Page 71 of How to Ruin a Rake

“I know.” He took her hand and squeezed it. “But there is also that little matter of the attraction you feel for the handsome marquess. I’ve tried to ignore it, but every time he’s present, he draws sparks from you. It is quite uncanny.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “May I ask something of you?”

Allegra nodded, too overwhelmed to speak.

“If you care for the marquess, you should marry him. But, if you choose not to, then perhaps we might correspond with each other and see how things develop?”

“I’d like that,” Allegra said.

“Then at least I’d know that you’d chosen me with a clear head,” Postumus said. “I know this has been very difficult for you, but I assure you that whatever happens at the end of the week, we’ll part as friends.”

He kissed her hand again just as the door burst open to reveal Max.

He frowned. “Please don’t tell me you’re in the middle of proposing to her,” Max said.

Postumus released Allegra’s hand and walked toward Max. “That is for the lady to disclose, not me.”

Max shut the door behind Postumus and came toward her.

“What’s wrong? You look as white as a sheet. Didn’t he come up to scratch?”

“He … ​doesn’t want to marry me just so I don’t have to marry you.”

Max frowned. “Why the devil did you tell him that in the first place? Of course he doesn’t want to marry you under those circumstances.”

“I didn’t tell him. I’m not that stupid, Max, and neither is he. He worked it out all by himself.”

He shoved a hand through his hair. “Can’t you just persuade him somehow?”

“Like offer to go to bed with him? Because that worked out so well for me last time.”

“Don’t start,” Max said. “Did he give you any hope at all?”

“Yes, but he said I needed to work out if I was truly averse to marrying you. He believes I’m attracted to you.”

“Of course you are. Everyone knows a duke’s son is irresistible.”

Allegra stuck her finger in his face. “Will you stop being so obnoxiously flippant for one minute? We are in the middle of a crisis!”

He caught her wrist and brought her hand back down to her side. “Calm down.”

“Calm down!” She bared her teeth at him.

Laughing, he leaned in and bit her neck. The next minute, she was kissing him and kissing him and …

“Wait.” She wrenched her mouth away from his.

“Why?”

“Because you are confusing me.” Her body leaned into his, wanting his touch, seeking his attention in the most basic of ways.

He groaned and pulled her roughly into his arms. “Trust me, my very dear little tempest, you are not the only one who is confused.”

“Allegra …”

They jerked apart as the door opened and Carenza came in. She stopped short, her eyes widening as she observed their closeness. “Oh, please excuse me. I thought—” She waved vaguely in Allegra’s direction and left the room again.

Allegra turned her back on Max, her body trembling, her senses on edge.

“I think you should go.”