Dauntless (Gentlemen of the Order 1)

“No. When in this mood, you’re likely to punch the viscount.”

“We could go,” Sybil said, gesturing to Eva.

Daventry’s jaw firmed. “No.”

“You can arrange for Lord Newberry to accompany us,” Sybil persisted. “Tell him that if his friend reveals all he knows about Miss Dunn’s brother and the attack on her house, we shall never remind Newberry of his illegal dealings again.”

“It’s not safe,” Noah countered. Having witnessed the way Benham abused Eva, he would never ask her to sit in a room with the devil.

“Lucius, you’re on excellent terms with Sir Malcolm Langley,” Sybil said. “Have the magistrate accompany us.”

“Langley is plotting to arrest Manning today and is otherwise engaged.”

Noah’s chest felt a little lighter knowing Manning would be behind bars. But the villain was influential enough to order an attack from a prison cell.

“We should all go,” Eva said, though the tightness around her eyes revealed her anxiety. “Lord Newberry can advise his friend, and you may all wait in the drawing room while I speak to Lord Benham alone.”

“Alone? No!” Noah snapped. Fear hammered in his chest. “I’m likely to kill him the next time he hurts you.”

“Noah, the sooner this matter is resolved, the sooner we can sleep easy at night,” Eva said, not caring she had used his given name in front of the Daventrys. “I believe Lord Benham knows more about the situation with Howard than he professes.” She paused. “Perhaps I could go with Mr Cole. H

e is sure to approach the matter objectively.”

While Noah reined in his chaotic thoughts, Daventry said, “Miss Dunn has a point. After his bravery at Waterloo, there isn’t a peer alive who would cross Finlay Cole. And you know Cole would protect her with his life.”

Noah couldn’t argue against sound logic. But he should be the one to protect her. What if something happened and he had to live with the guilt, forever blaming himself? And yet Daventry was right. A wise man did not deal with a situation from a place of heightened emotion. Noah had to draw strength from the man beneath the fears and doubts. The part that was a stable, ever calming presence.

“Agreed,” he said. “On the condition I can remain outside in the carriage.” He refused to spend the time pacing back and forth, fearing the worst.

Daventry nodded. “Agreed. I shall pay a visit to Newberry and have him caution his friend. Make the arrangements with Cole, and we’ll reconvene later today.”

When the Daventrys made no move to leave, Noah said, “May I have a moment alone with Miss Dunn?” The need to reward her for her impassioned speech still burned fiercely within.

The Daventrys removed to the drawing room without passing comment and seemed just as keen to spend time alone.

Noah closed the door gently. He took a few seconds to slow his racing pulse before turning around to face the woman who held him spellbound.

Eva stood a few feet away, concern etched on her brow. “What is it?” She seemed confused. “Are you angry with Mr Daventry? I thought he was remarkably fair considering.”

“Perhaps because you put forward a convincing argument.” A new and unclaimed emotion trickled through his body like brandy on a winter’s night, warm and deeply satisfying. “You made me sound like a saint.”

She gave a half shrug. “You are to me. I meant every word.”

“But you were wrong when you called me responsible.” He’d let his desires control him, behaved like a young buck in the first throes of manhood. “Even now, while the Daventrys sit just beyond this door, I want to gather you in my arms and indulge my cravings.”

With a glint of passion in her eyes, she stepped closer. She reached out and placed her hand on his waistcoat, trailed her fingers over the muscles in his abdomen.

She did not need to speak. The sound of her laboured breathing proved so erotic he was hard before she came up on her toes and kissed him.

A stolen kiss, a forbidden kiss, should be chaste and quiet and quick. But the moment their mouths met, an excitable energy exploded around them. They kissed with intemperate urgency, their bodies melding together, their hands moving rampantly, tugging clothing, touching, caressing.

But the kiss was far from chaste. Hardly quiet.

It was wild and reckless. Utter madness. Their greedy moans must have echoed through the house. They knocked over a chair in a scramble to reach the desk. He pushed papers onto the floor to clear a space, settled his hands on her waist and lifted her onto the wooden surface.

Her skirts were bunched past her knees and he was wedged between her thighs before he broke for breath.

They stopped for a second, panting, gasping, so damn hungry for each other.