A Little Bit Sinful(21)

“Ella Atkins! You would do no such thing.” Clarissa’s cheeks flamed. “And he looks at me no differently than he does anyone. There is a problem though.”

“How could that present a problem?”

“George,” Clarissa said. She took a bite of cheese and waited for the inevitable of what Ella would say. Her friend made no secret of how she felt about George, but she also was quite good at giving advice once you allowed her to spout off a little.

“Oh, Clarissa, you know how I feel about this,” Ella said. Then she made a sound of derision. “That man parades around this town as if he deserved every woman in his path.” She shook her head in disgust. “He certainly doesn’t deserve you.”

“He has to maintain appearances, but those other girls don’t mean anything to him. He’s told me as much.” But as she said the words, doubt reared its head inside her. He had such that about the other girls months ago when she’d asked about one girl in particular. Since then he had lied to her about his debt. Perhaps he also lied about those other women, perhaps he had lied about her to other women. A shiver of revulsion pulsed through her.

“The man hasn’t proposed yet,” Ella said gently. “The only reason he’s even considering marriage right now is this ultimatum from his father.”

“He has said as much?” George had certainly talked about his father to her, but he’d never said that he hadn’t wanted to marry, merely that’d he’d been waiting for the appropriate time.

“Not to me, but Clifton has mentioned it, about how George claims he never wants to marry, he wants to be free to do as he pleases. But you know my brother is sweet on you though.” She waved her hand. “As much as I’d love to have you as a sister, I wouldn’t suggest marrying my brother. He’s such a bore. In any case, continue about George.”

If George had told Ella’s brother—his closest friend—that he had no intention of marrying…that was different than anything he’d told Clarissa. He was clearly lying to one of them. Or perhaps he merely said as much to his friend so that he didn’t appear besotted. She took a deep breath. “He has never kissed me. And I believe that might be why he hasn’t proposed, because he perceives me as being too proper, too ladylike for him to kiss,” Clarissa said. “I think he cannot imagine me in the bedroom, performing wifely duties. It must be why Franny has better odds than I do right now.”

“That is poppycock,” Ella said.

But Clarissa wasn’t so certain. George was always the perfect gentleman with her, but she knew men had urges, desires. She knew men, men besides Justin Rodale, stole kisses from women in darkened corners and behind potted plants. George had certainly had the opportunity, but his lips had never so much as brushed the skin of her cheek.

“It is a natural concern. I do not even know if George finds me desirable,” Clarissa said.

“And you want to know if kissing feels the same with him as it does with Mr. Rodale.” Ella shook her head. “If I had to wager, I’d say it won’t because, though George is quite handsome, he’s too, I don’t know, arrogant and selfish to be passionate.”

“George is very handsome.” Clarissa could see him in her mind, his blond hair, which oddly enough, now seemed too short. He did have a wonderful smile with deep dimples creasing his cheeks. Yet, the smile had lost its effect as of late. Ever since she learned he’d lied to her.

“Ridiculously handsome when he smiles,” Ella said. She chewed on a piece of cheese, then nodded. “The way I see it, there’s only one thing for you to do. You must kiss him.”

“George?” Clarissa asked.

“Precisely.” Ella grinned “Unless you’d prefer to kiss Mr. Rodale again.”

“No, of course not,” Clarissa said. She really must stop lying to Ella, but honestly she couldn’t very well admit to such a thing. It was one thing to want a man you would marry to see you as brazen, quite another for her to parade her wares through London. “I have every intention of marrying George.” But even as she said the words they felt false to her. She’d spent so much of her life pursuing marriage with him, was she only doing so now because without George she had no other prospects in her life? Justin certainly hadn’t indicated he was interested in being more to her than he currently was. “I’m not intending to spread my favors, as it were, to the rest of the gentlemen in London. Regardless of how delicious their kisses are.”