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“I think, my dear, Pauly wants you well out of here...ah, here are the beadles, and I am sure your young viscount will know just what to say to extricate himself.”
Jessie’s eyes opened wide as she turned to see the beadles had indeed arrived and were surrounding the scene.
Rodrigo shoved her inside the carriage and saw her seated as he climbed in beside her. He laughed at her expression. “I have never left Pauly to fend for himself. I feel...I feel...”“Nonsense. Pauly will do.” He chuckled and reached to help her as her skirts had become hiked up when he shoved her onto the squabs. “Zounds, woman, you are a right mess. Look at your clothes...” He dusted off her skirt with his gloves. “Whatever will your great-aunt say, and what the devil were you doing in such a place?”
“Thank goodness she will be saying nothing, for she is away with friends for the day,” Jessie said brightly.
He laughed out right.
She pulled a face at him. “I still think we should have extricated Pauly and stuffed him into this hack with us.”
He grinned. “Now, this is gratitude. Has it not occurred to you, my Lady Jessica, that I have just rescued you from a scandalous situation?” Egad, he thought as her violet eyes opened wide. Hell and fire but her lips were made for kissing, and there he was, he cursed himself.
She bit her bottom lip, making him want to do the same and nibble there with some heat. He had not meant to allow himself to be alone with her, but the situation had called for it.
“Well, as to gratitude, it appears, sir, you are forever coming to my rescue, whether I wish it or not,” she said, her chin well up, although he saw a twinkle form in those eyes of hers.
He chuckled. Deuce take it, but she was spirited. “True,” he answered. “Which leaves me to wonder about the good sense you seem to think you possess.”
“Oh, what an insufferable thing to say,” she returned, but added with a sigh, “I do seem to find myself...at times, in odd situations.”
“I am a scoundrel to tease you so, but it is well-deserved, don’t you think?” he said, moving in to take her hands and put them to his lips.
“To be fair, yes,” she started to answer.
It was at this point Rodrigo lost his self-control. His arms were around her as he drew her to him, and his head bent to hers. “My very own spitfire,” he said in a low and husky voice before his lips took hers.
She made no attempt to fight him off. Quite the opposite. Instead, she discovered she was shameless. Her gloved hands went to his hard, broad chest, then up to encircle his neck as he kissed her again and again.
She felt his elation at her response, sensed his feverish behavior was born of feeling rather than simple lust, and was, herself, excited beyond her dreams. Did he love her? Or was she expecting too much from this man?
“Sweet passion,” he groaned as he attempted to temper himself. He must not do this. He should leave her be.
She gently pulled away from his embrace and said, “Sweet passion...a good description for what I feel, but...we must not.”
He had already found her full breast beneath her gown, and discovered he was moved in a way he had never experienced before. He wanted to make love to her, yes, but he also wanted to protect her. How could those two desires meet and match? “No, we must not, my sweetings, this is not the place...”
She giggled because she was an innocent. “And yet you manage very well.”
He threw back his head of glistening black hair and laughed. “You are such a strange mixture of child and woman. As to that, even I might fumble the affair in these tight quarters.”
She frowned. Now, whatever was he talking about? Kisses and fondling were one thing...taking her body, her virgin body, was quite another. First of all, he had said nothing of marriage. Second, he had said nothing of love. Third, there was no third. Those two facts brought her back to reality.
The carriage came to an abrupt stop, and already Rodrigo was adjusting his clothing as he hopped down from the carriage door and turned to reach out his hand for her.
He had created a whirlwind fantasy with his ardent kisses. She had felt carefree and mindless, but now...now she doubted him and herself.
He took her elbow as he escorted her to her front door, where the admiral’s formidable and stiff valet opened the door and informed her that her great-aunt had returned early and wanted her in the parlor.
She thanked him and turned to Rodrigo. “Oh dear.”
“Indeed...but you will think of something,” he said encouragingly.
“Do come in with me, sir?” Her smile was more than inviting.
He saw the plea in her eyes and was sorely tempted. He was, in fact, loath to quit her company. He schooled himself and said softly, “No. I think I will return and see what has become of our Pauly.”
“Oh, would you?” She beamed. “How wonderful you are.” He was doing this for her, she was sure of it. What more proof did she need? He was falling in love with her, he must be. “And you will send me word he is safe...won’t you?”
