Free The Millionaire Rogue by Jessica Peterson

started. Familiar stuccoed facades filled the window, slumbering Mayfair mansions rising on either side of a wide, well-kept lane. The smells of London—close air, smoke, and a vague, medieval sort of stench—filled her nostrils.
    She blinked as a wave of displeasure spread through her.
    Tonight’s adventure, it seemed, was over.
    It was all she could do not to curse aloud. But she wasn’t ready for it to end! Not now. There was more to be done. More to know and discover. More danger, and touching, and kissing—
    Her gaze darted back to Mr. Hope, who was pressing his beaver hat onto his mess of curls.
    â€œIf you are in agreement, I thought Lake might drop us behind the mews,” he said. “I dare not imagine what your poor mama would think if the horses jolted her awake to a face like his.”
    Sophia grinned. “I don’t think she would ever recover.”
    Hope pounded twice on the roof; Mr. Lake coaxed the horses to stop. Hope removed the diamond from its lacquered box and carefully tucked it into his waistcoat pocket before disembarking. He turned and helped Sophia out onto the street, pulling up her hood against the drizzle that had begun to fall.
    Lake looked over his shoulder, his one eye glinting in the dark. “Shall I wait?”
    Thomas held out an elbow to Sophia. “No. Good evening, Lake.”
    Lake’s eye narrowed. “Are you sure? I don’t mind, really—”
    â€œLake.” Thomas pulled Sophia against him. “
Good evening
.”
    Lake sighed, shaking his head. “Very well. Until tomorrow, then. Miss Blaise, it’s been a pleasure.”
    With a low whistle, he jostled the horses into motion and was gone.
    Together, Sophia and Thomas turned left and made their way down a dark, narrow alley. Hope held her fast, their legs brushing with every step they took. Neither of them spoke, Sophia’s thoughts scattered by the heady thumping of her heart.
    Ahead, the familiar grim facade of her family’s London house loomed where the alley came out onto the lane. If it weren’t for Thomas’s close—very close—presence, she would’ve buckled under the full weight of her disappointment.
    It really was over. The adventure, her interlude with Thomas, the kissing and the intrigue, the
kissing
—
    Hope suddenly turned to her. He tugged none too gently on her arm so that she faced him and stepped forward, pressing his body to hers. She fell back against the wall, her simmering blood at last ignited by the impatience of his movements.
    â€œSophia.” His voice was barely above a whisper; she felt his breath on her face. Even in the darkness she could see the intent in his eyes. They were serious. Warm.
    â€œWhat were you doing at The Glossy?”
    She looked up at him, too terrified, too enthralled, to reply.
    â€œSophia. I’ll have an answer. La Reinette is not the sort of company a lady like you should keep, adventurer or no. She is alluring, certainly. But dangerous, too. Any deal you have made with her will only come back to haunt you.”
    Sophia swallowed, hard. “I. Well. I. I’m not at liberty to say.”
    Hope stared at her. Again he stepped forward, pressing his arm to the wall beside her head, and leaned down so that his face was half an inch from hers.
    He surrounded her, his enormous shoulders blocking the night from view. Around them came the growing patter of rain.
    â€œSophia.” His voice was little more than a growl. “A debutante in search of a brilliant match doesn’t dally about in whorehouses. Tell me. What business do you have at The Glossy?”
    The rain was coming down with great intent, rolling off the brim of Hope’s hat into her face. In a swift, impulsive movement, Hope pulled his hat from his head, his curls falling rakishly across his forehead.
    Sophia let out a breath. If Hope wasn’t holding her up with his weight, her knees would