It wasn’t as if he needed a lover. Any number of married or widowed women in that very ballroom would jump at the chance to be his mistress. But with Avis, he was playing with fire. There was every possibility that someone would discover their liaison and as an innocent, she would be ruined. If he didn’t marry her to spare her name, he’d be an utter bastard. Not that he would ever let that happen. If this insanity was ever discovered, he would live with the consequences.
He thought about the word consequences for a moment, weighed it in his mind, and released a heavy sigh. It wasn’t too late to stop this madness. But no matter how hard he tried to think about consequences and logic and morals, he knew one thing for certain. He wanted this. Consequences be damned. He wanted Avis. If someone discovered them, he would marry her.
Marriage to Avis…he waited for the usual aversion to strike him. And yet, it didn’t. After years of avoiding marriage, he’d expected to feel repugnance, not the quiet, warming calm that spread over him.
Marry Avis Copley?
He slid into the chair behind the desk and examined the idea from all sides, searching for flaws. Other than the possible exception of her hating him, he couldn’t find any fault. And after that passionate kiss, he was inclined to think she didn’t hate him as much as she professed.
He did need to wed. That had been the plan for this Season, after all—find a bride. Because of their past history and the fact that she was Jennette’s best friend, he had never considered her a candidate for his wife. He tapped his fingers on the desk. She wasn’t a silly girl like Miss Roebuck or Lady Anne. Avis had a maturity and intelligence he admired. She had her writing to keep her busy when he became embroiled with the estates or Parliament. She had a body any man would love to keep in bed for days.
This was truly a mad idea.
Still, she was the daughter of a viscount, wealthy in her own right, and from an excellent family with no scandals. She would have met all of his father’s requirements for a wife. Except she had no interest in marrying…anyone. The thought made him smile.
He so loved a challenge. Women had thrown themselves at him since he was an adolescent. Most just wanted the title and money he brought to a marriage, while Avis had no desire for either. The other women were easy conquests. But in all the years he’d been with women only Avis rejected him. Only Avis would respond to him with cutting remarks. Only Avis argued with him in front of any number of people. Only Avis could respond to his kisses and make him forget everything, including his own control.
Only Avis.
Why had it taken him this long to realize she was exactly what he wanted in a wife? Guilt. He still regretted being involved in that bloody wager. If not for that kiss, he would never have realized how much he desired her. Still, they couldn’t be in the same room without making sneering comments toward each other.
He had to admit that most of the time he only made derogatory comments to keep her at arms length. And surely his behavior had only supported her dislike of him. They would spend their days bickering and their nights making passionate love with each other.
He smiled.
She had made a bargain with the devil. How had it happened? How had she let him take control of the situation like that? Avis leaned against the ballroom wall and clutched her stomach. The one man she knew she would never be able to manage had turned her plan upside down.
And all because of one simple kiss.
Although, in truth, Selby’s kisses were never simple. They were heated, mind-altering medicine that made her say and do the most foolish things, such as agreeing to have an affair with him. How could she have been so stupid?
There had to be away out of this mess. She couldn’t go away with Jennette’s brother.
“Are you all right, Avis?”
She looked up to see his sister staring at her with concern. “Just a little dizzy, Jennette. It’s a bit stifling in here.”
“I meant with Mr. Billingsworth’s announcement. Are you going to concede your idea is foolish and not continue with it?”
Well, she certainly couldn’t tell Jennette who her new target was. “I shall have to decide on another man.”
“Think carefully on it, Avis. You need a man you can trust, one who would never tell a soul about your affair. There are not very many men who fit into that category.”
Could she trust Selby? She wasn’t sure she could. After all, he had wagered he could kiss the Ice Maiden before any other man. And he had. Yet, as she thought about it, he had never gloated about their kiss. Perhaps Selby was just the man she needed, and she certainly desired him.
Avis glanced away from Jennette only to notice Selby and Lord Kesgrave strolling toward them. She couldn’t face him again so soon.
“Jennette, would you excuse me? I need to give my felicitations to Mr. Billingsworth.”
Avis slipped into the crowd on the dance floor and strolled to the other side of the room. She glanced around until she sighted Emory dancing with Lady Hythe. Avis let out a small sigh, feeling no pain at the sight of them together. With Emory, it wasn’t as much a physical attraction as a mental appeal. They shared much in common with their writing. She had nothing in common with Selby.
The dance ended and Emory left Lady Hythe with a group of her friends. He walked toward Avis with a smile. “Miss Copley, how wonderful to see you tonight.”
“Thank you, Mr. Billingsworth.”
“I assume you heard my announcement?” he asked, straightening his already perfect coat.
“You must be very pleased.”
“Of course. It’s not every day Prinny invites a writer to join him in Brighton for a month in the summer. I do hope that his support will help my book to be published sooner.”
Avis shook her head. Prinny? Brighton in the summer? “I thought your announcement might be an engagement to Lady Hythe.”
Emory released a high-pitched, almost whiny sounding laugh. “Lady Susan Hythe? And me?”
“No?”
“She is a sweet, young widow but hardly a suitable wife for a man like me. Her husband left her but a paltry sum.”
Avis scanned the room until she found Selby. A smug smile touched his lips as he stared back at her. Anger washed over her when he raised a sardonic eyebrow at her in question. She had no doubt he knew exactly what just transpired during her conversation with Emory.
“Congratulations on your accomplishment, Mr. Billingsworth. Excuse me, I must speak with Sel—someone.”
“I shall call on you after I return, Miss Copley. I’m quite certain you will wish to hear all about my month with the prince.”
She waved a hand at him in dismissal and walked toward Selby. Before she made it to the middle of the ballroom, he clasped her elbow and propelled her out to the terrace. A few people mingled in the shadows but Selby found a secluded spot for them before he released his grip.
“Is there a problem?”
Avis turned to face him. “Of course there is a problem. You deliberately lied to me about Mr. Billingsworth so I would be forced to accept your offer,” her voice lowered to barely a whisper.
“Oh? There is no betrothal?” He twisted his lips as if attempting to contain a smile. “No matter. I’m still the better choice for you.”
The arrogance of the man astounded her. “You are wrong on that point. Now that I know Mr. Billingsworth is unattached, I have decided to return to my original plan. I shall just delay my proposal for a few weeks. I no longer need