the passion he had tasted last
night.
He could do it, Lucas thought. He knew
from the way she had responded in the
garden that he could make her feel desire.
And he would use that knowledge, along
with her quest for adventure, to seduce her.
In the end she would be powerless to resist
him. As he had told her in the garden, she
would not easily find another man who
could offer the bait he was holding out.
And once he had her locked safely in
his arms, it would be only a short step to
marriage. Victoria might speak daringly of
engaging in an illicit liaison, but he knew
that she would find it difficult to actually
conduct an affair that threatened her aunt's
as well as her own position in Society. She
was, after all, a young woman of excellent
breeding and she knew both the rules and
the risks that governed the world in which
she lived.
Society required that young women of
her background save their illicit affairs
until after they were wed and had given
their husbands an heir. After that, many
wives felt free to pursue their own romantic
interests so long as they were discreet. Their
husbands, who generally kept mistresses
before and after marriage, did the same,
not always so discreetly.
But as Lucas watched Victoria's laughter
fade slowly back into a glowing smile, it
struck him quite forcefully that he did
not intend to let his unsuspecting future
bride tread the usual social path from altar
to marriage bed to a string of discreet
affairs.
He had always known that he would
never be one of those men who overlooked
his wife's infidelities. It was not in his
nature to share the woman he considered
his own. But the possessiveness he felt was
far beyond what he had expected to feel
toward the woman who would one day
bear his name.
Once she was his, Lucas decided,
Victoria would remain his and his alone.
Social conventions be hanged. He was not
going to share this half-wild, unpredictable
creature with any man.
My lord, you are impossible. Utterly
impossible." Victoria wiped the moisture
from her eyes and shook her head, still
grinning." Imagine offering yourself in the
spirit of intellectual inquiry. How very
altruistic. How very noble. You are far
too generous."
I shall do what it takes to win you."
And just how am I to be won, my
lord?"
With adventure and excitement and
passion. I will give you all of those things,
Victoria."
She looked at him, her decision in her
eyes." I will pick and choose among them,
taking only as much of any of them as I
wish and paying for them as I wish."
He inclined his head in acquiescence,
quietly satisfied with the victory." That is
your prerogative."
She hesitated and then impulsively took
one step forward, reaching out to touch
his sleeve." Lucas, do you mean it when
you say you want me, just me, not my
money?"
He lifted a hand to stroke the fine line
of her jaw." I want you."
I cannot promise you anything," she said
with grave honesty." I enjoyed your kisses
last night, but that is as far as it should
go and we both know it."
He covered her fingers as they lay on
his sleeve." I understand. Don't concern
yourself with promises now. Together we
will find out just how far this liaison of
ours will go."
She did not move for a moment. She just stood
there gazing up at him with a
barely suppressed longing that made him
want to pull her into his arms. It was not
the promise of either passion or reckless
excitement he saw in her beautiful amber
eyes now, but something else, something
sweet and vulnerable, an altogether heart
wrenching look of hopeful expectation.
If you're very sure this is what you want,
if you're sure this will be enough," Victoria
said," then I accept your offer to be my
midnight companion."
Lucas exhaled deeply." Then the bargain
is sealed." He leaned down and brushed his
mouth lightly across hers. She trembled at
the touch and Lucas wanted simultaneously
to
night.
He could do it, Lucas thought. He knew
from the way she had responded in the
garden that he could make her feel desire.
And he would use that knowledge, along
with her quest for adventure, to seduce her.
In the end she would be powerless to resist
him. As he had told her in the garden, she
would not easily find another man who
could offer the bait he was holding out.
And once he had her locked safely in
his arms, it would be only a short step to
marriage. Victoria might speak daringly of
engaging in an illicit liaison, but he knew
that she would find it difficult to actually
conduct an affair that threatened her aunt's
as well as her own position in Society. She
was, after all, a young woman of excellent
breeding and she knew both the rules and
the risks that governed the world in which
she lived.
Society required that young women of
her background save their illicit affairs
until after they were wed and had given
their husbands an heir. After that, many
wives felt free to pursue their own romantic
interests so long as they were discreet. Their
husbands, who generally kept mistresses
before and after marriage, did the same,
not always so discreetly.
But as Lucas watched Victoria's laughter
fade slowly back into a glowing smile, it
struck him quite forcefully that he did
not intend to let his unsuspecting future
bride tread the usual social path from altar
to marriage bed to a string of discreet
affairs.
He had always known that he would
never be one of those men who overlooked
his wife's infidelities. It was not in his
nature to share the woman he considered
his own. But the possessiveness he felt was
far beyond what he had expected to feel
toward the woman who would one day
bear his name.
Once she was his, Lucas decided,
Victoria would remain his and his alone.
Social conventions be hanged. He was not
going to share this half-wild, unpredictable
creature with any man.
My lord, you are impossible. Utterly
impossible." Victoria wiped the moisture
from her eyes and shook her head, still
grinning." Imagine offering yourself in the
spirit of intellectual inquiry. How very
altruistic. How very noble. You are far
too generous."
I shall do what it takes to win you."
And just how am I to be won, my
lord?"
With adventure and excitement and
passion. I will give you all of those things,
Victoria."
She looked at him, her decision in her
eyes." I will pick and choose among them,
taking only as much of any of them as I
wish and paying for them as I wish."
He inclined his head in acquiescence,
quietly satisfied with the victory." That is
your prerogative."
She hesitated and then impulsively took
one step forward, reaching out to touch
his sleeve." Lucas, do you mean it when
you say you want me, just me, not my
money?"
He lifted a hand to stroke the fine line
of her jaw." I want you."
I cannot promise you anything," she said
with grave honesty." I enjoyed your kisses
last night, but that is as far as it should
go and we both know it."
He covered her fingers as they lay on
his sleeve." I understand. Don't concern
yourself with promises now. Together we
will find out just how far this liaison of
ours will go."
She did not move for a moment. She just stood
there gazing up at him with a
barely suppressed longing that made him
want to pull her into his arms. It was not
the promise of either passion or reckless
excitement he saw in her beautiful amber
eyes now, but something else, something
sweet and vulnerable, an altogether heart
wrenching look of hopeful expectation.
If you're very sure this is what you want,
if you're sure this will be enough," Victoria
said," then I accept your offer to be my
midnight companion."
Lucas exhaled deeply." Then the bargain
is sealed." He leaned down and brushed his
mouth lightly across hers. She trembled at
the touch and Lucas wanted simultaneously
to
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