Bound by Bliss (Bound and Determined #2)(21)

He saw a moment of bewilderment pass over her face, and then surprise, before her mouth pinched in denial. “I don’t believe you,” she said. “And how would you know such a thing?” Her rising temper was visible even beneath the half-mask.

Now how did he answer that? How did she think he knew about it? He certainly was not about to reveal his own tastes to his future bride. She might feature in his fantasies on many occasions, but that didn’t mean he ever actually intended to involve her. Well, at least not to any great degree. There were some things one did not do with a wife. Although he did have to admit to having had some serious thoughts of their wedding night and just how he might play a bit, but only a bit.

“What has put that look on your face? And are you going to answer me?” She stared up at him, her features stiff.

No, he was not. Instead he turned and stared across the street at the famous red door. “Do you still want to go in? The only way I can prove that it is a brothel is to take you in. I am afraid that you will find much of what you will see horrifying.”

He saw her swallow, the delicate cords of her throat tightening. When she spoke it was firmly, but she could not quite mask her doubt. Her gaze dropped from his. “I am sure that I am beyond such feelings. I am not some innocent young miss. And indeed, I now understand why the Countess wished to bring me here. She knew that I had curiosity and that there are very few places for a young lady to get information about what happens between men and women. I have learned some from my brothers, mostly Robert, but even they seem to believe that much is not fit for my ears, much less my eyes. I mentioned my desires to know more to the Countess and she clearly understood.”



Bliss rambled when she was nervous. He had never consciously considered it before, but now it was clear. “Are you certain you wish to go in? I am sure that I can find some other way to satisfy your curiosity—ways that do not involve potential discovery.” His mind filled with a thousand and one possibilities. “And I promise to answer any question you might ask.”

“No, I want to go in. The Countess was a good friend and she thought I would enjoy it. Perhaps I truly am a—what was that word you used earlier?—a voyeur. I have to admit that even after what I saw at the ball two nights ago I do find I want to see more. Do they let you watch? I’ve never heard that about a brothel.” Her eyes returned to him and settled on his face, her pupils large and dark. She reached out and laid a hand upon his sleeve.

Now that might be a problem he had not considered—and one that had his pants feeling a size too tight. Many brothels had peepholes in the rooms and charged patrons a fee to watch. Ruby’s had these holes, but she used them only to check on the safety of her girls, unless a patron wished to be watched, and there were some who very definitely did. He would have to hope that there were some of that persuasion here this evening. Perhaps he could use that as a reason to delay this expedition. “I still think that it would be better if I explained things to you further before your visit. It would also give me time to be sure that everything is set up for your pleasure.” He let himself linger over the word pleasure, feeling her fingers clench upon his arm. “Let us go.” He turned on his heel and started to walk away. The streets were cold and fully dark; his boots clattered on the cobbles. He would explain everything to her and then surely she would see sense—even Bliss must realize that some things were too far over the line. He would find some other way to satisfy her curiosity—something that would keep her safe, even from him.



Her fingers dropped from his arm and there was no sound of steps following him. He turned and looked over his shoulder.

Bliss was walking, but toward Madame Rouge’s instead of away. Even under the sweep of his cloak he could see the saucy sway of her hips as she strode forward.

“Bliss.” His exasperation was clear in his tone.

“I am going anyway. And you have failed in your quest and therefore I don’t have to consider marrying you. You have proved that I cannot trust you.”

Shit. “It’s not that simple and you know it. I didn’t say that I wouldn’t take you. I merely said that I thought we should talk first.” How else was he ever going to persuade her against this foolishness? And did he truly want to? That might be the greatest part of the problem, the reason he had allowed things to proceed this far. How could he resist Bliss when everything she suggested was something he had fantasized about for years? Would it be so wrong to indulge if it was what she wanted too? In all his years of restraint it had never occurred to him that she might desire such things.



“No. I want to go now. Who knows when I will manage to sneak out of the house again?”

He didn’t take that excuse, not for a single moment. He was convinced that Bliss found her way out of her father’s townhouse whenever she wished. “That is not valid and you know it.”

She turned toward him, red lips beneath the deep satin of the mask. “Does it matter? I am going. Are you coming? Can I trust you? Will you keep your word?”

There was some temptation to leave her to folly. The moment she stepped through that red door and saw what was on the other side she’d come running back—or maybe not. Ruby kept a tidy house, and her front hall and parlor could have graced many a Mayfair home. It was the upstairs rooms that would send her packing, and by the time she reached them it might be too late for easy escape.