“Healey is a staid, priggish man you’d tire of in a fortnight,” Charles stated firmly.
“You don’t know me as well as you suppose.” She tilted her chin. “IadoreMr. Healey because he is everything you are not.”
As it turned out, Aurora did know how to punch. Those words hit Charles square in the chest. She couldn’t possibly know that Cecily had once uttered the exact words, merely swapping Healey for “your father.” At the time, she’d been half-naked and draped over the desk in his father’s study while Viscount Worthington stammered and attempted to explain the situation.
Their betrayal had gutted him, as if someone had taken a sword and just sliced Charles in half.
Charles grabbed Aurora roughly around the waist, spinning her until her back lay flat against the wall of the Travers’ house. Madness possessed him as he pinned her to the stone. Taking her wrists with one hand, Charles pinned her hands above her head.
“Let go of me.”
“I don’t think I can.” Then his mouth fell on Aurora’s, hard and angry, savagely stealing her breath. Claiming her mouth as he should already have claimed her.
Aurora sighed. Didn’t struggle. Her lush form melted into Charles with a whimper. Every generous curve softening beneath him. Mouth opening without hesitation, Aurora gavehim permission to explore the warmth behind her lips, tongue twisting sensually around his own.
Charles felt Aurora, the marvelous sensation of her, steal across his skin and sink into his soul. There was nothing but each other, no sound but their own breathing and the strain to meld their bodies closer.
Not even with Cecily had Charles felt such desperation.
Hand roving over her bosom, his forefinger dipped below the neckline, teasing about until discovering the edge of one pert nipple. The tip of his finger danced along the tiny peak while Charles nipped at the edge of her mouth.
“If this was inThe Bloom of the Rose,” she murmured, back arching, “I don’t recall it.”
Desire for Aurora, and only her, zinged across his skin like tiny bolts of lightning. Hand ruffling beneath her skirts, Charles trailed his finger up one silk clad leg to the apex of her thighs, cursing the mounds of lace and petticoats separating them.
Aurora moaned softly, lifting her leg around his hip. “Worth.”
Charles peered down at her lovely face watching the pleasure light her features at his touch. The truth shone from her eyes. The same truth his heart beat out.
What they really were to each other.
The air stilled in his lungs, unable to take the smallest of breaths.
“It’s shameful. You barely touch me, and I am undone,” she whispered, a sob catching in her throat. “I can’t even claim to be wanton because I don’t want anyone else.” Aurora sounded so bereft. So incredibly pained.
“Because it’s me,” he pressed a kiss to her temple. “And—”It is you.
Laughter sounded on the terrace, along with the rustling of silk. A throaty, seductive sound. Far too familiar. Charles knewwithout seeing her who stalked about. Probably looking for him. Lady Bryant would take great pleasure in presenting Aurora as a harlot to anyone who would listen.
Andeveryonewould listen.
Aurora could not be found in the shadows with the rakish Charles Worthington, family friend or not. Not with Lady Longwood and her barely restrained desire to declare every Sinclair female a trollop. Charles could not allow that gossip spewing bitch to shame and destroy his brave, beautiful Aurora who had cried over cabbages.
“Hush, Lady Bryant is on the terrace.”
“It has always been you, Worth,” Aurora hissed at him, seemingly not to care that Lady Bryant was about to declare her a harlot in front of everyone in attendance at the Travers’ ball. A push came from the slender hands pressed into his coat. “Even before I found you in the maze. Always. And I don’twantit to be. Not any longer.”
“Aurora,” Charles tried to keep his voice even. She couldn’t possibly mean that, not now, when he’d finally realized. Decided. “Listen to me,” he breathed in the scent of her skin. “You can rail at me later. Curse at me. Hit me with another bowl. But Lady Bryantcannotsee us together. I’m going to distract her so you won’t be noticed. Stay here for a few moments and then go back inside.”
“Lady Bryant.” There was so much bitterness lacing her words. “Were you aware she is Lady Longwood’s cousin when you chased her through the maze? Or saw her…after?”
“After? I haven’t seen Lady Bryant—”
“You realize,” she interrupted, “what that horrid woman has done to my family, don’t you?” Aurora bristled with anger. “She sent us toDunnings. How could you, Worth? Or did your pursuit of pleasure leave you no regard for any of us?”
“Yes. I mean no.” Charles looked toward the terrace once more. Lady Bryant was headed in their direction, a purposeful glint in her eyes. “I’m trying to protect you.” He took Aurora’s arm. “We can discuss all of this tomorrow. Please.”
“Protecting me? Ha!” Aurora shook him off. “Or yourself? Don’t worry, even if half of the Travers’ ball saw us together, I wouldn’t ask you to be honorable.” She leaned toward him, but stayed just out of reach. “Iknowabout Cecily Millstone. What you did to her. I should have listened when you warned me away.”
