Free When His Kiss Is Wicked by Kaitlin O'Riley Page A

for her?”
    “I’ll admit that at first I was attracted by her beauty, but I now feel that Juliette and I are too much alike and more suited to be just friends.”
    Admiring his honesty, she acknowledged his good judgment. “You are more than likely right about that. But I am curious about you, Lord Eddington. Tell me about yourself.” Colette had heard of his illegitimate birth and scandalous reputation from her uncle, and wondered what he was doing flirting with her. Marriage was definitely not on his agenda, yet quite obviously on hers.
    “Oh, that’s a dull tale.”
    “Surely not!” she encouraged him. “I highly suspect that anything in relation to you would not be dull.”
    “I’m just a man.” He held his hands out in mock helplessness.
    “Just a man?” Colette laughed at his false humility. “Well, my lord, could you please tell me why a man such as yourself is so interested in ladies such as Juliette and myself?”
    “Honestly?”
    She tilted her head in his direction. “That would be nice.”
    He seemed slightly embarrassed. His gaze lowered before he glanced back up at her. “I like you both. I have no sisters of my own and I feel a little protective of the two you.”
    “That’s very gallant of you, Lord Eddington, but what makes you think we need protecting?”
    Jeffrey flashed her a charming smile. “Isn’t it obvious? Your sister is trouble just waiting to happen, your uncle is intent on selling you both to the highest bidder, and it seems someone should be protecting you from those like myself.”
    Colette smiled then. “Ah, but who will protect us from you ?”
    Jeffrey laughed loudly. “You are a wise lady, Miss Hamilton.”
    “And you would be wise to remember that,” she challenged him.
    At that moment she spotted Lucien Sinclair crossing the room, carrying two crystal glasses. After spending that afternoon with him in the bookshop, she felt even more intrigued with the man. He had sparred with Juliette as if he’d known her for years, befriended and gained the undying loyalty of Paulette in an instant, and had left her feeling completely unlike herself. Although they had laughed and talked easily together selecting a few books she thought his father might enjoy, she felt an impossibly strong and magnetic undercurrent of feeling between them that left her quite breathless when she was near him.
    Now curious to see where Lucien Sinclair was going, and for just whom he was carrying a glass of champagne, she craned her head, but could not see through the crowd of guests. She lost sight of him as he entered one of the withdrawing rooms. A pang of disappointment shot through her.
    “Watching someone in particular?” Jeffrey asked with a meaningful glance.
    Although she sensed that Lord Eddington knew full well whom she had been staring at, she was embarrassed to be caught doing so. Colette blushed. “I thought I saw Lord Waverly across the room, but I must have been mistaken.”
    Jeffrey regarded her carefully before saying, “You were not mistaken. That was Lord Waverly. He’s a very good friend of mine. We’ve known each other since we were boys.”
    Here was a perfect source of information for Colette’s burning questions. “Does he always behave so maddeningly?”
    “I’m not sure what you mean.”
    “Well…” she began, “sometimes he seems so disapproving, close-minded, and stuffy, and then he can suddenly be lighthearted and charming.”
    “You find him charming, do you?” Jeffrey gave her a questioning glance.
    “Perhaps,” was her noncommittal response. She supposed Lucien Sinclair was charming in a maddening way.
    “Well, I shall only say that Lucien has suffered in his life and he is often harder on himself than he needs to be.”
    Colette so wanted to know more about Lucien Sinclair, but bit her tongue so as not to seem like she was prying.
    “Uh-oh,” Jeffrey muttered low. “I’m afraid we are in for it now.”
    “What is it?”
    “Here comes your