Scandalous Regency Secrets Collection

Including information on me? Yes, of course.

“I’m sorry,” she said, putting her hand on his forearm. “This is difficult for you, isn’t it?”

“If by difficult you mean it’s taking everything in me not to rush you back to Portman Square before hunting the man down to wring his neck, then yes, it’s difficult. I have to get to Ned tomorrow. I’m already certain he’s in the Fleet because of Ferdie, but I want to hear it from him.”

“He did cheat at cards, didn’t he?”

“He did in school, but after we skinned him to his unmentionables and ran him up the flagpole by his ankles, he promised never to do it again. Which he didn’t, as far as I know, even if it was because no one would sit down with him again. He was really quite good at fuzzing the cards, I’ll hand him that, so he may have tried it again, just to keep in practice. What we need to know is if Ferdie had a hand in exposing him.”

Dany nodded. “Once we know for certain what we’re already convinced we know, what do we do? Mari needs those letters, Coop, and you need to stop this horrible Ferdie person from publishing another chapbook. Only then can you wring his neck, which I wouldn’t suggest doing because people get hanged for that sort of thing and I’d rather miss you.”

“How gratifying. No, I learned my lesson that night at school. Giving in to violence is no answer to anything.”

“Wait a moment. Is that why you’re a sobersides—although I certainly don’t think you are, not at all.”

“No, that would be my friends, and my own mother,” Coop said, hoping she could hear the smile in his voice.

She squeezed his hands. “The others weren’t with you, or perhaps they’d feel the same. Your life changed that night, didn’t it?”

Her conclusion was something he’d considered. He’d learned that with enough money and position, a person could be bought out of being charged for murder, and that some lives apparently meant less than others. All he could say for certain was that, although they were all of the same age, he’d felt older than his friends after Ferdie than he had before Ferdie.

“At least I didn’t swear off strong spirits, or my own mother wouldn’t speak to me,” he quipped, drawing a smile from her before they could both sink into solemn silence.

“You can’t turn him over to the courts,” she pointed out, her mind leaping ahead. “Not without exposing Mari, or yourself. So how will you stop him? Really, it’s a shame he has no secrets you can reveal, turnabout being fair play and all of that.”

“What did you say? No, wait, I heard you. Turnabout is fair play. Dany, you’re a genius!”

“I am? Oh, good, at last someone has recognized what I’ve always believed.” She leaned toward him. “How am I a genius?”

“I’m not quite sure yet, but we’ll think of something.”

“Before I’m too delighted, I’d like you to clarify something for me. When you say we, do you mean you and the viscount and Rigby? Or do you mean we, as in the way I’d prefer you say it? As in you and the viscount and Rigby and the genius?”

“I wouldn’t take a step without you. I don’t think I’d dare.”

“Wonderful, because I’d hate having to run to catch up. Still, and even as friends, I think perhaps we should shake on it. You know, to seal the bond, as you men do?”

He saw an opening and, crass as he could consider himself, he took it.

“I’d rather seal the bond the way men and women do.”

Or perhaps it was the opening she had sought. With Dany, he knew he would never be sure which one of them, as it were, was driving the coach.

“Well, for goodness’ sake, Coop, it’s about time. I was about to begin wondering if I’d become repulsive to you now that we’re supposedly betrothed.”

He relaxed...but he certainly wasn’t comfortable. “Or that I’d become too comfortable?”

“Yes, that, as well, I suppose. I fear I may share some of my sister’s romantical failings, and would really like it very much if you were to kiss me.”

Apparently both of them had a hand on the reins, and seemed to be heading in the same direction.

He closed the gap between them to little more than scant inches. “If you haven’t noticed, I’ve been of the same mind all evening.”

She closed her eyes. “Yes, I think I did notice.”

“But it’s wrong. I mean, for both of us. As a gentleman, shaky as that term is at the moment when applied to me, I still feel I need to point that out.”

“I believe most of the world would say so.”

He released her hands, to rest his on her shoulders. “Which begs the question—do we care what the world says?”

Now she looked at him, her indigo eyes looking black as the deepest part of the sea. “I should say we do, that I do. Would you mind if I didn’t?”

“No,” he breathed, just before finally closing the gap between them. “I don’t mind at all.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN (#u25973cb7-38b6-5eee-b0b0-28ad01a1b954)

HIS LIPS WERE cool against hers—for what else could cause a shiver to run down her spine at his merest touch?—and Dany instinctively pressed her body closer to his, to take in his warmth.

The heat was sudden and intense.

Gone was the teasing, the pleasant camaraderie. Friendship had nothing to do with what she was feeling now. It couldn’t.

This was something new, different.

This was desire.

And she liked it.

Maybe it is the red hair, she thought before she decided not to think anymore. She much preferred to feel.

Coop’s kisses were short, teasing, testing and tasting, as if gauging her response, her willingness.

She wanted to grab on to his ears and pull him firmly against her, because if he were testing her, he’d soon learn that he was politely driving her mad.

So Dany wrapped her arms about his neck, lifted her feet off the floor, swinging them onto his lap, and deliberately propelled herself backward.

Down they went, onto the tufted velvet squabs, their mouths still locked together. Coop somehow sorted out arms and legs until he was lying half-beside her, their lower limbs comfortably entangled, holding her securely so that she didn’t topple to the floor, which would be embarrassing as well as probably putting an end to this exciting interlude.

He was kissing her face now, more of those quick, tantalizing kisses.

And talking.

Good Lord, why is he talking?

“You’re so beautiful.”

Aren’t you sweet? Now hold still and kiss me again. Kiss me a thousand times. Yes, like this. Just like this. Kiss me all night long...