Lord of Pleasure by Delilah Marvelle Page A

affected. Surely a woman of her experience wouldn’t want to keep two willing lovers apart. Once she agrees, you can name your rules, along with whatever it is you want or need, and I will counteroffer. That way, we both get what we want without any complications.”
    She tartly observed him as if she were about to smack him. “My. How quickly you thought of all that. Clearly you’ve done this before.”
    Guilty as charged.
    Alexander strode steadily toward her, refusing to relinquish the possibility of having her in his bed. Once. That’s all he wanted. For now.
    Lady Charlotte held up a hand and started backing away. “Forcing yourself upon me will change nothing.”
    “I never force myself upon women. I negotiate with them.” He paused before her. “Now seeing you’ve already had a chance to express your viewpoint, I ask that you show a bit of social grace and allow me to express mine in turn.”
    Her eyes widened. “You, Lord Hawksford, are relentless.”
    “Does that mean you are giving me permission to proceed?”
    Her eyes fluttered closed as she pressed the tips of her fingers to the left side of her temple. She eventually lifted her lids and waved a hand toward him. “By all means. Proceed.”
    Alexander spread his legs slightly apart, positioning himself more comfortably before her. “Unlike other men, I do not serenade women with unfulfilled promises. But I do take great pride in ensuring that trust, enjoyment, respect, and pleasure are all involved in every tryst I indulge in. A rare trait in a man these days, wouldn’t you agree?”
    She blinked up at him. As if trying to decipher if he was being serious.
    Which, of course, he was. He had always believed that communication between the sexes was vital. Otherwise it led to hysteria. And tears. Something he never enjoyed witnessing. Or being the cause of. “It’s all rather simple. I stand before you a servant. A most humble servant willing to do anything to indulge in the offerings of your body.”
    The blank expression on her face faded as an amused smile softened her lips. She tilted her head to one side as she peered up at him. “A servant, you say?”
    He captured her gaze and held it firmly, trying his best not to reach out and force his point upon her. “ Your servant.”
    She leaned slightly back, as if his gaze intruded too much.
    He lifted his hand and cupped her chin with it, allowing his thumb to trace the edge of her smooth jaw and cheek. He enjoyed the feel of her warm, velvet skin against his hand and sensed her leaning back toward him. As if wanting to engage and give in to his touch.
    “A quick word, however,” he murmured, pulling his hand away and holding up his forefinger in the air both to demonstrate his point as well as to set a clear divider between them. “I cannot offer love or marriage. This would merely be an exchange of pleasure.”
    She stepped back and out of his reach, reclaiming the distance between them. “You really think too highly of yourself.”
    He shrugged and then grinned. “I sensed that you wouldn’t truly wish to be trapped with me for a lifetime, but I wanted to be certain.”
    “Of course you did.” The devious gleam he had the pleasure of witnessing in the depths of her eyes during the initial application process magically reappeared, tossing aside his earlier fears of complications.
    She turned toward the desk, snatched up his gloves, which he’d forgotten all about, and smacked them gently against the palm of her open hand, her eyes never leaving his. “How about this, Lord Hawksford. If Madame de Maitenon accepts your application into the school, I will personally see to it that you’re allowed to pleasure me. Will that suffice?”
    Hardly. Picturing all those x ’s both large and small beneath his birth name told him he had a better chance of becoming the King of England. Of course, he was never one to easily submit to defeat. He’d find a way to get himself into the school. And into