What You Desire (Anything for Love 1)

It was hard enough to remain focused on the task. Her face glowed, her cheeks rosy from the wine. Stray curls caressed her jaw and neck, giving the appearance of having been recently ravished. Now, she presented him with an ample display of her bosom.

“Assuming the person knows the location of James’ residence, of course,” she countered.

“You mean the one in Bloomsbury Square?” He could not help but find her look of utter amazement satisfying. “Like you, I’ve also had quite a busy afternoon,” he shrugged. “In fact, I still have another call to make tonight.”

“Tonight? You’re going out?” she snapped.

“I need to pay a visit to Labelles.” He pushed the last morsel of food onto his fork, popped it into his mouth and chewed slowly before putting down his cutlery. “In case you’re wondering, it’s a brothel catering to the higher end of the market.”

Miss Beaufort stood, pushing back the chair as she threw her napkin down on the table. “While I appreciate your honesty, this is hardly an appropriate conversation to have during dinner.”

“You surprise me. I had not taken you for a prude,” he said, not bothering to disguise his amusement.

“I am not a prude,” she retorted. “I have no interest in what you desire or which one of the Covent Garden ladies will be servicing your needs tonight.”

He stared at her face, all twisted in bitter resentment, a perfect picture of feminine jealousy and he couldn’t help but laugh.

“What is so funny?”

“It’s the look on your face. Besides, you’re wrong about Labelles. It isn’t in Covent Garden,” he said catching his breath. “It’s in Marylebone.” When he noticed she was not amused, he paused for a moment in order to regain his composure. “I need to visit Labelles to make some inquiries. That is all.”

“What sort of inquiries?” she asked as she sat back down in her chair.

“Well, while you were checking your brother’s house to see if he had packed his smalls,” he said with a hint of sarcasm, “I called in at my club. While there, I discovered that James met with friends who dragged him off to Labelles. One of them, a Mr. Benjamin Fordham, remembered James being involved in an argument. Apparently, it had something to do with one of the girls, but they had all drank copious amounts of wine and brandy and Fordham’s memory was rather hazy. The last time they saw James, he was going upstairs to one of the rooms.”

“What, James went upstairs with one of those girls?” she said shaking her head. “I can hardly believe it.”

Sebastian was going to say that’s what some men do, but he did not believe it of James either. It took a certain type of man to lie with a prostitute. If James had come to London to raise the capital needed to develop his estate, then whatever steered him from the path would have been extremely important. Perhaps the Comte de Dampierre was also a patron of Labelles.

“I agree,” he said. “Which is why I must visit the premises.”

“Very well,” she said as though he needed her permission. “I’m coming with you.”

This time, it was Sebastian who stood abruptly and threw his napkin on the table. “The hell you will.” The words were out before he could reconsider and he pushed his hand through his hair in a bid to control his temper.

The corners of her mouth turned upwards into a feigned smile. It was the sort of smile that gave the impression she

was about to move her queen against him, and in a few simple moves he would be in checkmate.

“If the house is being observed, as you suggested, then you cannot leave me here alone.”

“You will not be alone,” he retorted. “Haines will be here.”

“Of course,” she nodded. “Haines was also here this afternoon when I opened the front door and walked out onto the street.”

Check

“A mistake he will not make again,” Sebastian warned.

“Are you so certain? Do you know how helpful people can be when they know you are new to town? How do you think I found my way to Bloomsbury Square? I’m sure there are no end of dissolute rakes roaming the streets, only too willing to show a young buck the way to Labelles,” she arched a brow, “in Marylebone.”

Mate.

She lifted her glass to her lips and took a sip of wine before casting him a satisfied smile.

Sebastian sighed as he slumped back into his chair. “You are not a young buck, Miss Beaufort,” he said with some resignation as his eyes drifted over her impressive cleavage. “What would your brother say if he knew I had allowed you to visit a house of ill repute?”

“Under the circumstances, he can hardly say a thing,” she shrugged. “Besides, I’m not completely naive. I do know what goes on in those sorts of places.” She stared him straight in the eye and lifted her chin. “I know what it is like to feel desire at the hands of a man,” she purred. “I know how it feels to be so drunk with it, you can think of nothing else. As I’m sure you remember.”