Hardly a Husband (Free Fellows League 3)

Jarrod shook his head. "I'm not joking. This may be the heart of Mayfair, but pickpockets and footpads still roam the streets. Just last week, Lady Gentry and her daughter were set upon and robbed at knifepoint, three doors down from here, within moments of alighting from their coach after returning from the opera." Jarrod placed his hand beneath her elbow and escorted her to the front door. "I'll see you to the hotel, Sarah, and I'll hear no more arguments about it. Wait here," he ordered. "I'll be right back." He opened the door and started down the steps, then changed his mind, and turned to look at Sarah. "I want your word that you'll stay where you are while I hail a coach."

Sarah shook her head.

Jarrod closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and counted to ten. Twice. "All right," he said, at last, holding out his hand. "Come with me."

Sarah shook her head once again.

"Am I to assume that you won't promise to wait and you won't come with me without some sort of inducement?" Jarrod concluded.

"You are correct, Lord Shepherdston."

Jarrod arched his eyebrow. "Would you consider monetary inducement?"

"I'll consider a loan of fare for the hired hack as long as I'm the only passenger in it."

Jarrod grinned suddenly. "Sarah, Sarah, Sarah. What am I going to do with you?"

"You could tutor me," she reminded him.

"Not a chance."

"Suit yourself," she said, "but I came for lessons in seduction, Jays, and I don't intend to leave without one."

"I'm afraid you're going to have to," Jarrod said. "Because I'm not taking you to bed."

"You don't have to take me to bed to keep your promise," Sarah suggested.

"My promise?" He arched his eyebrow.

Sarah moved closer. "Your promise to kiss me."

Jarrod eyed her approach warily. "Will you give me your word of honor that you'll wait here while I secure transport for us to Ibbetson's?"

"If you give me your word of honor that you'll kiss me like a lover instead of a sister."

Jarrod didn't know how she managed, but Sarah had read his mind. He was fighting the inevitable. Jarrod knew it was simply a matter of time before he gave in to her demand and he was weary of fighting. Because the truth was that he was as eager for a taste of her as she was for her first taste of passion.

He exhaled a long breath, then took her in his arms. "All right, Sarah, I concede. But don't say I didn't warn you." He leaned down, bringing his lips within a hairsbreadth of hers. "Because you're about to receive your kissing lesson."

* * *

Chapter Six

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Give me a kiss, and to that kiss a score,

Then to that twenty, add a hundred more:

A thousand to that hundred: so kiss on,

To make that thousand up a million.

Treble that million, and when that is done,

Let's kiss afresh, as when we first begun.

— Robert Herrick, 1591-1674