Page 79 of A Stranger’s Gamble

Sophie returned her attention to Lady Ella. “It is wonderful to see you again, Lady Ella, but you must excuse me. I would like to find Adam.”

“I’m sure we can help,” she said.

Sophie shook her head. “That won’t be necessary. I am sure I shall find him.”

She feared he was off in some room alone with Mr. Balfour and had already told Mr. Balfour that she hadn’t accompanied Adam to the party. On the far side of the room, French doors stood open to a balcony. Sophie glimpsed a man slightly taller than those around him as he went out the door.

Adam. She was sure of it.

She looked at Lady Ella and the ladies. “Please excuse me. I believe I just saw Adam.” She smiled, then hurried away before they could reply.

She feared she would be stopped by well-wishers, but she reached the balcony doors without anyone speaking to her. Of course not. No one really knew her. She hurried outside onto the balcony where at least two dozen people milled about. She scanned the balcony but found no sign of Adam. Had he gone onto the lawn? She brushed past a small group and reached the stairs, where she scanned the lawn. Small lamps had been placed on benches and around a large fountain. Sophie glimpsed a tall figure walking near the fountain and hurried after him. He headed toward a small grove of trees to the left. Sophie yanked up her skirts and hurried as fast as she dared in the scant light.

“Adam,” she called.

He kept going.

Was he not Adam?

“Adam,” she called more loudly.

He halted and turned, then started toward her. In half a dozen paces, he met her and gripped her arm. “Sophie, what the bloody hell are you doing here? You should be forty miles away from Edinburgh by now.”

“I am sorry, Adam, but I simply couldn’t allow you to face Mr. Balfour alone. He believes you to be a mercenary fortune hunter, does he not?”

“What the devil are you talking about?” he demanded.

“Mr. Balfour believes you to be a mercenary fortune hunter who married me for my money.”

“How would you know what Balfour thinks?” Adam demanded.

“A simple deduction. A man who marries a woman only for her money would not protect her from a man like Mr. Balfour. He would bring his wife to prove he was the heartless criminal he appeared to be. You have not already told Mr. Balfour that I was on my way to Inverness, have you?”

“By all that is holy, Sophie, I swear, I shall take you over my knee the moment we return home tonight. You are to return to your aunt’s house—immediately.”

She shook her head. “Nae. I will stay, but I will return to the party. Tell Mr. Balfour that I am here.” She tried to pull free of his arm, but he held tight.

“I am taking you home, and this time, I shall tie you to the bed.” He pulled her alongside him for took two steps, then the murmur of men’s voices reached them. He halted. “Bloody hell.” He backed her against the nearest tree and pressed his body against hers. He mussed her hair.

“Adam? What are you doing?”

“Hush,” he ordered.

He pulled one sleeve of her dress down her shoulder. The voices drew closer.

“Remember, you followed me—yet again,” he whispered before he plundered her mouth with his.

Sophie threw her arms around him and pressed closer. He groaned and thrust his tongue inside her mouth as he rotated his hips against her abdomen. His hard length dug into her belly, and she suddenly wanted his skin against hers. She lifted one leg over his hip, and he thrust again. This time his cock slid along her mons.

Sophie broke the kiss and dropped her head onto his shoulder. He dragged a wet kiss down her neck to the front of her dress and to her nipple, then closed his warm mouth over her stiff bud through the material of her dress and sucked. Desire surged through her. In just moments, he had made her want him more than she ever wanted any other man. Sophie thrust her hips against him. Adam abruptly drew back. She grabbed his shoulders and tried to pull him to her again, but he swung around, so his back faced her.

“Forgive the intrusion.”

Sophie recognized Mr. Balfour’s voice and remained hidden behind Adam. Someone laughed. Another man, she realized.

“It seems my wife and I should have stayed home tonight,” Adam said.

Mr. Balfour laughed. “It is hard to resist a beautiful woman. We will leave you to your privacy. When you are finished, perhaps we can talk?”