Lord of Pleasure Read Online Free Page A

skirts around her exposed legs. “You meant to do that!”
    “Learn from it. Had you engaged anyone else, it might have ended differently.” Grabbing hold of her waist, he plucked her up off the floor as though she were a mere doll and set her back up into the seat behind her. He pointed at her. “Now do something with your bonnet. We can’t have your neighbors thinking you’re on the market.”
    The way the man carried on, she was beginning to believe he was used to dusting off paths after himself.
    He turned and snatched up his hat from the seat. As he brushed past, his gloved hand came down and out and purposefully grazed the side of her thigh hidden beneath the layers of her gown. He smiled down at her.
    Her heart skittered as she froze against the seat.
    Without sparing her another glance, he threw open the carriage door and jumped out. The cool air from outside the carriage whipped in, shocking her overheated body.
    His black-gloved hand snapped back inside, toward her, offering his gentlemanly mannerisms to the end.
    As if she were going to take it.
    Tying the ribbons beneath her chin, she jerked the bow tightly into place and gathered up her gown from around her feet. She moved for the door, jumped down onto the cobbled street, and hurried past him and his extended hand.
    She paused and peered up toward her townhouse. Sure enough, the unpainted house, and all of its blasted windows she had yet to pay taxes on, loomed before her. Though the window tax was the least of her worries. Her lawyer was going to be demanding legal fees again. Fees she could no longer afford.
    Charlotte blew out a disgusted breath and shook her head. What an utter waste of a day. She turned and marched toward the front of the carriage, where the driver sat, knowing she had no choice but to pay for her ride, as she certainly wasn’t going to allow this Alexander to pay.
    The bearded driver reached out a dirty, wool-covered hand and knowingly grinned down at her from his seat, showing off sparse, yellow teeth.
    “I’ll mind you to keep all that happiness to yourself, sir,” she snapped up at him. Gritting her teeth, she dug her fingers into her reticule, loosening the ribbon that held it shut.
    “Here.” Alexander stepped between her and the driver and offered up a banknote. A ten-pound banknote, to be precise.
    She glared at him. “A tenner? Are you mad? I wasn’t driving about all year.”
    He bit back what she knew to be a smile. “One would hope.” He reverted his gaze to the driver, still holding up the banknote. “Your silence is much appreciated, sir.”
    The driver reached out and snatched up the money. “I be appreciatin’ me own silence more than you, governa.” He winked and tipped his dusty hat at them.
    “Good man.” Alexander pointed toward the opposite direction. “Take me to Brooks’s and your day is done.”
    The man nodded and shifted in his seat.
    Alexander turned back toward her. The way he continued to silently stare down at her, with that firm stance and set mouth, she half expected him to start preaching to her about the sins of the world.
    She smirked up at him, noting how lopsided his top hat was, despite his serious gaze. “Your hat is crooked.”
    “I like it crooked. It’s more comfortable.” With that, he stepped closer and, to her surprise, grabbed up her gloved hand.
    Though she tried to pull it away, he tightened his hold and brought her fingers up firmly to his lips. Then kissed them.
    Her heart jumped from the applied pressure of those lips as their heat seeped through her glove and into the skin of her hand. How and why did this man continue to affect her so? It defied all common logic.
    “Hold on to your virtue,” he murmured over her fingers. His gaze intently met hers. “It’s worth far more than I or any other could ever afford to pay.”
    He released her hand and touched the rim of his hat in salutation. He then spun away, climbed back into the carriage, and slammed the door