The Seduction of Sebastian St. James (House of Renwick #2)(23)

If he didn’t watch it he was going to arouse more than Emma with his speech. Thinking he had fully made his point, he gazed into her eyes.

Boldly she stared right back. Lifting her hand to her lips, she let out a little sigh. His confidence wavered as he watched the air slowly leave her mouth dizzying him with the cool sensation that she had been drinking a minty tea.

He opened his mouth to speak but was silenced by her hand.

“It seems you’ve thought of everything.”

He gulped.

“It’s not every day a duke waltzes into breakfast and proposes fake marriage. Why, I’m so elated I’m nearly speechless! And to think, we get to share the adventure together. Day and night, though I’d like to say I’m more excited about those nights.” Her voice took a seductive dip as her hand fell down his chest provocatively sweeping over his abdomen. “I accept your offer. If you do me one favor.”

“What’s that?” he croaked, not at all sure he wanted to know.

“I get to choose your bride. And in return, you can choose my husband. I don’t want this little transaction to sidetrack either of us. I’m not finished yet,” she said as he opened his mouth to speak. “Furthermore, I would like to propose that if we aren’t engaged by the end of eight weeks, our punishment is we must marry each other. I think that should hurry things along, don’t you?”

“What a splendid idea!” Sara gasped, breaking the spell. Nicholas was staring at them as if they had both lost their minds. Sara was clasping her hands over her chest in pure bliss. Something was seriously wrong with this picture.

“I uh…” Sebastian struggled for words.

“You do like adventure don’t you, your grace?”

“Agreed.” He held out his hand and grasped hers tightly before whispering in her ear. “I hope you know what you’re in for.”

“No, your grace, I hope you know.”





Chapter Eight


“It’s settled!” Sara announced the next morning as she took a seat by the fireplace.

Everyone looked in her direction. Sebastian wondered if Nicholas had spiked his wife’s tea. Why else would she be looking so chipper? Blast, it was hot in that sitting room. Adjusting his cravat, he looked to Emma who seemed to be thinking along the same lines, if the tight-lipped expression told him anything.

All of them had been pouring over ways to announce their betrothal without anyone getting suspicious. The only plan set forth was they would announce their engagement at the upcoming ball, deterring the hopefuls from continuing to visit Renwick House.

The rest of the day had been miserable after Sebastian’s announcement. If Emma hadn’t been convinced that morning of his brilliant plan, surely she was now. Several young men wrote poems, others confessed undying love, and three suspicious men with gout arrived just to stare, although one did fall asleep. Yes, all they needed was an environment where he and Emma could find potential mates. An environment that London was not turning out to be.

“And just what exactly is settled, m’dear?” Nicholas, ever brooding and angry, began pacing. Something Sebastian knew Sara found wildly irritating. It always made him seem so much more menacing. She hated reminders of his past, or so Nicholas had told him at Whites that morning when Nicholas had thought it would be a good idea to, yet again, list the many positive reasons marriage would suit him. He also carried a list, yes, a list of women he thought Sebastian would find charming. Naturally, Emma was nowhere to be found on that list.

Wonder of all wonders.

“Nicholas.” Sara’s glare turned steely.

Emma smirked at Sebastian as he gave Nicholas a smug grin as if to say, “Don’t you have your hands full with your own life? Why obsess over mine?”

“Nicholas, stop pacing.” Sara rose from her seat and clapped her hands. “I have found the most wonderful solution to your problem, Sebastian!”

Sebastian groaned aloud. “Forgive me for not jumping up and down in elation. Do continue.” He motioned for Sara to keep talking as she glared at him then back at Nicholas, who had begun pacing again. The poor man was going to wear a hole in their new Persian rug.

“The Rawlings’ house party, of course!”

“No!” The three of them jumped up and yelled at the same time. Sara looked at them like they had lost their minds.

“No?” Sara said.

“No,” Emma repeated. “His house is next to my family’s country estate.”

The last remark gave Sebastian pause. Why wouldn’t the girl wish to visit her own parents? Hadn’t she been living with them all this time? He didn’t want to argue with her, however, because the last thing he wanted was to visit Rawlings. The two men were no longer friends, and Sebastian refused to socialize with him. Rawlings’ name alone was tainted by so much scandal that Sebastian wanted to stay far away from him. It didn’t help that Rawlings had looked at Emma as if she were some kind of delicious morsel to eat rather than a woman. It wouldn’t surprise him in the least if Rawlings set his cap for her. What man wasn’t thinking that exact thing? A wealthy, beautiful woman?

Hadn’t he been thinking it the previous morning? Reality cut through him like a knife. As much as he wanted to protect her from men like Rawlings, she was not his to protect.