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‘I could spare you half an hour now, old boy.’ Jasper smiled as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. ‘In fact, I came specifically to lure you into Nethermayne’s billiard’s room as your sister here will confirm, and was only chatting to Hattie while I waited for you to finish waltzing with your wife.’ Freddie’s suspicious gaze slid to hers, so she nodded.
‘That is the case, Freddie.’
‘So shall we?’ Jasper was up like a shot, and as if she was now completely forgotten, he slapped her brother on the back as he led him away.
She had watched them leave, then an hour later watched her brother return alone. Half an hour after that, when there was still no sign of Jasper returning and she was sick and tired of pretending she was having a good time, Hattie took herself to the retiring room to lick her wounds in private. She was halfway down the silent corridor when Jasper’s smiling face appeared from behind a suit of armour.
‘You took your time.’ He caught her hand, pulled her through a door then tugged her into his arms as he simultaneously closed it. Total blackness enveloped them. Not a single crease of light leaked from anywhere. ‘I was on the cusp of giving up all hope.’ His arms snaked around her waist. ‘I was going to give it another two, maybe three hours of pining here, and then I was going to go. Four at a push. Five at the most.’
The exaggerated desperation in his tone made her giggle. ‘Where are we?’ She could not even see the outline of his face.
‘In a linen closet.’ His lips seemed to have no trouble finding her neck. ‘I didn’t want us to be disturbed.’ They nuzzled the sensitive skin beneath her ear. ‘I’ve been going mad thinking about you.’
‘What happened to the man who urged caution?’ She arched her neck to give him better access. ‘The one who was determined to be noble. The one who wanted to wait until his impending scandal had completely blown over before he explored things between us further?’
His talented mouth fused itself to hers, and took several lazy, languid moments to drive her mad with lust before it answered. ‘It turns out there are two Jaspers.’
‘Two?’
‘Two.’ He nibbled her bottom lip twice. ‘The sensible, noble and decent one who is determined to do right by you and the incorrigible, selfish and reckless one who wants only to have his wicked way with you. The saint and—’ his palms slid up to cup her breasts ‘—the sinner. They went to war at around eight o’clock this evening, where I am devastated to have to inform you that the forces of evil wrestled the forces of good into complete submission.’
He kissed her deeply again, his palms boldly tracing her bottom. ‘As I expect that state of affairs to be far too fleeting—because the new Saint Jasper of Selfless Sacrifice is too strong an adversary not to rise up again ready to do battle for your honour—I thought it most prudent to strike while the iron is hot and give Sinner Jasper a chance to waylay you.’
‘I think I like Sinner Jasper.’
‘Good—then make the most of him...’ His mouth found her other ear and tortured it. ‘Because I am only allowing him five minutes of freedom before I force the shameless scoundrel to unhand you.’
‘Can’t you make it six?’
He managed to shake his head while still kissing her. ‘I daren’t. In six minutes, he will thoroughly ruin you, whereas in five he will just ruin himself.’
