The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare

Author:Tessa Dare
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2019-08-12T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

It wasn’t the most lucrative of Gabe’s investments, but there were times when owning one of the largest hotels in London came in useful. This was one of those times. For one thing, he kept spare clothing in his private suite, and thus was able to shed that ridiculous suit of armor.

For another, it offered a uniquely impressive location for a private dinner overlooking the fireworks display.

“Careful.” He led her by the hand, helping her up the last few rungs of a ladder and guiding her onto the rooftop verandah. “We’ll be able to view the fireworks from here.”

“Yes. I should think we will.” The awed hush in her voice thrilled him, as did the way she clutched his arm. “I feel like I’m floating in one of those hot-air balloons.”

“I have the servants coming up with dinner soon.”

“Thank you.” She squeezed close to his side. “This is so much better than that silly masquerade.”

She walked to the verandah’s wrought-iron fencing and propped her forearms on the rail, gazing out over the London sprawl. The breeze plucked at her hair, teasing a few golden locks from their pins.

Gabe joined her. “I still can’t believe the nerve of those sisters.”

“Pity their parents,” she said. “One Miss Irving would be bad enough. They had two in one go.”

“I don’t pity them at all. If you like, I could ruin the whole family for you.”

She turned to him. “What?”

He shrugged. “It might take a few years, but I know how to be patient. It’s only a matter of discreet inquiries here and there, paying attention to patterns. Somewhere there will be debts, unpaid taxes, poor investments—with luck, blackmail payments. No matter how impressive the family estate, there’s always a loose brick somewhere. Every man has his weakness.”

“I know they do.” She lifted an eyebrow. “I’m still looking for yours.”

Cheeky girl. She had to know she took his breath away.

God, she was lovely in moonlight. She was lovely in sunlight, for that matter, and in the pouring rain. Gabe suspected that even in total darkness, she would be radiant. Because though her features were exquisite, and her lips the pinkish hue of rose petals, her most beautiful feature by far was her heart.

Right now, soaring through the stars above the city, miles from everything that could keep them apart . . . he was dangerously close to telling her so.

He was saved by a timely interruption.

“My weakness is dinner,” he said.

A parade of servants came through, bearing a table sized for two, chairs, a damask tablecloth, silver and china, candlesticks, crystal wineglasses, and trays loaded with divine-smelling food.

“My goodness.” She laughed. “Now that was quite the trick.”

“Impressed?” He held out her chair for her.

“Very.”

Gabe settled into his seat and poured her some wine before filling his own glass. “I instructed the chef to prepare you dishes without any meat. I hope they’re satisfactory.”

She uncovered a small tureen and dipped a spoon into the steaming contents. As she stirred, the scent of exotic spices wafted through the air.

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