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All along she had believed he would at least wait until after her wedding before acting.
She had hoped that after her nuptials, he would see that Lord Vance’s lies were no
longer of import to the
ton.
But he had not waited, and she had hoped in vain. Now what?

“You must calm yourself, Miss Melbourne.”

“No, I must go after him,” Kira said, her mind already racing to the job of packing
a few belongings so she might be gone.

“You cannot be serious.”

Kira turned to stare at James. She had never heard him sound so adamant about anything.

“I am. I
have no choice
. I will return as soon as may be.”

James shook his head, dismay molding his pale features. “You are a woman. You cannot
travel alone across the countryside! People will talk.”

People would talk regardless. “I cannot care when Darius’s safety is at risk.”

“I understand your concern, but it is unsafe. There are all manner of thieves and
vagabonds about. They would think nothing of—of abusing your…person if the whim struck
them.”

He was right, Kira knew. But that changed nothing. “I cannot sit here in concern for
myself when my brother is chasing a man I know to be dangerous.”

Resignation floated across James’s face. “Then I shall go.”

“But—
”

“I am three days away from being your husband. Darius is much like a brother to me.
Let me find him. Stay here safely with Mama and Gavin.”

Kira did not want to stay behind. She wanted her brother back in one piece. “Let us
go together.”

James reared back. “Impossible. We are not yet wed, and to marry now, we would have
to petition for a special license or journey back to Norfield Park and wed Monday,
after the last of the banns.”

“James, I appreciate your concern for my reputation, but no one need know. Besides,
I do not care for my reputation when Darius is at risk.”

“Have a care for me,” he implored. “My post at Tunbridge Wells is very important.
If I find myself embroiled in scandal before I even arrive, I’ll be dismissed.”

Kira paced, roving from one side of the room to the other in restless thought. But
she could not escape the fact he was right. James had done so much for her, offered
her so much aid
. S
he could not repay him by jeopardizing his new post simply to ease the pain of her
waiting.

Resignation weighed inside her like a boulder. “I understand. I
will remain here.”

“Good girl.” James smiled softly.

“But you must promise to write me very often with the word of your safety and news
of Darius.”

He nodded. “I will send daily messages if I am able. And with your leave, I will ready
myself so that I may depart before sundown.” He patted her cheek with a soft hand.
“And worry not, I will bring Darius back with me very soon
,
and we will then exchange vows.”

Kira grasped his hands and squeezed. “Be very careful.”

“I shall return so quickly, you will not have but a moment to miss me, I promise.”

Kira hoped that was a promise James could keep.

* * * *

The following evening, Gavin returned to the London townhouse exhausted and irritable.

An emergency with the T & S railroad had taken him nearly halfway to Birmingham to
deal with a collapsed tunnel and seven men nearly buried alive. Luckily, every worker
had been saved. He and Brock had both agreed to pension off a man who had lost his
leg in the unfortunate incident.

And all the while, Kira had been on his mind. The hurt in her eyes, the yearning on
her face, her utter beauty lingered in his
thoughts
. He’d missed hearing her laugh. He had missed hearing her sing. How bloody ridiculous
was that? He even wished a time or two just for her quiet conversation.

But ultimately the time away from Kira had brought renewed perspective, as well as
a reassertion of the more practical side of his nature. He'd been far too focused
on her beauty and kindness of late, conveniently forgetting the reality of her past,
her liaison with Vance. He’d let his lust and his fondness for her interfere with
his goals.

She was due to wed his cousin in two days and Gavin still had not proven to James
that Miss Melbourne was a woman of easy virtue, and therefore, not the wife for him.
Oh, he found Kira intelligent and kind still. But that did not change the fact she
had gone away with Lord Vance for two days and returned unmarried. Gossip still swirled,
ugly as ever. Nor did it change the knowledge that she and James were ill
suited as husband and wife.

Gavin had a plan to open James’s eyes. And it started tonight, as his foolish empathy
for her must end.

Bounding up the stairs, he struggled out of his coat, bellowing for his valet as he
went. Hanson, bless the wonderful man, followed dutifully, despite being bedraggled
from the arduous journey himself.

Gavin tore into his room, darted to his secretary, and extracted paper, quill, and
ink. He penned off a quick note and handed it to the older man. “Wait one half hour
and give this to my cousin, Mr. Howland. No one else.”

“Yes, your grace.”

Hanson always completed tasks well. Satisfied, Gavin raked his fingers through the
windblown muss of his hair. He needed another damned haircut. His hair was curling
at the ends, which made him look both wild and disorderly. He refused to be either.
Knowing there was no time to deal with the issue now, Gavin donned a clean shirt.
A glance at his pocket watch confirmed the hour shortly after ten o’clock. Aunt Caroline
would just be reaching her first
ton
gathering for the night. James, who always avoided such things when possible, would
likely be in his bedroom reading some spiritual tome.

Which left Gavin free to begin the seduction.

The mirror told him he looked presentable enough to entice an easy woman. He disliked
thinking of Kira in such terms, but it was the truth. And if he wanted to protect
James’s future and keep Aunt Caroline from a fit of the vapors, he would have to set
aside this ridiculous soft spot he had developed for Kira Melbourne and, because they
were not well matched, he must put an end to this engagement between she and James
before they made one another miserable for the rest of their lives.

And he had to do it now.

Rushing out of his room, he went in search of her. He was pleased to find Kira exactly
where he wanted her—in the library. How fortuitous.

At his entry, Kira spun around. Surprise molded her exotic features, widened her sloe-eyes
of blue,
and
opened the lush perfection of her mouth. He’d clearly caught her moments before she
retired for the night. She wore a nightrail of soft white linen embroidered with pale
flowers and a simple wrapper in a buttery yellow. She held a book, and he could only
imagine she had come in search of something to help her find slumber. The absence
of her corsets, petticoats, and stays gave him an excellent impression of her enticing
figure.

It was a good thing his plan to compromis
e
her included kissing Kira—and touching her at least a bit. For he’d thought of little
else on his journey home tonight. And seeing her without all the usual constrictive
undergarments was only filling his head with further suggestions.

As if she could read his thoughts, Kira tugged the edges of her wrapper a bit more
tightly around her. Gavin had little doubt she knew exactly how arousing men found
her virtuous sham.

He smiled extra wide and slanted her a charming stare. “Kira, how good to see you.
I trust you’re well.”

She scurried behind his massive sofa, looking ill at ease in her bed clothes and sent
him an awkward smile. “Well enough, yes. But—
”

“Excellent.” He approached her, hands outstretched. “Have you no greeting for me?”

The closer he strode, the wider her eyes turned. Finally, he grasped her hands in
his. Her stiff resistance did not please him. Was there a chance she would refuse
his advances?

“Of course, but—
”

“Are you not happy to see me? I’ve thought so much about you since I’ve been away
,
” he whispered, edging onto the sofa that stood as a barrier between them.

Her face softened. A hopeful smile played at her mouth. “You have?”

“You are not an easy woman to forget.”

That much was true, but Gavin hoped she did not hear the wry quality of his tone.
Her cheeks flushed prettily a moment later, and he felt sure he was safe.

“It’s been a dreadful few days,” he lamented.

“I’m sorry.” Compassion softened her face. “What happened?”

Briefly, he told her. She gasped, genuinely upset to hear that a man had lost his
leg. Kira had a kind heart. Often, she was a perfectly lovely woman. But she was also
a loose woman, a woman with a scandal, a woman with problems—a woman who would only
make life difficult for his family. He must remember that.

He took a discreet glance at his pocket watch. Twenty-four minutes until James’s arrival,
until he showed his cousin one of the many reasons Kira would not be the kind of wife
he needed.

“Will the collapse delay the opening of the railroad?” Kira asked, genuinely concerned.

“By a week, perhaps two. But no more talk of business. I’m heartily tired of it, and
quite happy to be here with you.”

She smiled at his words, her eyes soft. Then her expression slipped into a frown.
“I must speak to you about one more matter. James—
”

“No. Let’s talk of my cousin later, shall we?” Gavin did not want Kira reminded of
the fact she had a fiancé.
If
she had any conscience, conversation about James would likely awaken it.

“Well, but I must tell you that—
”

“Shh.” He placed a finger directly over her mouth.

At his touch, she swallowed. Her gaze darted to his, eyes wide, uncertain. He watched
her pupils dilate ever so slightly. Good signs, all. She really knew how to entice
a man with expressions of exotic innocence. Apparently, she’d had practice.

“Later,” he whispered.

Gavin purposely fixed his stare upon her mouth
and felt his temperature rise. He’d waited an eternity it seemed, to taste Kira’s
soft red lips. Her unique spice wafted around him. A few moments in her presence and
he grew hard, as usual. The anticipation of touching her clawed at him savagely.

He exhaled raggedly, dragged his gaze from her lips, and glanced at his watch again.
Twenty-one minutes. If he kissed Kira now, he’d have twenty-one minutes to taste her,
touch her, absorb her essence—and hopefully work this odd fixation for her out of
his system.

“But Gavin, James—
”

“I don’t want to talk about James now,” he said in answer to her protest. “Not when
I’m alone with you.”

Kira gave a faint gasp, her unblinking gaze fastened on him.

“Not when I’ve missed you so much,” he murmured. His voice dropped another octave.
“Have you missed me at all?”

He infused the question with longing. He hadn’t thought he could be so mawkishly convincing
with such ease.

“Yes.” She stared at him
, t
hen her gaze fell to his mouth.

A potent surge of anticipation slammed him. Had she considered how explosive sex between
them would be? The possibility burned him.

“Did you think of me at all?”

His voice had suddenly become uneven and raspy. But Kira’s intent stare told him that
she didn’t mind. He leaned closer, so close he could hear her ragged exhalations.
She bit her lip, then released it. An explosion of red colored her mouth. Gavin
burned
to taste her. Meanwhile, the clock was ticking away.

“Yes.”

Her admission was a rushed, husky syllable, seemingly ripped from her insides.

“A great deal, in fact,” she added.

She all but admitted that she wanted him! But his triumph was tarnished. Some foolish
part of him wanted her to be innocent, had hoped she would prove chaste. He’d feared
all along that she possessed lascivious tendencies, but somewhere, had come to hope
for better.

Yet rising above it all was the knowledge that he would finally, finally get to touch
her.

Gavin edged closer until a mere six inches separated them. Her pupils dilated further.

“I can’t stop thinking about you,” he whispered.

He leaned forward again. Kira did not back away, but stared, transfixed. Slowly, so
slowly, he layered his mouth over hers, intending a soft brush of lips
to give her plenty of time to object if she was so inclined.

But as soon as Gavin touched Kira, the feel of her pounded through him. Something
deep inside him roused to life, pulsed in his veins, demanded more. In answer, he
cupped his hand behind her neck and anchored her under him. Then he took complete
possession of her mouth, dazzled by the softness of her lips, the warmth of her body,
her spicy scent. Kira was intoxicating. She felt like the most sublime insanity, and
he didn’t want to release her.