Retreat From Love by Samantha Kane

Author:Samantha Kane
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Tags: Book/Menage
ISBN: 9781419919428
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Published: 2008-12-01T05:00:00+00:00

Freddy deliberately returned to the library after dinner that evening. He refused to bring up this afternoon’s erotic interlude in the Goode drawing room, but simply by retreating to the library Freddy hoped Brett would think about it, would understand that not discussing what was happening between the two of them, with Anne, was foolish. He sat quietly in the same uncomfortable, spindly chair he’d occupied the night before. Brett paced in front of the cold fireplace. Freddy had just finished telling Brett what he’d learned from Stephen about his mother and her role in the Goode’s situation.

“You must marry her, Freddy.”

Brett’s quiet words startled Freddy so much he nearly dropped his port.

“What?” His tone was unguarded and incredulous. Brett was in love with her. This was his opportunity. And yet he was giving her to Freddy? A surge of anger went through Freddy. Anne deserved better treatment. She wasn’t some used garment to pass along when Brett was done with her. She was Anne, damn it. And Brett loved her.

“What the hell are you talking about?” The words were sharp and angry, and Brett looked back at him in surprise. Then anger clouded his features as well.

“Is she not good enough for you, Duke?” Brett’s tone was colder than Freddy had ever heard it.

“Don’t be a fool,” Freddy responded scathingly. “Is she not good enough for you?”

Brett looked astonished. “Now you are being a fool. I told you last night—”

“To hell with what you said last night. I repeat, don’t be a fool. Anne wants you, Brett. You can have her. Marry her.”

Brett looked pained. He set his glass down on a waist-high display case full of obscure artifacts that bordered the mantle. “I can’t.”

Freddy waited for more. He knew it was in vain. There was never more. Why was he so in love with this man who would share nothing of himself? He saw the pain, the uncertainty, the hopelessness in his gaze, but Brett would reveal nothing by choice. He shut Freddy out at every turn. And yet Freddy loved him more each day. Freddy wouldn’t be shut out anymore. “You will.”

Brett’s posture stiffened, became aggressive. Freddy gained hope from his anger. For years Brett had remained imperturbable. But in the last few days his anger couldn’t be held back anymore. If there was anger, there were other emotions simmering beneath the surface. If Freddy could get Brett to release the anger perhaps those emotions would have the chance to arise. “She deserves to be married, Brett. Don’t you respect her enough to make things right?”

Brett snorted in disbelief and his hand violently waved once through the air, as if clearing Freddy’s words away. “I respect her more than you know. I always have. I stayed away because I respected her. Because I respected her feelings.”

“Stayed away?” Freddy asked quietly.

Brett just shook his head and his lips thinned.

“Then marry—”

“That’s why I want you to marry her, Freddy. She deserves to be duchess. She should have been. You know it.

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