Kissing the Rake (Howertys #2)

Chapter 7: Kissing the Rake

Jessica was on her way down the hallway towards her bedchamber after having spent most of the evening reading to the duke when she heard Jacob calling her name. Trying to ignore it, she kept walking, hoping to reach the haven of her room and lock the door behind her. After their argument earlier, she didn't particularly wish to speak to him.

"Jessica!" he called again, a bit louder this time.

She sighed and stopped. She supposed she couldn't very well pretend she hadn't heard him, and if he bellowed any louder, he would probably attract an audience. Turning around, she saw him striding towards her and her heart immediately lurched as she saw his state of dishabille. He must have started getting ready for bed, because he was dressed only in his black breeches tucked into Hessian boots and a white silk shirt with several buttons undone. She swallowed audibly as she could see dark hair covering his muscular chest.

"What do you want, Jacob?" she asked irritably while forcing her gaze up to his face. God, the man looked good in those skin-tight breeches.

He stopped in front of her, and she found that meeting his eyes wasn't necessarily any better for her composure than looking at his bared chest. Dark stubble covered his jaw, giving him a rugged look which she had to admit suited him very well, and his blue eyes were such a contrast to his tanned skin and dark hair. Sometimes his eyes could appear cold, like an iced-over pond, but other times they burned with an intense fire. This was one of those times, and the sight did something funny to her insides.

"I wanted to talk to you," he said huskily, his dark voice sending shivers down her spine.

Calm yourself. She took a step away from him. The man was standing much too close for her peace of mind.

"I think you've said quite enough today," she said stiffly, moving even further away. However, apparently intent on speaking with her, he followed, and as she bumped into the wall behind her, he put an arm on each side of her head to make sure she couldn't escape him. They weren't touching, but she could still feel the heat emanating from his body and it made her own tingle in awareness. He leaned closer, and she automatically tried to move away, but the wall behind her effectively hindered any such attempts. He smelled divine. She couldn't help but notice the clean scent which always seemed to cling to him wherever he was, mixed with sandalwood soap and... She frowned.

"Jacob, have you been drinking?"

"A little," he admitted. "But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."

"You stink," she muttered, but she had to admit the light smell of brandy on his breath was quite intoxicating. Taking a deep breath to settle her nerves, she looked down the hallway, but it was dark and deserted. Which was probably just as well. If anyone saw them right now, they'd probably get the wrong impression from the way he was crowding her against the wall.

"Have you been with my father the entire evening?"

"I don't see how that is any of your concern." He'd been in such a foul mood and said such nasty things earlier that she wasn't quite ready to forgive him yet. Even if he was the most handsome man she'd ever laid eyes on. The thought made her blush. Blast it, what was it with this man that made her mind go haywire?

"If you're consorting with my father, I do believe it makes it my business," he said, his voice deceptively calm.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know, I never thought you would be someone to chase after a title." He gave her a lazy look-over which made her cheeks burn. "But when one looks like you do, I suppose one can be choosy in picking a husband."

She stared at him, wondering if he'd lost his mind. "I'm not chasing after anyone," she said, and instantly got annoyed by the breathless cadence of her voice. But who could blame her? She was standing mere inches from one of London's most notorious rakes, and at that moment she had no problems understanding how he could have got all those women into his bed. "I simply don't wish to marry."