times he caught her glancing over to where Lady Olivia sat, a smirk on her beautiful face.
The curtain closed for the intermission and Jason stood. “I find myself parched. If you will excuse me.”
“I will join you.” Selena hopped up, almost upending her chair. “I find it most uncomfortable to sit the whole time, my lord, don’t you find it so?” She latched onto his arm possessively.
Jason held himself rigidly, the muscles in his neck, shoulders and arms tense. He leaned down close to her ear, speaking quietly to her under his breath. “Selena, I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I would like it to stop.” He smiled and nodded as they passed friends and acquaintances.
“If you won’t come to see me, my lord, then it seems I must seek you out.” Anger flashed in her dark brown eyes.
“Let’s not discuss this now, my lady.” He received two glasses of warm lemonade from a footman and handed one to her.
“When may we discuss it, my lord? It’s been quite some time since your last visit.” She regarded him over the rim of her glass.
“I will call upon you tomorrow. Shall we say two o’clock?”
“I will be waiting.” She inclined her head.
They strolled the lobby in tense silence, and then returned to his box in time for the intermission to end. Jason immediately glanced across the way at the Lansdowne box, but it was empty, and remained that way throughout the rest of the opera.
Jason never relished ending a relationship with a mistress, hating the tears, recriminations, and general drama that usually accompanied such encounters. No doubt his interview with Selena would not be any different.
The Sheridan townhome sat in the Mayfair section of London, not far from Jason’s residence. With an uncommonly clear, sunny day, and slight breeze, he chose to walk. He bounded up the stairs, greeting the butler as the servant opened the door.
“A most pleasant day, my lord,” the man said.
“Indeed it is, Jasper. Please tell her ladyship I’ve arrived.”
“She awaits you in the drawing room, my lord.”
Selena lounged provocatively on a settee in a gown that should never have been worn outside her bed chamber. After a moment of posing, she gracefully arose and crossed the room.
“Darling, it’s been so long. You have been a most neglectful lover.” She drew her full lips, that at one time he couldn’t get enough of, into a pout as she ran her palms up his chest to circle his neck.
Jason removed her arms, walked to the sideboard and turned, resting against it. “Selena, you know why I’m here.” He studied various expressions flit across her face. “It’s over, my pet.”
“It’s her, isn’t it?” She hissed, all attempt at playing the gracious lady vanishing in an instant.
He shrugged, the motion clearly indicating he did not judge this to be important. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”
“Oh yes you do, my lord. That whimpering houseguest of Lady Lansdowne. I saw you ogling her at the opera last evening. But you can forget her. She’s an innocent, and since you’re married , which you seem to have forgotten, she is far out of your reach.” She returned to the settee, and crossed her legs, which caused the dressing gown to open, revealing long slender legs, one of which she swung back and forth in agitation.
“My marital status is not up for discussion.” Lord, how had he ever found this shrew desirable? Her body oozed sensuality, but beyond that she was a selfish, conniving bitch.
Re-arranging her face into more pleasant lines, she sauntered over to him. “I’m sorry, Coventry, surely you don’t mean to end our relationship so soon?” She curled her hand around the back of his neck, and drew his head down to her mouth.
Jason felt the desperation in Selena’s kiss, which only pushed him further away. He raised his head, and again removed her arms from around his neck. “I have something for you.”
She crossed her arms over her chest,
The curtain closed for the intermission and Jason stood. “I find myself parched. If you will excuse me.”
“I will join you.” Selena hopped up, almost upending her chair. “I find it most uncomfortable to sit the whole time, my lord, don’t you find it so?” She latched onto his arm possessively.
Jason held himself rigidly, the muscles in his neck, shoulders and arms tense. He leaned down close to her ear, speaking quietly to her under his breath. “Selena, I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I would like it to stop.” He smiled and nodded as they passed friends and acquaintances.
“If you won’t come to see me, my lord, then it seems I must seek you out.” Anger flashed in her dark brown eyes.
“Let’s not discuss this now, my lady.” He received two glasses of warm lemonade from a footman and handed one to her.
“When may we discuss it, my lord? It’s been quite some time since your last visit.” She regarded him over the rim of her glass.
“I will call upon you tomorrow. Shall we say two o’clock?”
“I will be waiting.” She inclined her head.
They strolled the lobby in tense silence, and then returned to his box in time for the intermission to end. Jason immediately glanced across the way at the Lansdowne box, but it was empty, and remained that way throughout the rest of the opera.
Jason never relished ending a relationship with a mistress, hating the tears, recriminations, and general drama that usually accompanied such encounters. No doubt his interview with Selena would not be any different.
The Sheridan townhome sat in the Mayfair section of London, not far from Jason’s residence. With an uncommonly clear, sunny day, and slight breeze, he chose to walk. He bounded up the stairs, greeting the butler as the servant opened the door.
“A most pleasant day, my lord,” the man said.
“Indeed it is, Jasper. Please tell her ladyship I’ve arrived.”
“She awaits you in the drawing room, my lord.”
Selena lounged provocatively on a settee in a gown that should never have been worn outside her bed chamber. After a moment of posing, she gracefully arose and crossed the room.
“Darling, it’s been so long. You have been a most neglectful lover.” She drew her full lips, that at one time he couldn’t get enough of, into a pout as she ran her palms up his chest to circle his neck.
Jason removed her arms, walked to the sideboard and turned, resting against it. “Selena, you know why I’m here.” He studied various expressions flit across her face. “It’s over, my pet.”
“It’s her, isn’t it?” She hissed, all attempt at playing the gracious lady vanishing in an instant.
He shrugged, the motion clearly indicating he did not judge this to be important. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”
“Oh yes you do, my lord. That whimpering houseguest of Lady Lansdowne. I saw you ogling her at the opera last evening. But you can forget her. She’s an innocent, and since you’re married , which you seem to have forgotten, she is far out of your reach.” She returned to the settee, and crossed her legs, which caused the dressing gown to open, revealing long slender legs, one of which she swung back and forth in agitation.
“My marital status is not up for discussion.” Lord, how had he ever found this shrew desirable? Her body oozed sensuality, but beyond that she was a selfish, conniving bitch.
Re-arranging her face into more pleasant lines, she sauntered over to him. “I’m sorry, Coventry, surely you don’t mean to end our relationship so soon?” She curled her hand around the back of his neck, and drew his head down to her mouth.
Jason felt the desperation in Selena’s kiss, which only pushed him further away. He raised his head, and again removed her arms from around his neck. “I have something for you.”
She crossed her arms over her chest,
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