Dare to Be a Duchess, page 6
Wolf immediately halted beside her.
She shrugged out of his hold. The moment he released her, she took a step back, ready to run in the opposite direction, but he caught her arm in a strong but painless grip.
He pulled her toward him. “It’s Radmore, isn’t it? Lara, is Anne with Radmore?”
Seeing the fury etched on his face, panic began to flutter in her chest. How was she supposed to answer him? She couldn’t compromise Anne in any way. She wouldn’t. And even though her silence would rain his wrath upon her, she kept her lips tightly sealed.
Chapter Eight
Lara’s continued silence only fueled his irritation.
“I know she’s with Radmore, and I know that they have something going on. Because I finally remembered what I saw at the masquerade just before you kissed me.” Her startled expression must have confirmed his suspicion because he asked, “That is why you kissed me, right?”
Silence was the only response he got from her again. He found himself desiring her answer—a specific answer that he should never allow himself to want—so he forced himself to focus.
“I can’t imagine that as her friend you would agree to any of her mad schemes or even encourage them,” he said. “She may get caught in a scandal, and I’m certain that you wouldn’t wish that.”
More silence.
“Lara,” he said his tone sharp. “I’m asking you again—where is Anne?”
She lifted her chin. “Don’t you take that tone with me. I’m not afraid of you, and therefore I’m not going to reply to you,” she answered, her eyes sparking with fire.
“Lara, please, I need to know,” Wolf requested, his tone gentler now.
There was a long beat where all they did was stare at each other. It was unnerving, but before he could force himself to break the spell, she lowered her lashes and chewed her lower lip. “All right. Anne may be with Radmore.”
Before Wolf could say a word, she met his gaze and hurried on. “But she can take care of herself. No matter what you think, she is not irresponsible, and she will never do anything to bring harm to her reputation or her family’s name.”
A cold pit formed in his stomach.
This was worse than he had anticipated. God knew how much time had passed since Anne had taken advantage of the ruckus inside the ballroom and escaped to heaven knew where in this big house with Radmore.
Wolf pulled her closer to him and shot her a dark look.
“Do you even know how easy it is for a rake like Radmore to take advantage of an innocent girl like Anne?”
“Oh, get a grip Wolf,” Lara chided. “Radmore is in love with her.”
Wolf’s eyes flared in disbelief. “Love! What nonsense. There is no such thing as love. It’s only a word for fools and for the fools who write about it in poetry and books.”
“Like you’re an expert on the subject,” Lara rebuked, struggling to get out of his hold, but Wolf held her arm tight.
“Radmore is a womanizer, an inveterate gambler, and a scoundrel.”
“He was all this and perhaps more. But people change. I know for a fact that Radmore has changed. All you need to do is give him a chance.”
He groaned. “My sister is alone with a known rake somewhere in this huge house, and I’m standing here listening to you give me advice, someone who has zero experience in distinguishing a rake from a gentleman.”
“I know that you’re not behaving a like a gentleman right now. Let go of me, Wolf.”
But Wolf kept his hold on her, watching her. That delightful pink tongue came out to wet her lips, and he was mesmerized again. She needed to be taught a lesson on rakes. And he was just the man for the job.
“You’ll be surprised that a gentleman with the best intentions can behave like a rake when faced with temptation.”
Very gently, his eyes never leaving her face, he drew her closer until his mouth was only a mere breath away from hers. Her eyes widened, and Wolf smiled against her lips before he leaned down and nuzzled the side of her neck.
He breathed in her intoxicating scent, and his body once again was caught under a spell. The unbidden need to kiss her rose inside him, tormenting him to do it.
Her sharp exhale followed by a needy whimper was enough temptation for him to continue. Convinced that this was what she wanted, too, he circled her tiny waist with his hands and brought her flush against his body before pressing a kiss to her lips.
She was as sweet as he expected, as he remembered. He palmed her face, bringing her to look at him, watching her pretty eyes flare with desire, and set out to ravish her. He no longer wanted to teach her lesson. He wanted to lose himself in her instead. Wolf kissed her like a man possessed, again and again until she moaned. Desire lanced through him, and he grew hard, harder than he already was.
He lay siege on her lips, wanting access to her mouth. His hands drifted down to her waist, holding her closer, tighter against his body.
Something knocked inside his chest. Hard. For the first time in his life, he allowed himself to give up his tightly leashed control and set out to devour her.
Why was he doing this?
It was exciting her as much as it was infuriating her. But as he continued the soft assault with his mouth, deepening the kiss, her anger faded until all she could think of was only him and the delicious sensations that he was stirring in her body with his mouth on hers.
He smelled of whiskey and musk and leather and very much male. It was a heady combination, and she was finding it more and more difficult to resist him. The pressure of his lips increased, and he coaxed her lips apart, and when his tongue delved inside her mouth, Lara knew she was well and truly lost. Sparks ignited under her skin, the flames scorching every inch of her body from where their lips were joined, to her toes, and everywhere in between.
Wolf played with her tongue, caressing the insides of her mouth. Lara put her arms around his neck and pressed herself further into his hard body. She kissed him back, tangling her tongue with his, boldly mimicking his mouth with her own.
He gave a low growl of satisfaction, and reality returned.
She tore her mouth from his with a gasp. “We can’t do this,” Lara whispered, even as her mind rebelled at the thought of putting an end to all the delicious sensations streaming through her body.
His lips continued to trace a path down her cheeks, her chin, and nipped at the base of the throat.
Before her mind turned to mush again, she pushed at his arms.
“Wolf, please, you have to stop this madness at once.”
Raising his face, he stared at her, and then he blinked and jerked back to reality.
“Holy hell!” Wolf released her and took a step away from her.
His hot gaze seared down her body, and her cheeks flushed. She didn’t need a mirror to know what he saw on her face. Her lips felt swollen and tingly, and her chest was rising and falling rapidly. She was certain she looked like a woman devoured by a man. By him.
In the next second, a pained expression crossed his face.
Before he could say anything, Lara cut him off. “Don’t say a word.”
Wolf took a step toward her, but Lara raised her hand to stop him. Her body was still quivering from his touch. Her thoughts were still all mixed up in her head, and she didn’t want him to say anything right now. Especially when she didn’t like the way he was staring at her, like an axe had fallen on his head. She didn’t want to hear a word of regret or denial from him, especially considering she had felt the evidence of his hard erection digging into her stomach when they had been kissing. He had wanted this as much as she had.
The distinct crunch of leaves under a boot made them both turn, and in the next moment, Radmore and Anne appeared in front of them. Lara shut her eyes for a brief moment. She so didn’t need this right now.
Anne flinched upon seeing them, and Wolf looked just about ready to commit murder. His eyes glowered with white-hot rage, and Lara waited for the axe to fall. This night had deteriorated from bad to worse.
Fury rolled out in waves from Wolf as Anne and Radmore walked toward them. And the worse thing was that Radmore did not even have the decency to look guilty. He sauntered forward, cool and composed, like he was taking a walk in the park. Almost immediately, there was another sound behind them all, and Camille followed behind Anne and Radmore.
“There you are, Anne,” Camille intonated cheerfully as she caught on to the situation. “I’m afraid I lost my way in the bushes back there. I’m glad that I found you both.”
She turned to Lara and Wolf. “So, you two also felt the need of fresh air? Anne and I just bumped into Lord Radmore while we were taking air in the garden, and then I lost them for a moment and—”
“Enough, Camille,” Wolf said, his tone and expression tight.
Anne and Camille exchanged a worried glance between themselves before turning a helpless look at Lara.
Before Lara could speak, Radmore stepped forward. “Wolverton, you need to calm down. I want to talk—”
“Calm down?” Wolf glared at him. “You of all people want me to calm down when you’ve been ruining my sister. How dare you?”
Seeing his hand curled tightly into a fist, Lara tugged on his arm before he could plant that fist on Radmore’s face.
He faced her with a scowl.
“Don’t be an ass, Wolf,” she said.
His brows shot up. “What did you just call me?”
She ignored his question. “Bloodying his nose may give you some measure of satisfaction but will do nothing for Anne’s reputation. As of now, no one knows that she was with Radmore other than those present here, but if you hit him, it will be a scandal, one that you surely do not wish. So, don’t be an ass. He wants to talk to you. Give him a chance.”
As if on cue, the sounds of laughter and conversation of the other guests strolling through the gardens filtered through to all of them.
“Please, Wolf,” Lara begged in a whisper.
Perhaps it was her plea that broke through the haze of his anger because in the next moment, Wolf turned to Radmore. “At my study tomorrow morning at ten. You can say your piece, and it better be good, or don’t think for one minute that I will hesitate to put a bullet through your brain.”
He stormed off before anyone could utter a word, and Lara sagged in relief.
“I’ve never seen him so furious.” Anne turned to Lara. “What happened?”
Lara related parts of her conversation with Wolf, omitting the kiss, of course. She wasn’t yet ready to dwell on that herself, let alone tell her friends about it.
Radmore took his leave shortly after escorting them to the ballroom. Camille and Anne whispered amongst themselves, which left Lara trailing behind them lost in her own muddled-up thoughts and her still-pounding heart.
A quick pause and glance at a mirror near the terrace door indicated that her appearance showed no sign off any disarray.
At least there was that.
Seeing her friends talking to some common acquaintances a little distance ahead, Lara hurried into the ballroom—
—and ran smack into someone. She looked up, and her eyes crashed with the wicked and dissolute gaze of the Earl of Paxton.
Chapter Nine
Having broken her fall, he held her by her elbow.
“Apologies, My Lord,” Lara said, trying to shrug his hand off her, but he wouldn’t release her. In fact, he tightened his hold. His hand slid up her arm and caressed the soft skin just below her sleeve.
His touch sickened her, making her stomach churn.
“Release me at once,” Lara hissed.
She had judiciously avoided eye contact with him at the past few balls after the masquerade. She did not want him to suspect she was the lady with Wolf that night. But somehow fate had interfered, and here she was stuck in his presence, his hand on her person.
Paxton cocked his head to the side, his fingers running circles on her skin.
“Lara Ramsay, isn’t it?” Paxton looked at her from top to toe, his gaze lingering on her face. “You’ve turned into quite a beauty, I must say. And you’re unmarried. Hmm.”
His fingers continued to creep up her arm, and without thinking, Lara snapped her fan hard on Paxton’s fingers. She winced when the fan made contact with her own skin as well, but it did the trick of Paxton releasing her.
He flexed his hand and laughed. “You’re quite a hellion, aren’t you? I like a little fire in women.”
“Come close to me again, and see the scorching hell I raise. Now move,” Lara seethed. How dare he accost her like that?
Paxton laughed, throwing his hands in the air. “Relax. I was only trying to help break your fall.”
Lifting her chin, Lara marched past him.
When she was a sufficient distance away from him, she inhaled and exhaled, willing her rumbling heartbeat to come back to normal. Lara rubbed her left arm, wanting to eliminate the memory of his touch on her skin. There was something really evil about that man.
“Is everything all right, Miss Ramsay?”
Lara spun as she heard Leo’s voice from behind her.
“Did he hurt you? I saw him with you and immediately rushed here,” Leo asked, his voice laced with concern.
“I think I hurt him more,” Lara muttered, raising her fan in the air.
“Yes, I saw that, too,” Leo remarked, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Leo was one of Wolf’s closest friends, and Lara had interacted with him and Hawk several times in the past. But their interactions had been fleeting, and Leo had hardly ever had paid any attention to her. So, why was he showing concern for her now, and why had he wanted to help her? Unless…
“Be careful around him,” Leo warned her. He stared at her for a second, his gaze direct and intense, like he was trying to convey something to her. “If he were to find out who you actually are…”
Lara gasped. “You know?”
“Yes. Be well, Lara.”
He gave her a slight nod and left.
Lara gaped at his retreating back. He knew her secret. He knew and hadn’t told anyone in the ton. If he had, she’d surely have heard about it.
With quick steps, she hurried to join her friends but found the Dowager Duchess of Wolverton, Wolf’s mother, bearing down upon her. What now? As if her night wasn’t disastrous already. Sighing, Lara waited for the duchess to intercept her.
The Duchess of Wolverton was petite in size, with lighter gray eyes than her son and blond hair now streaked with silver. She was very proper and diligently observed all the rules of Society. Lara had never seen her smile, and she exuded none of the warmth of a parent. Lara was aware that both Anne and Wolf shared a very…formal relationship with their mother. It wasn’t surprising Wolf had turned out to be cold and aloof like her.
On Lara’s first day in England, Lord Robert had taken her to Wolverton Castle and introduced her to the duchess. Lara would never forget the horror on the duchess’s face when she had been told about her lineage, but Uncle Robert had convinced the duchess to be civil to Lara and to allow her to befriend Anne.
To this day, the duchess ignored her on most days or was cold to her when forced to interact. But she did act as her sponsor in Society and was her chaperone to most events in town. And Lara believed that it was due to Wolf that she continued to do so. In spite of their tremulous relationship, Wolf had supported her in Society because she was his uncle’s ward and that’s why no one said anything to her face, although they did whisper about her behind her back.
Lara sneaked a quick peek behind the duchess and found Lady Amelia Pemberley, the Earl of Paxton’s sister, and her mother Lady Paxton, a close friend of the duchess, following her. Both of them were nasty and had never failed to make their prejudiced views about Lara known. So what did they want with her now?
“Where is Wolverton?” the duchess asked in her typical frosty tone as soon she reached her.
Lara curtseyed to the ladies. The older women responded with cool nods, but Amelia lifted her nose, refusing to acknowledge her. Lara gave her a wide smile before facing the duchess.
“I do not know His Grace’s whereabouts.”
The duchess turned to Lady Amelia. “Have I not told you that the Duke of Wolverton and Miss Ramsay have never gotten along? So why would you imagine he would be with her of all the people?”
Lara’s jaw dropped. Why would the duchess inform Amelia Pemberley and her mother that she didn’t get along with the Duke of Wolverton? That would most likely cause alienation for her in the ton if more people caught wind of it. Having no blood relation to the Wolvertons, she was grudgingly accepted because of Wolf as it was. If news were to spread that she had lost favor with him, who knew how people would react? And knowing the Paxton mother and daughter, Lara was certain that this news would be all over the ton soon.
“Everyone saw him walk out the terrace doors with her,” Amelia sneered.
And now this silly girl was making it sound like she had a planned rendezvous with Wolf, when it was anything but that. Of course, things had gotten out of hand once they were alone, but that was neither here nor there.
Amelia was a pain. She was a spoilt heiress and was considered a diamond of the first water owing to her shining caramel hair and curvaceous figure. She’d been the jewel of every season since her come-out three years back and had received endless marriage proposals, yet she hadn’t accepted any. Amelia quite enjoyed twisting gentlemen around her little finger and making them fawn over her.
