with me. My sire is trying to get Lord Cromley to escort me into the dining room.”
Aiden glanced at Nate, wide-eyed. “But—”
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J.L. Langley
Rupert looked at Nate, seeming to realize how rude he’d been. He gave a dip of his head. “Lord Deverell?”
Nate tipped his head. “Lord Rupert?”
“Might I borrow my friend?”
It was on the tip of his tongue to say no. He didn’t want to give up Aiden’s attention, which was rather disturbing. “Of course.” He let go of Aiden’s slender hand reluctantly.
Rupert beamed at him. “Thank you.”
Watching Nate the whole way, Aiden was dragged off the dance floor by his friend.
Nate stood there for several seconds feeling like he’d been hit upside the head.
-82-
My Fair Captain
Chapter Six
They left the ball at one a.m.—which was relatively early as far as balls went—but Nate was glad. It may be important for him to look like a guest to the staff, but he wanted to get a head start on the investigation.
Raleigh had given him the pass code to get into Jeffers’ memory and Nate had every intention of using it. But first he went to his room to check on Trouble. With any luck the kid would have gotten some information from the servants.
When he entered his room, his son was sprawled out on his bed on top of the covers snoring. The pest wore a pair of flowered pajamas and the ridiculous white, fluffy bunny rabbit slippers he’d bought last year at one of the ports they’d visited.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, he nudged Trouble. “Trouble, wake up.”
The pale, freckled nose wrinkled and he snuffled before opening his eyes. “Huh?” He blinked several times and sat up, his blond curls sticking out at different angles. He yawned, and a goofy, lazy grin slid into place. “Did you get lucky?”
Nate groaned. The kid had a one-track mind. “No, I did not get lucky.
What are you doing in this getup?” Nate motioned to the flannel pjs. “I thought you were given sleep shirts.”
Trouble snorted. “No way am I wearing a gown. Gowns are for girls.”
Nate closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, a smile threatening. Trouble was wearing baby blue flannel adorned by little pink and yellow flowers, with floppy-eared bunnies on his feet, yet he was
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J.L. Langley
worried about looking feminine. “What are you doing in here? You are supposed to be sleeping in the room over there.” Nate pointed to the small room adjoining his.
“I was waiting on you. Besides, that bed isn’t very comfy and the room is tiny.”
Ignoring the gripe he’d heard at least three times since Trouble saw the room this afternoon, Nate stood and went to the nightstand on the other side of the bed. There was a decanter of scotch and two tumblers.
Thank Galaxy. He poured himself a drink. “Did you learn anything?”
“Nah, not really. Can I have one?”
“No. And what do you mean not really? If you didn’t learn anything, why were you waiting up for me?”
Trouble eyed the glass of liquor and frowned. “You’re no fun, you know that?”
“Yes.” Nate made a “continue” motion with his hand.
Trouble sighed. “I was waiting to see what you’d learned.”
“Not a lot.” Crossing to the window, he peered out into the garden.
The way the moonlight fell over the ivy-covered faux Greek ruins was picturesque. A sudden vision of Aiden lying out on the grass in the center of the fallen columns flashed across his mind. Damned, if that wasn’t a pretty picture. His prick threatened to harden. Nate took a drink. He had to get the man out of his mind. Maybe learning more about him would douse Nate’s interest. It sure couldn’t peak it any more, he could hope anyway. “Have you heard anything at all about the princes?” Nate turned his head from the window.
“Oh, I’ve heard a lot about their studlinesses.” The pest waggled his eyebrows.
Nate quickly downed the rest of his scotch. Something told him he was going to need it to get
Aiden glanced at Nate, wide-eyed. “But—”
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J.L. Langley
Rupert looked at Nate, seeming to realize how rude he’d been. He gave a dip of his head. “Lord Deverell?”
Nate tipped his head. “Lord Rupert?”
“Might I borrow my friend?”
It was on the tip of his tongue to say no. He didn’t want to give up Aiden’s attention, which was rather disturbing. “Of course.” He let go of Aiden’s slender hand reluctantly.
Rupert beamed at him. “Thank you.”
Watching Nate the whole way, Aiden was dragged off the dance floor by his friend.
Nate stood there for several seconds feeling like he’d been hit upside the head.
-82-
My Fair Captain
Chapter Six
They left the ball at one a.m.—which was relatively early as far as balls went—but Nate was glad. It may be important for him to look like a guest to the staff, but he wanted to get a head start on the investigation.
Raleigh had given him the pass code to get into Jeffers’ memory and Nate had every intention of using it. But first he went to his room to check on Trouble. With any luck the kid would have gotten some information from the servants.
When he entered his room, his son was sprawled out on his bed on top of the covers snoring. The pest wore a pair of flowered pajamas and the ridiculous white, fluffy bunny rabbit slippers he’d bought last year at one of the ports they’d visited.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, he nudged Trouble. “Trouble, wake up.”
The pale, freckled nose wrinkled and he snuffled before opening his eyes. “Huh?” He blinked several times and sat up, his blond curls sticking out at different angles. He yawned, and a goofy, lazy grin slid into place. “Did you get lucky?”
Nate groaned. The kid had a one-track mind. “No, I did not get lucky.
What are you doing in this getup?” Nate motioned to the flannel pjs. “I thought you were given sleep shirts.”
Trouble snorted. “No way am I wearing a gown. Gowns are for girls.”
Nate closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, a smile threatening. Trouble was wearing baby blue flannel adorned by little pink and yellow flowers, with floppy-eared bunnies on his feet, yet he was
-83-
J.L. Langley
worried about looking feminine. “What are you doing in here? You are supposed to be sleeping in the room over there.” Nate pointed to the small room adjoining his.
“I was waiting on you. Besides, that bed isn’t very comfy and the room is tiny.”
Ignoring the gripe he’d heard at least three times since Trouble saw the room this afternoon, Nate stood and went to the nightstand on the other side of the bed. There was a decanter of scotch and two tumblers.
Thank Galaxy. He poured himself a drink. “Did you learn anything?”
“Nah, not really. Can I have one?”
“No. And what do you mean not really? If you didn’t learn anything, why were you waiting up for me?”
Trouble eyed the glass of liquor and frowned. “You’re no fun, you know that?”
“Yes.” Nate made a “continue” motion with his hand.
Trouble sighed. “I was waiting to see what you’d learned.”
“Not a lot.” Crossing to the window, he peered out into the garden.
The way the moonlight fell over the ivy-covered faux Greek ruins was picturesque. A sudden vision of Aiden lying out on the grass in the center of the fallen columns flashed across his mind. Damned, if that wasn’t a pretty picture. His prick threatened to harden. Nate took a drink. He had to get the man out of his mind. Maybe learning more about him would douse Nate’s interest. It sure couldn’t peak it any more, he could hope anyway. “Have you heard anything at all about the princes?” Nate turned his head from the window.
“Oh, I’ve heard a lot about their studlinesses.” The pest waggled his eyebrows.
Nate quickly downed the rest of his scotch. Something told him he was going to need it to get
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