Page 17 of Hot and Bothered in July
Sariah sighed. “Mr. Carrington?—”
“If you are trying to apologize again, I will only accept on one condition.”
She tilted her head to the side, silently admiring the way the moonlight turned his light hair almost a silver hue. “Which is?”
“Stop the formal nonsense. My name is Reed, and since we are betrothed it makes sense that we should be allowed to be on more familiar terms.”
“Even though it is for appearance’s sake alone?” she countered.
“It does not matter to me.” He moved toward her again. “I want to hear my name on those tempting lips.”
Sariah wondered if he was going to kiss her again. “Yes,” she breathed, not sure if she was agreeing to his request, or themorehe’d mentioned earlier.
“Then you are forgiven.”
Her eyes started to drift closed—just as he spun on his heel and strode inside.
It took Sariah a full minute to recover from the sudden parting and to allow the warm July breeze to lessen the heat on her cheeks.
When she returned to the soiree, she was glad to see that Mr. Carrington seemed to have fully recovered his faculties. As he spoke to a few gentlemen, it did not appear as though he’d had anything to drink at all. Was he such a good actor that he was able to fool everyone but her? Or had she fallen prey to the subterfuge as well?
She wasn’t sure she knew the answer to anything at the moment. She was consumed with that kiss, her lips still tingling in the aftermath.
When a gentleman asked her to partner him for the quadrille, she accepted politely, praying that she could remember the steps appropriately.
When that dance ended, she stood up for two more before she was finally reunited with Reed. As she looked at him, it somehow felt so natural to refer to him in such an informal manner.
“We have been invited to a house party this weekend. There is to be archery and a grand foxhunt, but most of all, the chance to gain new investors.” He grinned broadly, and she was mesmerized by the handsome sight. He truly was quite magnificent to behold. Adonis, indeed. The Greek legend could not quite hold a candle to Reed Carrington.
However, at the same time she admired his outward appearance, Sariah told herself that it shouldn’t hurt so much that he was looking forward to the event as a way to increase his business rather than spend more time with her, but she supposed she should expect no less. Or that she didn’t deserve the jab. “It will be nice to escape the growing summer heat,” she noted evenly.
With a slight lift of her chin, she threaded her arm through his and enjoyed the jealous glares she received from some of the other debutantes in attendance. There was a certain satisfaction in claiming to one and all that this man was hers—even if it was only temporary.
Reed packed what he thought he might need for the upcoming country gathering, courtesy of the Marquess of Harville. This was probably the most promising invitation that he could have ever hoped to receive. No matter the circumstances that had brought him closer to Miss Kent, he was grateful that he was able to make so many influential connections. He knew his current tie to her and his growingwealth had something to do with his sudden popularity, but he was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth and ignore the opportunity he’d been given.
He just had to remember with so much uninhibited access to Miss Kent—Sariah—he had to be careful that he didn’t find himself in a worse position. As it was, things were going perfect. He honestly couldn’t have envisioned such a successful joint venture. But it was a temporary arrangement and nothing more.
It still bothered him that there might have been some sort of truth to her statement about their difference in stations, but he decided not to waste any more time thinking on the matter because that kiss had overrode everything else. But that was something he certainly did not need to keep bringing to mind. Then again, Jackson had mentioned offering the lady what she wanted, so perhaps…
He threw a pair of trousers on the bed and paused in his current task. He needed to get out of this room or else he was going to go mad. The carriage was not due to arrive until tomorrow, so he had time to escape. And yet, the first place he thought of going was to see Sariah. He hadn’t planned on stopping by the townhouse today, since they would be spending an exorbitant amount of time together for the next two weeks, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself from directing the hackney driver from heading there.
When he arrived, the first thing he saw was Sariah heading down the front steps, her maid trailing a short distance behind her. She had a furious expression on her face, but the instant she saw him, it brightened into a smile. “Mr. Carrington, what a relief it is to see you.”
He frowned. “Is something amiss?”
“My mother is driving me mad,” she said with a huff. “She has been hovering around me all morning, anxious about what I have in my wardrobe. She fears that some things are too out of fashion for the upcoming season and that this house party is a precursor to gossip.” She rolled her eyes. “I daresay after one little incident, her efforts have become merciless! It does not seem to signify that we are betrothed and my respectability has not overly suffered.” She adjusted her silk bonnet that matched perfectly with her pale blue dress. Although she was visibly upset, Reed still admired her shining beauty. “...that is when I decided I shall go for a walk to escape such horrid confines.” She shook her head and then looked curiously at him. “Why are you smiling?”
He put a hand over his heart. “Forgive me. It is just that your loveliness outshines your frustrations.”
Her cheeks immediately filled with color and as she opened her parasol and began to stroll along the sidewalk, he fell into step beside her. As they walked together, he realized it seemed like the most natural thing to do. For someone who had lived their life chasing danger and causing havoc, he realized that settling down might not be such a terrible objective after all. Not only that, but for all her failings, he could not imagine anyone more appealing than Sariah. Nobody was perfect and it was those occasional weaknesses that he admired the most.
“You are quite the flatterer today, Mr. Carrington,” she said evenly. “I wonder why that is?”
“Perhaps it is the desire to hear my name cross your lips again.”
She slid her gaze around them and then lifted on her tiptoes to whisper wickedly in his ear,
“Reed.”
