Free Debutantes Don’t Date by Kristina O’Grady Page B

impossible to continue to stand. Isabel had to help her out of the tub and
     she had to sit down, claiming it was the heat of the water that made her feel woozy.
     In fact she still felt woozy. She hadn’t told Victoria about Jasper perving through
     the door. The way things went around here, she wouldn’t be surprised if she found
     herself married to him by morning if anyone found out he’d ‘compromised’ her in such
     a way. She still couldn’t get her head around the rules of this bizarre society. How
     on earth was it acceptable to marry someone just because they kissed you, or looked
     at you naked? God, everyone back home would be married several times over if that
     rule still applied in the 21st century.
    She found it hard to concentrate on her meal, especially with Jasper seated next to
     her. His thigh brushed against hers every now and then, sending shivers up and down
     her body.
    Because it was just the three of them, they dined informally. Thank God for that,
     she still couldn’t figure out where she was supposed to sit at the table, no matter
     what chair she sat in, guaranteed it was the wrong one. She felt like Julia Roberts
     in
Pretty Woman
when Vivian was trying to learn what fork to use only to find out she was to eat
     escargot. It was as though the rug was constantly being pulled out from under her.
    By the time she retired for the night, Grace was so agitated she briefly thought if
     there was any water still in her bath she would climb in just to cool herself off.
     What she wouldn’t give for a cold shower. But alas, she had earlier watched as the
     water was emptied and the tubs were carted away.
    In her room and tucked up in the warm bed, she couldn’t sleep. The connecting door
     seemed to call to her all through the night, until finally she threw off the covers,
     checked that her roommate was still asleep, marched over to the door, grasped the
     handle and…she couldn’t do it. She just couldn’t bring herself to turn the knob and
     pull the door open. She knew where it would lead and although she was horny as hell
     she wasn’t ready for the next step, so instead she stood there in the cold room shivering
     and swearing under her breath, before taking a huge sigh and climbing back into bed.
     She pulled the covers up to her chin, rolled on her side with her back to the damn
     door and finally went to sleep.
    Jasper struggled with the door between their rooms as well. He knew he needed to stay
     away from it…and her. Dinner had been torture. He sat beside her with his leg almost
     touching her thigh, in fact he couldn’t help but ‘accidentally’ brush against her
     while she ate. He had to wait a good quarter of an hour after Victoria and Grace left
     before he could get up from the table without embarrassing himself. Now he lay in
     his bed thinking of the damn unlocked door, his erection just as hard as it was at
     dinner. It took all his willpower to stay where he was and not sneak into her room
     and carry her back in here to his bed and slowly, slowly lift her nightgown to reveal
     all of what he saw today. He would trace her skin with his lips and tongue, just to
     see if she tasted as sweet…
    He must stop this. He rolled onto his side and stared at the offending door. What
     on earth had ever possessed him to open it to begin with?
    Jasper was resigned to taking himself in hand when he heard noises coming from the
     other side of the door. Both his heart and his penis leapt with hope; could she be
     coming here to him? The door knob started to turn. He held his breath. Whoever it
     was, he could only assume it was Grace, let go. The door remained tightly closed and
     he remained alone for the rest of the night.

Chapter Nine
    “Is it done?” Robin whispered to Rupert when they met again.
    “They’s left town.”
    “What?!” Several heads turned in his direction. He quickly hushed his tone and leaned
     closer to the big man at his table. It had been a risk