Devils Like Me: A Dark Regency Friends to Lovers Romance by Elizabeth Muse

Author:Elizabeth Muse [Muse, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Plot Bunny Publishing
Published: 2024-06-28T00:00:00+00:00

19

AMELIA

Henry twirled me about once more, smiling down at me and giving one of his now infamous winks. It was our second dance of the evening. And our last. One more and the ton would be speaking of our official courtship by morning.

It did not matter that I had danced with other men this evening. It did not matter that there could never be anything more between us than what already was since I did not wish to burden Henry with a broken, damaged wife. It did not matter that I felt the whole situation entirely unfair because I wanted as many dances together as he would give me. And it certainly did not matter that courtship had never been available to me—at least in my mind—after my catastrophic evening with Philip Beauchamp.

There were occasions, such as this one, that caused me to detest the rules and customs of the gentry. Mainly because they did not allow for exceptions.

Then again, the secrets we shared in the dark made nights like this more fun.

“Are you ready, dearest?”

I nodded. Then the music swelled and ended, leaving me to curtsy and Henry to bow. And I turned straight for the wall and the outskirts of the party, where I had always been the most comfortable.

Of course, recently it had not bothered me so much to be on the dance floor. And I was happiest when my partner was Henry Pembrooke. But even when it became necessary to dance with any other man for the sake of keeping the gossip at bay, I often found myself tingling as Henry watched us closely.

He always stood nearby, eyeing our movements with an intensity he typically reserved for our more intimate moments, which never failed to make the man who had dared ask me quite uncomfortable. And it had caused me to wonder what it was that might be wrong with me if I enjoyed the entire interaction so much.

Henry Pembrooke jealous was a sight to behold.

It also helped to know that tonight, after we were finally alone in his bedroom, he would undress me and proceed to kiss every part of my body that another man had touched, even through layers of satin and lace. As if he was replacing them with a touch of his own.

Though tonight, I had another reason to be excited.

I watched as Henry’s retreating figure exited out the same door Lord Hoskins had moments earlier, leaving me truly alone at this party. My father and brother were milling about somewhere, assuming that Henry would not leave my side, and I was free to continue on with our plan.

Thomas had slowly become comfortable with letting me out of his sight, which I found quite sweet. And tonight, it meant everything was going smoothly, exactly as we intended. A trust had been built between the three of us, Thomas, Henry, and myself, and even though Henry had stepped out, that trust would not be destroyed with the scene I meant to cause shortly.

A

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