“Why, yes she did.” He gave a shrug that was meant to be casual despite the riot in his stomach. “They’d only met a handful of times before they married, all chaperoned visits. My father once told me that she’d appeared the picture of decorum right up until the night of the wedding. He’d fallen in love with her beauty and grace, but it was not an emotion she returned.”
Minnie drew in a breath, loud enough that he could hear it over the din of the party. “Oh dear. Dare I ask what happened?”
He cleared his throat. What happened was that his father’s new French wife refused to share his bed. Tag was about to share when an older matron passed them, flapping her fan and giving him and Minnie a long stare, and he didn’t think it suitable to continue. “I shall tell you when we know one another better.”
She paused then, pulling at his elbow, which made him stop. “That is the real question of the day, Your Grace. How well are we getting to know one another? Or maybe it isn’t. Perhaps the better query is why?”
“Why?” He gave a light tug of his arm to start her moving again.
“My mother will begin inviting you to every family and social function if she thinks you are at all interested in courting me.” She squeezed his arm. Her touch made him long to wrap an arm about her waist and pull her close. “Which I’m fairly certain you are not.”
They were coming up on a path that went behind a raised bed of hydrangea bushes. He steered them to the right, wanting the smallest bit of privacy and sure no one would be the wiser. “And if I continue to attend the events your mother invites me to, what then?”
She gave a slight shudder. “I’d be compelled to accept your suit.”
“And if I attended but never declared my courtship?” His insides twisted in guilt.
“Why would you want to do that? Why are you talking to me at all?” She stopped then. They were behind the bushes and not a soul could see them.
He pivoted around to face her, grasping her shoulder with his oth
er hand. “Honestly, I need to know that you won’t tell anyone what you’ve discovered about me. Which is quite a lot. The last time we spoke you threatened…”
She’d half turned to face him but stopped, blinking several times. “That’s what this is about?” She gave him a push squarely in the center of his chest. “I knew you didn’t want to court me. Tag Daring is a spy after all.”
His lips parted as he looked down at her. “Tag was my nickname long before Daring and no one has ever put them together before. When you’re not being completely churlish you’re quite funny.”
She huffed, pushing him again. “Glad you’re amused, Tag. When you don’t ask to court me, my mother is going to pair me with the first man who passes by. You’ll ruin my life if you keep this up. By contrast, what is the worst that would happen if I told your secret?”
He dropped his hands, stepping away. “The club’s business could dry up and—”
“You’d be forced to live exclusively off your dukedom?” Her hands came up to her hips. “Not good enough.” Then she stepped closer. “Besides, I already promised I wouldn’t tell anyone and I’m not going back on my word now. Please do not ruin my life over a club.”
When he’d spoken with his friends, their arguments had made sense. But now, standing in front of her, they seemed thin at best and his actions sincerely as childish as she’d accused him of. “I won’t ruin your life, I just need some sort of assurance that—”
She held up a finger to stop him from speaking and then slowly laid the finger against his lips. The silk of her glove brushed along his flesh and his insides tightened, a heaviness filling his limbs. “I’ll make you a deal,” she said quietly. “I promise to never tell a soul about the club. In return, you promise to leave me be so I can find a suitable husband as my mother has requested.”
He reached up and gently wrapped his fingers about her wrist, pulling her hand away. “And how shall we seal this pact?”
She swallowed and ever so slowly, moved forward. Her movements were so subtle that he was hypnotized by them. He remained rooted as she drifted closer. “We’ll seal it by giving you additional ammunition against me so that you understand just how serious I am about our deal.”
Her chest brushed his and every muscle in his body clenched as she slowly rose up on tiptoe. She was tall for a woman but he was well over six feet and he reached his hand down to steady her waist, his head leaning down to meet hers.
Tentatively, she placed her lips against his. A small brush, nothing more, but a tingling shot down his body, instantly hardening his manhood.
“Minnie,” he rumbled deep and low, his need filling the one word.
She took a quick step back. “There. It’s done.” Her tongue darted out to lick her lips even as her head turned to the side so that she no longer looked at him.
He hooked a finger under her chin, his thumb gently guiding her face back toward his. “Is it done? Or has it just begun?”
Chapter Six
Minnie stared up into the dark, dangerous pools of his eyes and her lips parted. My lord, she wanted to kiss him again. She ached with the need. Of course, she’d kissed him the first time partially because it strengthened his case, which in turn, might make him comfortable enough to leave her be. But also because she was curious. So very curious about how he tasted and how his mouth would feel.
The answer to both was delicious. He had a masculine flavor, laced with cigar and mint.
“What do you mean, we’ve only just begun?” Her breath came out in short gasps and they punctuated the sentence.