Tess tried to corral her thoughts. “That’s very… efficient. But not terribly romantic.”
He gave her a look that suggested she’d disappointed him. “Romance has nothing to do with it. This is a business proposition, nothing more.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Say yes. Don’t let emotion rule you. Use logic. It makes sense.”
“But we’re strangers.”
His lips gave that devilish curl. “Strangers who’ve already been intimate.”
“Physical intimacy isn’t the same as emotional intimacy.”
“Emotional intimacy isn’t necessary here. A good marriage in thetonis a successful partnership. You can do all the things expected of a society wife—entertain as my hostess, accompany me to parties, and so on. I will provide the financial and… amorous support.”
His dark eyes held hers captive. “We can set a time limit, if you like. The end of the social season, three months from now. We can live together as man and wife here in London, but after that I’ll return to Bristol and you’ll be free to stay here and do exactly as you wish.”
Tess’s mind was racing, along with her heart. “But we would stay married? There would be no divorce?”
He shook his head. “No divorce. Just an amicable separation. You will remain the duchess, exactly as you are now, for the rest of your life. And I will remain the duke.”
The room swirled around them, a blur of color and faces.
Dear God, what a proposition!
At first, she’d been sure he was joking, but the intensity of his expression indicated that he was quite serious.
His physical attraction to her was immensely flattering—and definitely reciprocated—but his emotionless attitude to marriage was disheartening. Tess had never thought of herself as particularly romantic, but perhaps she was, after all.
Still, she was tempted. Thornton was the first personshe’d ever met who said exactly what he wanted, directly, with no subterfuge. His honestly was refreshing. Thetonwas a quagmire of elisions and half-truths, of people saying one thing in public, and secretly thinking another.
“Are you always this impulsive?” she asked, genuinely curious.
“Not impulsive.Decisive.And yes, on the whole. Why waste time, when a good idea presents itself?”
“To think of all the ramifications?” she suggested wryly. “To weigh up the pros and cons?”
The muscles of his shoulder rippled under her palm as he shrugged. “There are a million variables. It’s impossible to predict them all. All I know is that life’s too short to worry about them. You just have to move in the direction you wish to go and deal with any obstacles as they come.”
His closeness was distracting. Tess had to look away from him to clear her head.
What he said made a lot of sense. Here, unexpectedly, was the opportunity to take a lover without the risk of any social repercussions.
“What do you say, Scarlet?”
She glanced up at him. “You can’t expect an answer now. I need to think about it.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw, and she wondered if he was impatient at her stalling, or satisfied that she was considering his offer.
“Very well. When can you give me an answer?”
“Today is Thursday. You can call on me on Saturday. At Wansford House.”
The waltz came to an end.
Tess took a step back. His hand slipped from her lower back to the curve of her waist and she was assaulted by the sudden memory of him pressing her against the doorin the darkness, his mouth on hers. Everything inside her seemed to quiver.
She could have that again. And more.
