Free Duke of Scandal (Moonlight Square, Book 1) by Gaelen Foley

than a randy young buck who wanted sex all the time, but good God, not from her!
    Thankfully, he had discovered he at least had some semblance of morality that day, to his relief, and had walked away from what she had offered, turning his back on the girl that he knew worshiped him for some ungodly reason.
    He had even told her brother what she had done, feigning mere concern about his little sister’s fast behavior. But in truth, he simply had not wanted her trying to tempt him again. He wasn’t that good.
    Nevertheless, he ached to know how hard she had taken his rejection. No wonder all that anger had flashed out at him yesterday afternoon from under her smooth surface. She had reason.
    At the moment, though, things were friendly between them, almost like the old days of childhood, before the little widgeon had decided that she wanted to marry him when she grew up. He had laughed at that when she was eight, scowled about it when she was twelve, and run like hell from it from the moment she had sat down on his lap.
    “So who is this special musical guest supposed to be?” she was asking.
    “They haven’t told us,” he replied. “It’s a surprise. Can I get you something to drink?”
    She said she’d take a glass of white wine, while Mrs. Brown opted for a lemonade. Jason told the nearest footman and sent the fellow scurrying.
    “How are you this evening, Mrs. Brown?” he asked politely.
    “Humph,” was all the lady said, turning away to chat with an acquaintance.
    Jason arched a brow at Felicity, then bent to murmur in her ear. “I take it she’s cross with me for coming over to see you yesterday?”
    “No, she’s cross with me for not ordering the servants to wake her so she could sit with us. I got quite a tongue-lashing after she awoke.”
    He winced. “Sorry I got you into trouble.”
    “Nonsense. I assured her you were barely half an hour at the house, and besides, I’ve known you longer than I’ve known her. I did not argue with her, but I didn’t apologize, either. And why should I?” she whispered. “You came to help me. That is all. We did nothing wrong. Frankly, after talking to you, I realized maybe you were right.”
    “About what?”
    “Perhaps I’ve been the obedient companion long enough. I’ve done what they’ve told me. I’ve followed all the rules. But now, maybe it’s time I start taking hold of a little of my aunt’s independent spirit, since that was the whole point of her leaving me her fortune in the first place. Don’t you think?”
    “I couldn’t agree more,” he said in amused approval.
    “As dear Cousin Gerald pointed out, I’m not getting any younger. It’s not as though I’m a chit fresh out of the schoolroom anymore, like some of the debutantes here are, the sweet little things.” She glanced around at the sixteen- and seventeen-year-old girls clustered here and there, looking terrified, but if there were other females in the room, Jason had not seen them.
    There was only her.
    After a brief check with her chaperone, Felicity beckoned him closer. He leaned down breathlessly to catch her whisper in the noisy room and tried to hide his shiver of longing when her warm breath tickled his ear.
    “Anyway, I have a sneaking suspicion that the real reason Mrs. Brown is annoyed is because she missed the chance to see my cousin Gerald.”
    Startled out of his trance by this information, he straightened up with a roguish grin. “Really?”
    Felicity nodded, her eyes dancing with wicked mirth. “She quite fancies him,” she mouthed, nodding at her chaperone’s back. “What we see as bluster, she views as strength. Decisiveness. She told me so once, and said Her Ladyship simply didn’t understand him.”
    Jason laughed aloud, causing several folk to look at him strangely. “There’s your solution to the cousin problem, then.”
    “Exactly. If Gerald hopes to avoid the sponging house, let him redirect his attentions to a lady who’d enjoy them, for I have