My Fake Rake

“The only species that finds sex shameful is humans.” She looked over at him and found herself ensnared by his gaze. It held a heat she’d never seen before, an intensity that riveted her and shrunk the size of the world to encapsulate only her and him.

Everything slowed. At the same time, her heart knocked powerfully within her chest. She glanced down at his mouth, finding it impossibly captivating, profoundly tempting. Drugging sensuality coursed through her body as her gaze traced the contours of his lips. What would he taste like? The question burned her.

All the hours together, the dancing, the physical contact, it all distilled into a hot need that stole her breath.

When she managed to tear her eyes from his mouth, she discovered that he watched her from beneath lowered lids. His nostrils flared, and he swallowed thickly.

Wordlessly, they leaned closer to each other, and closer still, until bare inches separated them. It felt inevitable, yet unexpected.

Dimly, she was aware of him removing his spectacles. Then his hand came up to cradle her jaw. She shivered at his touch but stroked her cheek along his palm. Pure instinct moved her so that any attempts at cohesive thought scattered like dandelion seeds on the wind.

“Grace,” he rumbled. “I want—”

“Yes,” she gasped. She wanted, too.

Their mouths met. The brush of their lips was soft—at first. It held an acute sweetness with a hint of shyness as they discovered each other. How could his lips be so soft?

Incrementally, the kiss grew hotter. She opened for him, his heat seeping into her, and the tip of his tongue dipped between her lips. He tasted of tea and sunshine. With that first savoring, her body caught fire and she gripped the hard flesh of his shoulder to bring him closer.

He growled as the kiss grew heightened. She had read many times of men making sounds of primal need, but never heard it herself, and to hear him in its throes now shot fire and potency through her.

He adored her mouth thoroughly, boldly, as if he couldn’t take her deep enough. And, heavens above, how she loved it.

For a man who conducted himself so quietly, Sebastian could kiss.

Great God. I’m kissing Sebastian.

Her friend. Her cohort. Not her suitor or her rake. That was all for show, merely a performance.

Realization came in an icy gust. Curse her, but she’d mistaken his commitment to his role for genuine desire. And she had known that he was playacting, but her foolish body had believed. Now she felt like the veriest ninny.

She pulled back abruptly. His eyes opened, hazed by arousal. But that merely meant he’d had a physiological response—there was no greater significance.

Mortification rushed through her. She had to find some way to correct this and put everything back to where it had been before.

“Goodness.” She fabricated a laugh. “Anyone watching us would truly believe we were a courting couple. A job well-done. You’re to be commended.”

For a moment, he said nothing as he stared at her. A brief look of bewilderment crossed his face and . . . hurt . . . ? But no, that couldn’t be. It was gone in an instant. Then he straightened and cleared his throat. Wryly, he said, “Never say that applying oneself to one’s studies doesn’t pay off.”

“Right. Right.” She was repeating herself. Desperate for something to look at besides the tempting acreage of his body or the enticement of his mouth, she pointed her gaze toward where she’d last seen the lizards.

Sebastian followed the direction of her look. They both observed as the lizards continued to circle, the male attempting to secure the female by holding her with his mouth.

The female suddenly turned and ferociously bit the male on his leg. At once, the male released her. He scurried away underneath the rock, while the female continued to bask, seemingly content now that she’d discouraged her would-be suitor.

A shame that Grace couldn’t bite herself as a reminder that the attraction she felt for Sebastian was simply a ruse. She would save him, and herself, future embarrassment.

In only a handful of days, Sebastian would make his debut as a rake. He would play the part of her suitor so she could capture Mason’s attention, and she had to remember that the things he said and did were in service to that role.