Page 2 of A Rake’s Gamble

Theo gulped. “What happened?”

“I’m not sure. I think some of those children pushed me, and then next thing I knew, I was heading towards you at speed, and I tried to avoid you, but...”

“I see.” He didn’t, not really. For the first time since he’d inherited, he was warm. This man’s heat surrounded him, and Theo wanted to welcome his weight and enjoy more of it. If he just lay here for a while, maybe his problems would disappear temporarily. He wanted to close his eyes and pray for a kiss.

“I really hope you are not injured.”

“I do not appear to be.” It was difficult to tell, since his body was more focused on the pleasure of having a man on top of him.

“Oh goodness, are you injured?” Carlynne’s voice broke through the pleasantness.

“He says he’s fine.” The man used his arms to lift his body off him, but as soon as he tried to stand, the skates slipped again and he fell onto Theo again. They both let out a loud exhalation. Oof.

“Maybe try to get onto your knees first.” Theo really didn’t want the man to move off him, but now his sister was here... He looked away from the man’s gorgeous face for the first time and gulped. A crowd had gathered. Oh dear. Now they were making a scene. He really didn’t need to get in the newssheets; not for this, and not if he was going to save the estate. What kind of heiress would marry an Earl who preferred to be sprawled on the ground underneath a handsome man?

With the help of Carlynne and a few others, they both managed to end up sitting beside each other on the frozen ground. He wrapped his coat around him to hide the evidence of his interest in the man. So much for an introduction to society.

“Are you sure you aren’t injured?” Carlynne’s insistent manner couldn’t be ignored anymore.

“I’m fine. Just winded. Give me a moment.” The cold began to seep through his clothes, and he held out his hands to his sister who helped him stand up.

She ran an assessing gaze over him. “You scared me.”

“It wasn’t my fault, darling sister.” He, very unsubtly, let the man know that they were related. He hadn’t had a response like this to anyone for a long time, and it was a little overwhelming. Who was this man?

Chapter 2

Buying these skates had been a fantastic idea. Not as first, and not when he was falling, but now. Now they’d led Adam here to this pretty man with flushed cheeks and if they weren’t in such a public place, Adam would’ve taken the hint of the man’s reaction to him and kissed him.

“I am terribly sorry.”

The man opened his mouth, but his sister spoke first. “You should be sorry. You’ve knocked down the Earl of Milnes-Wilkes.”

Oh fucking what? All the breath in Adam’s lungs disappeared, squeezed out in a sudden gasp that he couldn’t control. He knew the old fucker had died. He’d attended the funeral to celebrate, hiding at the back of the church with a hat pulled low over his face. Well, he wasn’t going to offer his condolences for the old man’s death, regardless of how unexpectedly attractive the son was. Regardless, there was an etiquette, and they were in public with many curious eyes watching.

“My lord. I apologise for being...”

“Stop. It was an accident and no harm was done.”

“Are you certain?” Adam raked his gaze over the bloody Earl because it was easier to flirt than face the reality of who he was. The Earl was tall, like his father, but leaner with light brown hair that was brushed back into a wavy Byron-esque style, and thanks to the fall, Adam knew that the new Earl’s coat hid a surprisingly strong physique. Having the Earl standing while he was still on his ass on the icy ground was a good reminder of their relative positions in society.

“Yes. Thank you. Would you like some help with your skates?”

Adam had forgotten about them, lost in the odd blend of emotions—arousal and shock—but he supposed he should stand up and try not to fall onto the Earl again. “I could definitely use some help.” He let his comment hang in the air because it wasn’t skating that he wanted help with. He gulped. This man was his enemy’s son. He should not be flirting. Think about Rose. He shivered.

“It is rather too cold to be sitting here. Let me help you.” Lord Milnes-Wilkes held out his gloved hands. Adam took them and stood up. His skates slipped but he pressed the toe into the icy ground. It would be so easy to let himself stumble and fall against his lordship again, and yes, he reminded himself of the man’s identity on purpose.

“Carlynne. Can you make yourself useful and get us a hackney to go home? I’m cold and wet.” The dismissal of his sister was the reminder Adam needed that these people, these toffs, thought differently to people like him. If the new Earl treated his sister like that, the odds were high that the son was like the old Earl. The old Earl who deserved what Adam had done.

“If you place your hand on my forearm, we can head towards the seating area over there, and then you can take the skates off.”

“But my lord, you promised me a lesson.” Why was he still flirting with the Earl? His body needed to catch up to the reality of the situation.

Lord Milnes-Wilkes sucked in a deep breath. “Perhaps another day.”

It was typical of his ilk to renege on a deal, but for some reason it irritated Adam more than usual. Just because the new Earl was pretty didn’t mean Adam wanted to be right about the man’s character. Maybe he’d end up looking as bitter and mean as his father when he aged.

“Maybe when you aren’t so wet.”