To Bed or to Wed by Sandra Sookoo Page B

would occur. He narrowed his eyes as another couple ran to catch the first group up, but neither of the ladies had the rich, red hair Charlotte possessed. His stomach clenched. He forced himself to relax. D espite his abominable treatment—twice—since she’d been at his home, she was none of his concern. She’d leave the estate in a few days and he’d return to London.
    Everything would go back to the way it had been before the night he’d very nearly ravaged her in his study. If he hadn’t come to his senses they would have made use of the floor to satisfy base urges. He shook his head. Had he no control? Phantom heat from her lips glanced over his, and only too well he recalled the silkiness of her derrière beneath his hands. Burying himself in the needs of his estate was the only solution. Once work had him safely ensconced, he wouldn’t have time to remember how well her curves fit against him or how warm and inviting her mouth had been when he’d kissed her last night or how the burn of lust had taken over when she’d locked her legs around his waist.
    Damn and blast. What would banish that female from his mind?
    “Are you still in a brown study or is there yet another new issue that’s giving you fits?” Alexandra burst into the room. Her strident voice scattered his wayward thoughts. “Either way, the country does not suit you, brother.”
    Nathan didn’t turn around. “Perhaps it’s the company I’m forced to keep in the country that doesn’t agree with me.” Between stumbling upon Jamie’s penchant for the opposite sex, his sister’s bedeviling him about how he should he conduct his affairs as well as the advent of Charlotte, his longing to return to the capitol increased every hour.
    “Put away the claws, Nathan.” Alexandra huffed. Rustling fabric sounded as she dropped into a chair, followed by the crackling of a newspaper. “I’ve never seen you so uptight.”
    Finally, he faced his sibling. “It’s been a tense few days. Having people at the estate has upset my holiday and my routine.” From the honey-colored hair arranged in a pleasing upswept style to the tips of her ruby-hued slippers, his sister was fashion-plate elegant, fit to grace a high-born lord’s arm and drawing room.
    “Your precious routine. More like grousing as if you were ninety then hiding behind closed doors until no one is in the halls again.”
    “Routine kept me sane when I would have given up.” His voice sounded gruff, but he didn’t care. While a prisoner, a schedule was the only thing he could rely on.
    “Then I suppose I must be grateful.” She rolled her eyes and peeked at him from over the edge of the Times . “Are you sure that red-head from the other night hasn’t gotten under your skin? You seemed thick as thieves with her. Thank God I arrived on the scene when I did.”
    He schooled his features into a mask of boredom. No way did he want to give her an opening with which to exploit him. And for the love of everything holy, she couldn’t know about the incident in the study. “If you refer to Lady Charlotte, I must tell you I have no designs on her—nefarious or otherwise.”
    “That is good to hear.” She flipped a page of the paper. “The Darrington family is beneath your touch or even your interest.”
    “Why would you say that?” Damn it, she’d engaged his curiosity. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned his backside against the window frame. “Do you have intimate knowledge of the family?”
    “Just various on-dits . Nothing substantial.” She lowered the paper to her lap. “It’s said the new earl married far beneath his station. He chose a scullery maid or something. I’d rather our family not be connected to them in any way.”
    “Has it occurred to you Felix might have married for love instead of position? He might be in love—not possessed by leprosy.” Even as he said it, Nathan sneered. Poor bastard indeed if he had married for love. He’d be trapped