Free How to Seduce a Scoundrel by Vicky Dreiling Page B

him, but he drew her tongue into his mouth, and the voice grew silent. She was lost, uncaring about anything except the mindless need coursing through her.
    He tore his mouth away, leaving her bereft. A haze swirled through her head as she gazed at him. His eyes were darker, glazed with an expression she’d never seen before.

Chapter Five
     
A Scoundrel’s Code of Conduct: Never let the beast take control.
     
    A dense fog enveloped his brain. His cock strained against the confines of his tight trousers. He was burning up as he pressed her closer. Seconds before he kissed her again, he met her gaze. The innocent blue eyes staring back at him washed over him like a giant ocean wave.
    He stepped back, breathing like a racehorse. Bloody hell! He’d kissed and touched Julianne.
    Her eyes held a look of wonder as she touched her kiss-swollen lips. She’d probably never been kissed before. His chest burned with shame. He’d lost all control with his best friend’s sister. Damn his sorry soul to hell.
    Hawk turned his back and clenched his fists, trying desperately to will his erection into submission. For God’s sake, he was her guardian. Tristan had trusted him to protect her. And he’d failed miserably.
    The memory of his father’s denouncement more than a dozen years ago echoed in his head.
You’re an immoral blackguard.
    He’d proven his father right repeatedly, but he’d never touched an innocent before. Only the worst sort of scoundrel would take advantage of a young, unmarried lady.
    He walked over to the sideboard and splashed brandy into a glass. When he downed the liquor, it burned his throat and made his eyes water. The lust coursing through his veins gradually receded, leaving a dull ache in his groin.
    What the hell had possessed him?
    He recalled his rising anger at her refusal to take his warnings seriously. Then he’d snapped, meaning to teach her a lesson. All he’d done was show himself to be no better than Ramsey.
    He set the glass aside. If anyone had burst in on them, he would have had no choice but to offer marriage. He couldn’t even let himself think of Tristan’s reaction.
    Right now, he had to put aside thoughts of what might have happened and deal with the aftermath. All he could offer her was an apology, but hollow words could never make up for what he’d done to her.
    He turned to face her, and the blush staining her cheeks made him wince. “I beg your forgiveness. That should not have happened.”
    A suspicious sheen filled her eyes, and she averted her face as if she didn’t want him to see. “I… I let you.”
    He despised himself. Her first kiss should have been gentle and sweet, but he’d never meant to kiss her. And he’d certainly not counted on the desire that had consumed him the moment their lips had met. “You are not to blame.”
    She glanced at him with a miserable expression and looked away again.
    He walked over to her, wanting to offer comfort, but he stopped short of touching her again. “I am the one at fault.”
    After uttering the words, he recalled walking in on Tristan and Tessa in the library at Ashdown House a year ago. At the time, he’d thought his friend’s guilt overblown. Now he understood exactly how Tristan had felt.
    Julianne drew in a shuddering breath. “You won’t say anything to my brother about our indiscretion, will you?”
    The uncertainty in her voice seared his conscience. “No good would come of a confession.” The consequences would ruin his friendship with Tristan and alienate their families.
    Julianne blew out her breath as if relieved.
    He ought to bow out as her guardian, but then he’d have to explain his reasons to Tristan. What would he say?
Your sister got foxed, and I punished her with a lascivious kiss
?
    He’d made a bad mistake, but that didn’t change his responsibility as her guardian. If anything, he must tighten the reins to ensure she stayed out of trouble. “We have yet to settle the matter of last night’s