Nicole Jordan - The Seduction

“I am not a lightskirt, my lord.” She said it through clenched teeth, so fiercely that he had to believe her sincere.

Her indignation gave Damien pause. He was accustomed to women throwing themselves at his feet. To her credit, the lovely Vanessa had not tried to ply him with tears or devious tales. She wasn’t attempting to wheedle a favor from him. She was simply pleading honestly with him to let them keep their home.

He had to confess he admired her forthrightness, as well as her courage. He even admired her determined defense of her brother, however misguided it might be.

But it was unwise to allow himself to soften toward her. Vanessa Wyndham was clever, with spirit enough to be intriguing, and beautiful enough even for a man with his jaded, discriminating tastes. Under ordinary circumstances, he might enjoy pitting wits with her, perhaps even engaging in a game of seduction. But these were far from ordinary circumstances. Her brother had shattered his innocent sister’s life and would have to pay.

“Have you never done anything that you regret?” she was saying. “Aubrey was raised with no concept of responsibility. Our father was a poor role model for him.”

“An edifying tale.”

“My lord, my brother is merely a boy.”

His gray eyes hardened. “And my sister is merely a girl, whose life Rutherford callously ruined.”

“I am not excusing his behavior,” Vanessa managed more civilly. “But I should think you would wish to devote your energies to aiding your sister rather than seeking vengeance.”

“I have been devoting my energies toward that end.”

“Indeed? Did you not leave her alone in the country while you returned to London to your life of leisure?”

It was Damien’s turn to set his jaw. “I fail to see how it concerns you, Lady Wyndham, but I am in town to seek a companion for her, if you must know. My chief reason for coming was to investigate employment agencies and interview prospective candidates.”

And to visit your tailor. It was all Vanessa could do to hide her disdain. The mighty baron evidently didn’t wish to be bothered with his invalid sister, not if he planned to shirk his responsibility and palm the girl off on an employee. “Is that not rather coldhearted, to fob her off on a stranger?”

“Is it not rather unwise to antagonize me, Lady Wyndham?” he replied in a silken voice edged with steel.

Vanessa hesitated as she surveyed the storm gathering in his eyes. She had angered him, which was indeed foolish. Lord Sinclair was a dangerous man because of his implacable will. When he moved toward her slowly, it was all she could do to stand her ground. She was too aware of his body, the size and strength of it, of his raw masculinity.

He stopped before her, gazing at her hard. The heat and intensity in his eyes were unnerving. Then his tone dropped to a low murmur. “You are here alone, in a notorious rake’s bedchamber. I could have my wicked way with you, and no one would gainsay me.”

It was a threat, but somehow he made it sound like a sensual promise. Even more unnerving was the way his scrutiny shifted to her bosom. She could feel his gaze like a tangible caress, could feel her breasts tighten as if he had actually touched her.

She stood frozen when his hand rose to her throat. Her breath caught as his elegant finger trailed a featherlight path downward to the vulnerable hollow. “Do I fluster you, Lady Wyndham?” he taunted softly.

“No… of course not.”

“So why is your breathing so shallow, your lovely skin so delicately flushed?”

It was true she was suddenly breathless and overly warm. But if he thought to intimidate her, he would learn that he had met his match.

Vanessa lifted her chin defiantly, returning his gaze. “I had hoped to appeal to your better nature, my lord, but I see you haven’t one.”

Lord Sin smiled coolly. “My nature is quite charming under most circumstances.”

“I have seen little evidence of it.”

“But then you scarcely know me.”

For a moment he stood looking down at her. But then he shook his head, as if recalling where he was. “As much as I enjoy sparring with you, I have an appointment to keep.”

Vanessa gave a sigh of frustration. He was right. This was getting nowhere. With a heavy heart, she made one last attempt at persuading him.

“You asked, my lord, what I could offer you in exchange for returning my brother’s estates. Well, I am willing to offer my services-”

Ah, he thought, irrationally disappointed in her. Now we come to the point of negotiations. “You begin to interest me vastly.”

“-as companion to your sister,” Vanessa continued.

He frowned at her. “Companion?”

“You said you were seeking one for Miss Sinclair.”

“Give me a single reason why I should entrust my sister’s welfare to you.”

“Because I could be of help to her. By all reports, she is faring poorly. I understand she cannot leave her bed and has become a recluse.”

“Your point?”

“Dealing with ladies in poor health is not a new circumstance for me. My mother is a semi-invalid and often confined to her bed, so I have some experience. And I could lend your sister the consequence of rank. I still retain my husband’s title, and I am the daughter of a viscount. No governess-companion could offer as much.”

Damien studied her, trying to judge if this was a ploy. She seemed entirely sincere, yet he wondered how far she would go to sacrifice for her family. He nodded slowly, deciding to test her resolve.

“You have courage, I’ll give you that. But I wonder to what lengths you are prepared to go.”

“I will do whatever I must to spare my family.”

“Is that so?” He smiled thinly. “Well, you are in luck, sweeting. You find me in an indulgent mood. But I have in mind a more intimate arrangement than the one you envision. I shall make a bargain with you. I will offer you the position of companion-but not to my sister. To me.”

“I… don’t understand.”

“Then I shall put it more plainly. I will cancel your brother’s debt if you become my mistress.” From her shocked look, she was clearly taken aback. “It would not be forever. Merely till we tire of each other. Say… for the summer?”

She stared at him. “I cannot believe a man of your reputation would lack for paramours.”

He gave a casual shrug. “You find me between paramours at the moment. The position is yours, if you want it.”

What she wanted was to slap his face for his insulting proposal. He could not be serious… could he? “You are offensive, sir.”

He simply looked at her and smiled a slow, cynical smile. “Come now, sweeting. Your pretense of outrage is a bit overplayed. You’re a woman of the world. You can’t profess to be shocked.”

He closed the distance between them and raised his hand to her breast. When he brushed the nipple with the back of his knuckles, she felt the sensual impact clear through the fabric of her pelisse and gown. The boldness of the gesture alarmed her as much as the fiery sensation it engendered.

Drawing a sharp breath, Vanessa took a step backward to a safer distance.

Graciously Lord Sin smiled in triumph, the slight curve of his lips radiating male charm. She could well understand why his conquests were legion. He had captivated countless women with that wicked, sensual smile.

“So you decline my offer?” he murmured, obviously presuming he had won.

“I did not say that!” she returned sharply.

“Then what do you say?”

“I… I will consider it.”

“Well, consider swiftly, my sweet. But I give you fair warning. If you bargain with me, you bargain with the devil.”

Their gazes locked and warred.

“Is the price too high, my lovely?” Damien inquired lazily.

Vanessa swallowed at the question. What he was suggesting would ruin her. But would ruination be too high a price to save her family?

“What… would I be required to do as your mistress?” she asked, stalling for time.

He cocked an eyebrow. “You cannot guess?”

“I suppose you would expect us to share… carnal relations.”

“That is the usual custom, yes.” His mouth curved in dry amusement. “But I daresay you would not find your duties too onerous. I would visit your bed whenever I wished, naturally, and you must learn to please me.”

“You will likely be disappointed in me. I have no talent in that direction.”

“I won’t know until I have you beneath me.”

Her breath caught at his bold speaking, yet his continued attempts to intimidate only angered her. “I have no experience as a mistress, only a wife. My only… intimacy with a man has been with my husband. And I found that side of marriage… extremely unpleasant. Indeed, I cannot comprehend why your gender finds lust so agreeable.”

Her tone at the end was scornful, cutting, yet Damien couldn’t tell if she was angry at him, her late husband, or males in general.

“But then by all reports, your husband was a boor. And by your own admission, you have never had the benefit of a proper lover. At the risk of seeming immodest, I am skilled enough to teach you whatever you need to know. I believe I can safely predict you will enjoy your education.”

Her chin rose regally. “How can you possibly divine what I might or might not enjoy? You know nothing about me.”

“But I know women, cherie. And I understand pleasures of the flesh. You cannot be so different from the vast majority of your sex. One night in my arms and I’ll have you trembling for me.”

“You were correct, my lord. You are a devil. An arrogant one.”

He smiled. “My crimes are legion.”

When she remained silent, Damien studied her curiously, wondering if her scornful haughtiness was an act. If she was feigning reluctance in order to excite his interest, her ploy was working. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been so aroused by the mere presence of a woman.

And why else would she hesitate to snap up his extremely generous offer? No mistress, however magnificent, was worth a hundred thousand pounds, and he was giving her a chance both to redeem that enormous sum and to save her worthless brother. She would be a fool to refuse.

He doubted Vanessa Wyndham was a fool. Obviously accustomed to scandal, she must be experienced and sophisticated and worldly enough to use her body to gain her ends, as were so many of the grasping, shallow beauties of his acquaintance.

It was possible, he supposed, that she truly was cold and unfeeling, incapable of real passion. Then again, it could be pride or fear driving her. Was that guarded, vulnerable look in her dark eyes genuine?

“Do you fear me, Lady Wyndham?” he asked quite seriously.

“Considering the tales told about you, it would be remarkably imprudent of me not to fear you-a man for whom no rule is sacred and from whom no woman is safe.”

“You have no reason to be afraid.”

“Said the wolf to the lamb.”

He smiled at her sharp tongue. It was strangely refreshing to find a spirited beauty who wasn’t afraid of earning his dismissal by speaking her mind.

Casually Damien walked over to a rosewood side table, where he searched in a drawer. Withdrawing a deck of cards, he held it up.

“I beg to differ, my lady. I am no wolf. But I am a gamester, as you said. So I propose to give you a sporting chance. We each draw a card; high card wins. Even odds. If you are the victor, I forgive your brother’s debt entirely. Lose and you serve as my mistress for the summer.”

She stared, her dark eyes wide and uncertain. Damien fancied he could see himself in their lustrous depths, even across the room.

“Your answer, my lady?”

Vanessa shut her eyes as she struggled with the impossible dilemma. It was an outrageous bargain, trading her honor in a desperate bid to gain his aid. She had sold herself once, in marriage, and had vowed never to do so again.

Yet would giving her body to this man be any more repugnant than her marriage had been? Many women would leap at the chance to share Damien Sinclair’s bed. He possessed a legendary reputation for lovemaking. Women found him undeniably desirable-and she was no different, God help her.

And he was offering her an even chance to triumph. She might actually win. But if she lost? She would be ruined.

His proposal was dishonorable, even cruel. But her passion was his price for mercy. And to shield her family from his wrath, she would bargain with the devil.