"But then, she's an idiot, as you must have noticed. This isn't your first time at the reading group, Marcus tells me."
"And what else did Marcus tell you?"
"He told me not to embarrass him, but then, I didn't care to sit through a long afternoon on the slim hope I might have a chance to talk to you alone, away from everyone."
"I see."
"I adore that prim tone."
"You're compromising me, Sam."
"You mean them?" He nodded back down the corridor.
"Of course them. Hedy has the biggest mouth in town, and she's not going to sit idle while I take away her beau."
"Is that what you're doing?"
She blushed. "I didn't mean it that way, and you know it."
Stopping, he backed her up against the wall gently, and bending low so their eyes were level, he whispered, "How did you mean it?"
"In the most generic, sensible way," she said, trying not to notice how his powerful body dwarfed hers, trying not to remember how exquisitely he utilized that brute strength. "Because Hedy's after you and not afraid to tell the world."
"You're not intimidated by Hedy Alworth, are you?"
"Only by her nasty tongue. There's my mother, if you recall, who has this misguided notion of what a lady should be. And"-Alex sighed-"much as I wish to ignore my family, there are limits to my indiscretions."
"And I'm the limit?"
"No, Hedy Alworth's malevolent interpretation of your actions toward me may be the limit, Not for me personally," she explained quickly. "But for my family."
He leaned closer, his eyes so near she could feel the heat. "So if I were to deal with… our friendship… with the utmost discretion," he softly suggested, "I could make love to you again?"
She shut her eyes against the wave of desire that flared through her body. "That's not fair," she breathed.
"I'm not interested in being fair." His voice was velvety and low. "I'm interested in having you in my bed-just as soon as possible. Or better yet, we could go upstairs and find an empty room."
"Under other circumstances…" She looked at him from under her lashes, a feverish warmth in her eyes. "I might be willing."
"As I recall, you're always willing."
She shivered. "Don't do this to me. Not here. Not now."
"When… where? Tell me."
"Sam, please-what do you want me to say in this corridor where someone may intrude any second?"
"I don't know, but you've been on my mind constantly since you left me." He softly inhaled. "And I feel like carrying you away right now, and to hell with everything."
"Lord, no…" she breathed. "You can't…"
"Tell me about it," he muttered.
"We have to be sensible." She was trembling.
"Or Hedy will be troublesome," he said with a sigh.
She nodded.
He bent to kiss her, his mouth gentle, lingering, reminding her of their first kiss at her garden gate. But then her lips parted beneath his, her passions immune to rational thought, and as his tongue slipped inside her mouth and the hard length of his erection pressed into her stomach, she gently sighed.
He growled low in his throat, pulling her closer so she felt the imprint of his arousal swell against her, his tongue exploring her mouth as though in prelude, and for a tenuous moment of unalloyed pleasure, they melted into each other.
Then with a soft groan he raised his head. "I think we've discussed Sir Leighton long enough, Miss Ionides," he said, half breathless with the fierceness of his need. Restraining his urges, he took a step backward. "May I escort you back before it's too late?"
"Thank you," she whispered, her pulses racing. "Because I'm not sure I had the resolve."
Running his hands through his dark hair, he exhaled softly. "No sense in letting Hedy Alworth eat you up." Smiling faintly, he ran his fingertip over the curve of her jaw. "I'm reserving that pleasure for myself. So send your carriage away. You're going home with me."
She nervously brushed his hand away. "Just make sure you don't sit anywhere near me. I'm not sure I can survive the afternoon if you do."
"Nor could I. I'll take the boys outside," he offered. "But once everyone leaves, you're coming home with me."
"If I could say no, I would."
"There's my girl."
"I'm not your girl." She grinned. "Hedy's your girl."
He winked. "Not likely, when I'm crazy for you. But, I warn you, my patience is limited."
"And I remind you, you don't want another note from my father tonight."
He grimaced. "I'll try to behave."
"And I'll endeavor to ignore Hedy's sniping remarks when I return."
"I'd be happy to put her in her place."
"But then that wouldn't be very useful to me."
He shut his eyes briefly. "I know. Lord almighty, discretion isn't my style."
"Then you'll have to learn."
"For you, I'll try."
When they reentered the luncheon room, conversation momentarily ceased and Alex was escorted back to her chair in a hush.
"Thank you, Miss Ionides, for your useful information." Sam bowed politely. Turning to Evelina, he said, "I'm taking the boys down to the lake if you don't mind."
Both boys uttered whoops of delight, leaped from their chairs, and raced toward their uncle, restoring a degree of normalcy to the scene.
But once the men and boys had gone, as expected Alex immediately faced Hedy's catechism.
"What did he want to know about Sir Leighton?" she asked sharply, leaning out over her plate to send a piercing glance Alex's way.
She wished to say "It's none of your affair," but said instead, with what politeness she could muster, "Ranelagh is thinking of buying a painting."
"Why would he ask you?" It was a blatantly rude query, since Alex's artistic talents were well known.
"Ranelagh knew Sir Leighton and I are old friends."
"He could have asked you his questions here, couldn't he?"
"I'm sure I don't know what motivates the viscount," Alex said as calmly as possible, considering Hedy was glaring at her.
"In any event, it doesn't matter," Evelina interjected. "You know Sam. He's always been brash and impulsive." She swept the table with a glance. "We're all finished here, aren't we? Why don't we go out on the terrace for a glass of champagne?"
"Well, that certainly was discreet," Marcus drawled as the men followed in the wake of the boys racing down to the lake.
"When I'm in this crazed mood, discretion isn't high on my list of priorities," Sam stated. "You're lucky I didn't carry her upstairs."
His brother scrutinized him with a small frown.
"And you needn't say anything about not hurting her, because I won't. In fact, if anyone gets hurt in this damnable relationship, it'll probably be me."
"You're serious."
"Hell yes. All I want to do is take her to bed and keep her there."
"What's so different about that?" his brother queried with a cynical gaze.
"Because it's one woman-the same woman, that's what's different. And I haven't even known her two days yet." The viscount sighed. "Lord, I hope this obsession is fleeting."
Marcus's voice was touched with sympathy. "This has to be a first for you."
"It's damned alarming." Sam's teeth flashed white in a grin. "When it's not damned sensational."
"I'm not sure how to put this tactfully, considering your past, but might this-er-sensational feeling be love?"
Ranelagh snorted. "God, no. You don't fall in love with someone so quickly."
"It happens."
"How would you know? You practically grew up with Evelina."
"But I fell in love with her at Christmas all those years ago-as we were singing 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.' "
Sam glared at his brother. "That's not real helpful."
"Think of all the women you'd leave pining," Marcus teased. "Should you be taken off the market, so to speak."
The viscount scowled. "This isn't a joke. I can't stay with one woman." He shook his head in bewilderment. "It's impossible."
"If you love her, it's not impossible."