In Search of Love: Convenient Arrangements (Book 2) by Pearson Rose

Author:Pearson, Rose
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Landon Hill Media
Published: 2020-02-28T16:00:00+00:00

* * *

“You do not want to take a walk with me?”

Lady Darlington looked up at him beseechingly, her eyes like warm honey as she shot him a quick but enticing smile. “It is only a short walk into the gardens,” she purred, one hand now tight on his arm, pulling him closer to her. “There are a good many hiding places where we might go, for even a few minutes.”

Thomas winced inwardly, feeling the urgent desire to do precisely as she asked, to do all that she wished, and knowing that the only reason he was choosing not to do so was simply because of his promise to Miss Sussex. He had told her that he wanted to be a very different gentleman, to turn his back on what he had done before, realizing that the consequences of his prior behavior were now coming back to hit him hard, but now that he was in the moment, standing by Lady Darlington and looking down into her beautiful eyes, he found himself less than eager to do as he had promised. Instead, he wanted to walk out into the gardens with her, to find a quiet place and steal some kisses from her.

“You cannot tell me that you are reluctant to do so again!” Lady Darlington huffed, now looking a little petulant. “Whatever is the matter, Lord Altringham? Is it that you no longer wish to accept my attentions?”

“No, no indeed,” he found himself saying with such fervor that Lady Darlington’s eyes lit up almost at once, her pouting lips curving into a smile. “You must understand, I have promised dances to other young ladies and—”

“You have time,” she said, her hands wrapped around his arm as she began to walk toward the door that led to the gardens. “And besides which, am I not more important than a silly dance or two?”

He cleared his throat, feeling himself growing more and more uncomfortable with every step he took. “Yes, of course you are,” he said, trying to speak as warmly as he could. “But still, I should not like to upset any of the other ladies I am promised to.”

Lady Darlington laughed and patted his arm. “We shall be very quick indeed,” she smiled, leaning into him all the more. “But I promise you, you will not regret spending a little bit of time with me.”

It was a very strange sensation to feel oneself battling between what one wanted to do and what one knew he ought to do, Thomas considered as he was led out of the ballroom by Lady Darlington. There was so much that she had to offer him but the pleasure would be only fleeting, only temporary. He winced as Lady Darlington laughed and pressed his arm again, feeling the pain in his shoulder and recalling, with cold, hard clarity, precisely why he was not to step out of the ballroom.

But it was by now much too late. The door was behind him, the darkness already swallowing both himself and Lady Darlington up.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.