Duke of Scandal (Moonlight Square, Book 1) by Gaelen Foley Page B

curled his fingers around hers. Her hands were warm and soft, and he wanted them on his body. He leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Think you can talk Mrs. Brown into it?”
    “It’ll be easy,” she breathed in his ear. “All I have to say is that I’m going with or without her.”
    Jason shivered, wondering what would happen if that were possible, if she really could spend one day alone with him. She seemed to be asking herself the same question as she pulled back, gazing hungrily into his eyes.
    Intoxicating prospect. But there was only one way to accomplish that and still preserve her reputation.
    Marriage.
    Egads .
    And yet what scared him most was that the thought didn’t scare him anymore, not as it should.
    God, she was a lovely little menace.
    He cleared his throat a bit and stepped back from her. “Right, then. I’ll pick you up tomorrow at, say, three?”
    “Sounds perfect.” She smiled intimately at him as her frowning chaperone marched toward them down the few front steps. “I’ll see you then,” Felicity whispered.
    Then Jason shooed away the footman and got the carriage door for the ladies himself.
    “Mrs. Brown,” he said cordially as he handed the older woman up. “I hope you enjoyed the music.”
    “Humph,” she said.
    Wicked mirth twitched about Felicity’s mouth at her chaperone’s disapproval as he then handed her up into the coach. “Your Grace,” she said in farewell.
    “Miss Carvel.” He shut the door for them, then stood there on the pavement for a long moment, watching their coach rumble off down the street.
    A fond smile still lingered on his lips after she had gone, his mind exploding with possibilities that he had long since forbidden himself to consider.
    Maybe, just maybe, it was time to change the rules.

 
     
    CHAPTER 6
    Patron of the Arts
     
     
    F elicity almost expected Jason to forget about the plans they had made. She wasn’t sure why. Years of being ignored and forgotten had probably made her more wary of him than she had realized.
    But sure enough, when three o’clock came, a knock promptly sounded on the door.
    Why, he was even on time!
    Mrs. Brown was still finishing getting ready, but Felicity rushed into the parlor and arranged herself neatly on a chair to receive him as the butler got the door.
    Her heart started pounding from the instant she heard Jason’s voice as he asked for her, and then his footfalls as he followed the servant into the house.
    “Miss Carvel,” the butler intoned a moment later from the parlor threshold, “the Duke of Netherford.”
    “Your Grace,” she started, welcoming him with a polite nod, but she and Jason took one look at each other, dressed in matching colors as they had been last night, and both burst out laughing.
    “Not again!” he said.
    “How did you know?” she exclaimed at the same time he added, “I see you’ve decided to venture into half-mourning.”
    Last night, they had been two black-clad lumps of coal; today they were both wearing brown.
    For the first time since the dowager’s death, Felicity had donned a chocolate-colored walking dress with black piping. The hat she meant to wear today would still be black, however, as were her gloves and shoes.
    For his part, the duke looked marvelous in a fawn-brown afternoon tailcoat and tan trousers. His waistcoat was beige, pinstriped with light blue, and his smart neckcloth was navy. Having handed his beaver hat and walking stick over to the butler, he was the very sketch of a gentleman about Town—and devastatingly handsome.
    “Well, I think we look smashing,” Felicity declared as he crossed the room to her.
    “ You certainly do.” He took her proffered hand, bowing over it with a warm smile.
    “Ha. You like the brown? Just wait until I venture into the lavender next week. Maybe even white.”
    “How daring, Miss Carvel!”
    “They are both acceptable colors for half-mourning, my modiste assures me.”
    “Just be sure and let me know the day,