gave her his most charming smile. She was attractive—exactly the kind of woman he'd have charmed into a dark corner at any other house party.
He opened his mouth to say something clever to the pretty widow, but his attention snapped to Georgie.
She was seated a few chairs down, next to some baronet's son who watched her as if he were undressing her with his eyes. Her dark hair was pinned up, the line of her neck bare above a gown cut just low enough that he couldn’t stop his own eyes from landing on her chest.
Louis had never once looked at Georgie that way before. She was gorgeous. There was no denying that Georgie was one of the most beautiful women that he’d ever seen. And it was unsettling. Looking at Georgie that way was something that just couldn’t happen.
He took a long sip of wine. He was supposed to be watching her for Max, not wondering what was beneath her dress.
“You should try a little food with your wine,” John said from Louis’s other side, not looking up from his plate.
“You might not be a man who enjoys a drink, but this is a house party. There is nothing wrong with a bit of merriment.”
John laughed and then glanced at Maddie before focusing on Louis. “Just how merry do you plan to be?”
Louis stole another glance at Georgie. “Some of us aren’t ready to settle into wedded bliss.”
And never will be. Louis set his glass down. John shook his head and went back to his pheasant knowing that he didn’t have a counterpoint to that.
Lady Hurst brushed her foot against his under the table. If he hadn’t known what her intentions were before, he was certain of them now. A flirtation with her was certainly more acceptable than staring at the bosom of his closest friend’s sister.
He pulled his foot away when laughter like tinkling bells caught his attention. Georgie was still speaking with that same man. Whatever his name was.
Louis groaned and picked up his glass. Across the table, Maddie caught his eye. She held it for a moment, glanced toward Georgie, then looked back at him with an expression he knew far too well.
He leveled her with a firm stare to communicate that he didn’t want her to say a word about whatever it was that she was thinking.
Louis did his best to focus on his plate for the rest of the meal, only speaking to John every now and then about horses and hunting dogs.
Dinner ended and the men enjoyed their port. Maddie waited for him outside the drawing room where everyone would be gathering this evening for a round of cards.
She pulled him to an alcove on the other side of the door. “Are you quite serious, Louis? Max's sister?”
He gritted his teeth. “You have become quite the busybody since you’ve married. Max asked me to keep an eye on her. That’s all there is to it.”
“So is that what I just witnessed at supper?” She folded her arms and leaned against the wall, blocking his path. “Are you certain that’s all it was, Louis?”
“She’s Max’s sister.” He said the words as if they should explain everything. More for his benefit than Maddie’s. “And I’m going to keep my eye on her. Now if you excuse me, we made a wager about cards.” Louis took a step toward the drawing room.
“A wager.” Maddie’s brows went up. “What kind of wager?”
“It’s innocent. These things are always full of cards and games. It’ll keep her entertained until Max gets here.”
He was positive that Maddie wasn’t going to believe him.
“She's not one of your widows, Louis. You know that.”
“Neither were you, and look how happy you are now.” He let the words slip faster than he could stop himself. The last thing he needed was for Maddie to think he’d take up a similar arrangement with Georgie.
And then the image of Georgie naked in his bed entered his head, and his entire body reacted.
“Those were very different situations.” She patted his arm. “Just don’t do anything foolish, Louis.”
Then she stepped to the side and headed toward the drawing room. Louis stood in the corridor to get control over himself as he willed his hard cock to ease in his breeches. This wager was going to be a very bad idea if he kept being such a cad.
He drew a deep breath and then entered the drawing room.
Thea had already taken command of the room as she spoke to those seated at the various card tables. “Vingt-et-un. Stakes are modest because Wesley will lecture me if anyone loses an estate at my table. Again.”
“That was one time,” Wes said from behind her. “And it was Louis's fault for getting the poor soul to increase his wager.”
“It was not my fault. He should not have bet what he couldn't afford to lose.”
Louis took his seat and found Georgie settling into the chair across from him. He tried to open his mouth to say something clever to get back to the comfortable, lighthearted camaraderie they’d always had. But when she looked up at him, he forgot what he'd been about to say.
“Ready for the fun to begin?” she asked.
It took him a beat too long to answer. “You are going down, my lady.”
The mental images returned. Thankfully the table hid what was going on in his breeches.
He was aware of her through the rest of the evening in a way that had nothing to do with cards.
The way she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear between hands.
The way her fingers moved when she stacked her coins.
The way she leaned forward during a close round and her neckline shifted, causing his gaze to drop before he could stop it.
One second. Maybe less. When he dragged his eyes back to her face, she was watching him with a look that said she'd caught every bit of it.
Georgie won three hands total. Louis won two. Thea won everything else and declared herself the true champion of the evening. No one bothered to dispute that because Thea was terrifying when challenged.
The party began to thin. Maddie and John retired first—Maddie catching Louis's eye on the way out and mouthing behave with a pointed look that he ignored. Many of the other guests drifted off in pairs and groups until the drawing room held nothing but dying candles and the two of them.
Louis should leave. The sensible thing was to stand, wish her goodnight, and walk to his room while Maddie's voice still rang in his ears. She's not one of your widows.
He stood from his chair to do just that, and she rose as well. “Walk me to my chamber, Louis?”
Glancing over to Georgie’s mother, he saw that she was deep in lively conversation with a countess.
He had no business walking through the darkened hallways with an unmarried miss.
That was the kind of action that could just as soon see him wed or at the other end of her brother’s pistol.
Especially if anyone knew where he’d allowed his thoughts to wander.
But she stood there waiting, and he was not strong enough to refuse.
“Of course I’ll escort you.” Apparently he'd lost all sense of self-preservation.
He offered his arm. She took it, and her fingers settled into the crook of his elbow.
The warmth of her hand through the fabric of his coat was enough to make his pulse kick.
They walked through the corridor, the house quiet around them.
Most of the candles in the wall sconces had burned low, and the shadowed hallway stretched ahead.
He was aware of every bit of contact his body had with hers. Her fingers on his arm. How her shoulder brushed his with each step. The way she matched his pace without effort, her body close enough that he could feel the heat of her through the layers between them.
“Tomorrow should be interesting.” She gripped his arm tighter. “I’m currently beating you if you hadn’t noticed.”
“I just allowed you a bit of a head start. That’s all.”
“You allowed nothing. I took it.” She glanced up at him, and the low light caught the curve of her mouth. “We’ll see how gracious of a loser you are.”
“You are certainly a picture of grace in how you flaunt your winnings.”
She leaned closer to him when she laughed, and the sensation of having her body pressed against his side shot through him. He urged them down the hall, fighting to keep his breathing even.
They reached the door to her chamber. She stopped, and he went still beside her. Her room was at the end of the guest wing. His was only three doors down. He was aware of that distance the way he was aware of everything about her tonight. And that would only lead to trouble.
Georgie released his arm, and the absence of her touch was worse than the torture of knowing that nothing could come from it.
She turned to face him. She was close. Close enough that he could see the pulse at the base of her throat, quick and steady, and the slight parting of her lips as she looked up at him.
“Thank you for the escort, Louis.” Her voice was low and warm, and there was something dangerous in her eyes.
“No thanks needed.” His voice came out rough.
She didn't move to open her door. He didn't step back. The space between them was a hand's width, maybe less, and every inch of it was charged with something that Louis could not afford and could not bring himself to break.
Her gaze dropped to his mouth. Just for a second. And his entire body went tight—his hands, his jaw, the breath caught somewhere between his chest and his throat.
Louis was far too aware that he could lean down several inches and his lips would be on hers.
He should say goodnight. He should step back, give her a polite bow, and walk to his own door before he did something that couldn't be undone. Max's letter was sitting on his desk. Max's trust was on his shoulders. Georgie Whitmore was not a lady he could dally with.
“Goodnight, Georgie.” He made himself say it. Made his feet take one step back.
Something flickered across her face—disappointment, maybe, or the recognition that they’d found themselves in a precarious situation. She held his gaze for one more breath, and then her hand found the door handle behind her.
“Goodnight, Louis.” She opened the door and slipped inside. It closed with a soft click.
Louis stood in the hallway staring at the wood grain of her door for longer than any sane man should. Then he turned and walked the three doors to his own chamber, let himself in, and pressed his back against the closed door.
His heart was hammering. His hands were shaking. The taste of something he hadn't let himself have sat bitter on his tongue.
He'd done the right thing. He'd walked away. He'd kept his hands to himself and his mouth off hers and his promise to Max intact.
It was the hardest thing he'd done in years, and he doubted his ability to resist such temptation again.