Ten Ways to Ruin

“Yes, I am. Now take your turn.”

Emma picked up her stick and then walked around the table. She leaned over and tapped the white ball slightly off-center so it would clip the edge of the green ball, knocking it into the left pocket.

She sneaked a glance at Kingsley, who stood there with one dark brow raised.

“Very nice shot,” he remarked.

“Just lucky. And now you have lost a life.”

She walked past him as she took in the table again. A hint of cloves and something else she couldn’t determine wafted by her nose. It smelled far too enticing.

“Just lucky?” Kingsley asked with a half-grin.

With a shrug, she asked, “So how exactly did you get those bruises?”

“I made a mistake in thinking someone was trying to hurt my business.”

“You punched him?”

“It was a misunderstanding that has been resolved.” Kingsley muttered a curse as he missed her ball again. “I do believe you were jesting when you said you weren’t any better than Harry.”

“Perhaps.”

“So,” he drawled as she was taking her shot, “have you stolen any silver this evening?”

His words cut through off her concentration, causing her to nick the cue ball and miss its intended target. She rose and stared at him. “You did that on purpose.”

“As a matter of fact, I did.”

No one cheated on her at billiards. “All’s fair, I suppose.”

“Exactly.” He took his stick and leaned over the table.

She tried not to glance at his bottom again, but her eyes seemed determined to look. Heat crept over her cheeks. Hearing the crack of the balls, she pulled her attention back to the game just in time to see him make his shot. This would never do.

“That is two lives down. You have one left,” he commented.

He walked behind her as she lined up her next shot. Was he taking in her bottom as she had his? Thankfully, she landed her target. Rising, she turned only to find him directly in front of her.

“Very nice shot, Miss Drake.” He stared down at her with those sapphire blue eyes.

“Thank you. I do believe we are now tied.” She had to throw him off balance. “Did you contact Mrs. Sherburne about becoming your next mistress yet?”

Kingsley muttered a curse as he rose and watched his ball roll past its target. “No, and that is not a topic to ask a man.”

She tilted her head and smiled. “It is if I wish to win this game.”

She had never noticed the small flecks of gold in his eyes until now. Nor had she noted the length of his sooty lashes. He did have beautiful eyes for a man.

For a scoundrel.

Simon Kingsley was a vile man who took pleasure in flustering her. She blinked and moved away from him to complete her next turn. As much as Emma didn’t want him to unsettle her, he always managed to do it, even now. She took her turn and missed the shot entirely. “Your turn, Mr. Kingsley.”

“So it is.”

She couldn’t miss the slight ring of humor in his voice. Where was Harry? He’d said he would return momentarily, and that was nearly ten minutes ago. Anything might have happened while they were alone.

“Would you mind answering one question for me?” Kingsley asked, bending over the table.