Betting against the scoundrel: An enemies to lovers, forced proximity, regency historical romance with a scandalous bet, a masquerade and a big comeback (Dukes and Secrets Book 4) by Mariah Stone

Author:Mariah Stone [Stone, Mariah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Stone Publishing B.V.
Published: 2024-02-26T18:30:00+00:00

17

When the door closed behind them and they were left alone in the bedchamber, Spencer walked to her, limping slightly, his gaze holding her captive in the dancing light of the candles.

“My debt is still to be collected, Joanna,” he said, purring. “I told you, I’ll have all your firsts. Your first kiss. Your first orgasm. And if you let me, tonight, I’ll be your first man.”

The room, situated on the upper floor of the inn, had two tall mullioned windows beyond which Joanna could see the fire playing in the courtyard torches. Heavy curtains of deep crimson damask, lined with a layer of muslin to keep out the summer’s heat, hung on either side. A pretty porcelain vase with freshly picked lavender sat on one of the oak windowsills, and Joanna inhaled the pleasant scent she loved.

A four-poster walnut bed with intricately carved posts had a crimson canopy embroidered with motifs of pheasants and wildflowers. The bed was covered with white linen, crisply ironed, and the coverlet held the sheen of well-woven brocade.

Opposite the bed was a fireplace with a shining black coal grate. Above it, a gilt-framed mirror was positioned to magnify the light from the candles or the fire.

To the right of the bedroom door was a cherrywood secretaire, its brass fixtures gleaming in the candlelight. A quill, an inkwell, and a stack of paper were neatly arranged on its surface.

A walnut wardrobe with brass handles stood in a corner. Near the windows was a small sitting area—two cushioned chairs of dark oak, upholstered in fine chintz. Between them was a small table with a porcelain teapot and matching cups. An intricate rug covered a clean, wooden floor, its patterns mirroring the wildflowers in the bed’s canopy.

Spencer halted a mere breath away, his intense gaze softening into something more gentle. Joanna cleared her throat, her corset and her chemise suddenly too tight.

He looked her over with a faint smile on his lips, his head inclined slightly towards her. He was devastatingly handsome, with his godlike features looking as though they were carved from stone, with his broad shoulders hidden under his dark coat of the latest fashion, a crisp white cravat covering his strong neck.

And his scent… She wished she could bottle it like a perfume and smell it every day for a minute or two just for her own pleasure.

If she was to lose her virginity to anyone, she would want it to be him.

And perhaps Miss Joanna Digby couldn’t have him for the rest of her life, but Mrs. Hadecliff could have her husband for tonight.

But was that the right decision? Losing her virginity before marriage could be devastating if anyone would ever find out. And if, by some miracle, she would get married one day, how would she ever explain to her husband that she was impure? She was too honest to pretend about something as big as that.

But she’d never get married, said that part of herself that sounded so much like her mama.

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