Suddenly You(15)

Something about her made him want to smile. He wanted to kiss her spinster-stiff mouth until it was soft and warm with passion. He wanted to charm and tease her. Most of all, he wanted to know the person who had written a novel filled with characters whose proper facades concealed such raw emotions. It was a novel that should have been written by a woman of the world, not by a country-bred spinster.

Her written words had haunted him long before he met her. Now, after their tantalizing encounter in her home, he wanted more of her. He liked the challenge of her, the surprises of her, the fact that she had done extremely well for herself. They were alike in that way.

Yet she possessed a gentility that he lacked and very much admired. Just how she could manage to be so natural and simultaneously so ladylike, two qualities that had always before struck him as being completely opposed, was an intriguing mystery.

“Amanda—” he began, and she corrected him with an offended hiss.

“Miss Briars!”

“Miss Briars,” he said evenly. “Had I not taken advantage of the opportunity presented to me that evening, I would have regretted it for the rest of my life.”

Her fine brows knit together in a repressive frown. “Do you plan to expose me?”

“I have no immediate plans,” he said thoughtfully, but mischief sparkled in his devil-blue eyes. “Although…”

“Although?” she prompted warily.

“It would make an interesting bit of gossip-fodder, wouldn’t it? The respectable Miss Briars, hiring a man for her pleasure. I would hate for you to be embarrassed in such a way.” His teeth flashed in a grin that Amanda did not respond to. “I think we should discuss the matter further. I’d like to know what incentives you might offer to encourage me to keep my mouth closed.”

“You intend to blackmail me?” Amanda asked in rising fury. “You villainous, treacherous, mean-spirited—”

“You might want to lower your voice,” he advised. “In fact, Miss Briars—and I suggest this out of concern for your reputation, not mine—let us talk in private. Later.”

“Never,” she returned smartly. “Clearly you are no gentleman, and I will offer you no ‘incentives’ of any kind.”

However, Devlin had the upper hand, and they both knew it. A lazy smile touched his lips, the smile of a man who knew how to get exactly what he wanted and would stoop to anything in the process. “You’ll meet with me,” he said with certainty. “You have no choice. You see…I have something of yours, and I plan to make use of it.”

“You blackguard,” she muttered in disgust. “Do you mean to say that you stole something from my house?”

His sudden free laugh drew a multitude of interested gazes toward them. “I have your first novel,” he informed her.

“What?”

“Your first novel,” Jack repeated, enjoying her expression of dawning outrage. “The title is An Unfinished Lady. I’ve just acquired it. Not a bad bit of work, although some judicious editing is required before it is ready for publication.”

“You couldn’t have it!” she exclaimed, choking back a flurry of scornful words as her sharp tone attracted much interest from Talbot’s guests. “I sold it to Mr. Grover Steadman, years ago, for ten pounds. As soon as the money changed hands, he lost interest in the thing and locked it in a drawer, for all I know.”

“Yes, well, I recently bought the novel and all the rights to it. A pretty penny Steadman charged, too. Your stock has gone up since your last novel sold so handsomely.”

“He wouldn’t dare sell it to you,” she said heatedly.

“I’m afraid he did.” Jack drew closer and added in a confidential murmur, “In fact, that was the reason I came to call on you.” He was standing so close to her that he detected the faint fragrance of lemons in her hair. He sensed rather than felt the stiffness of her body. Was she remembering the blistering heat of their lovemaking? He had suffered for hours afterward, his loins aching viciously, his hands itching for the feel of her soft, silken flesh. It had not been easy to leave her that night. Yet he hadn’t been able to take her innocence under false pretenses.

Someday he would be back in her arms, with no deception between them. And the next time, no power in Heaven or hell would be enough to stop him.

Her voice sounded unsteady as she snapped out a question. “How was it that you came to call at the exact time I was expecting my, er…other guest?”

“I seem to have been willfully misled by our mutual friend, Mrs. Bradshaw.”

“How is it that you are acquainted with her?” Amanda’s silvery eyes narrowed in accusation. “Are you one of her customers?”

“No, peaches,” Jack murmured. “Unlike you, I’ve never solicited the services of a professional paramour.” An irresistible grin tugged at his mouth as he saw her face turn scarlet. Oh, how he enjoyed rattling her composure! Rather than prolong her discomfort, however, he continued in a soft tone. “I’m acquainted with Mrs. Bradshaw because I’ve just published her first book, The Sins of Madam B.”

“I suppose it’s filthy stuff,” Amanda muttered.

“Oh, yes,” he said cheerfully. “A threat to morality and decency everywhere. Not to mention my best seller yet.”