Excerpt from To Tame a Viscount
“In short, I need your help. Whether I want to or not, I must marry.”
Her pulse leapt. Could it be he intended to ask her? Although he had taken her innocence, or rather she had given it to him, regardless, she had asked nothing from him in return. No promises or expectations. Her hands tightly clasped one another as if in a vice, dying for him to continue. Then, her rational mind took back over.
That wasn’t what she wanted. At one point in her life, she thought to marry for love, but the availability had been limited. She’d been teased with the idea once, but he had vanished before she could grasp it. Feeling more like herself, she relaxed her fingers and faced Lord Washburne.
“I applaud your decision to seek the help of Lady Constance, but I’m not sure about your decision to request me.”
He smiled. The crooked one that always reached in her chest in an uncomfortable way. She gulped down the feelings welling in her throat.
“That’s simple. You know me better than anyone else does. You see, I simply can’t marry anyone as I once thought. My situation is. . .unique.”
She narrowed her eyes. This man was a notorious rake. If his wish to wed had an unscrupulous purpose, she would have no part of it. Either his intention would need to be pure, or he would have to find someone else to handle his undesirable business.
“My lord, if I’m to help you, you must tell me everything. Otherwise, I will not be able to fully provide you what you will need to secure your bride.”
He dropped his head back in the chair and pinned her with an annoyed look. “Although I enjoy your professionalism in such an important matter, if you don’t drop the titles, I will be forced to remind you how intimate we had become.”
Her pulse leapt. Could it be he intended to ask her? Although he had taken her innocence, or rather she had given it to him, regardless, she had asked nothing from him in return. No promises or expectations. Her hands tightly clasped one another as if in a vice, dying for him to continue. Then, her rational mind took back over.
That wasn’t what she wanted. At one point in her life, she thought to marry for love, but the availability had been limited. She’d been teased with the idea once, but he had vanished before she could grasp it. Feeling more like herself, she relaxed her fingers and faced Lord Washburne.
“I applaud your decision to seek the help of Lady Constance, but I’m not sure about your decision to request me.”
He smiled. The crooked one that always reached in her chest in an uncomfortable way. She gulped down the feelings welling in her throat.
“That’s simple. You know me better than anyone else does. You see, I simply can’t marry anyone as I once thought. My situation is. . .unique.”
She narrowed her eyes. This man was a notorious rake. If his wish to wed had an unscrupulous purpose, she would have no part of it. Either his intention would need to be pure, or he would have to find someone else to handle his undesirable business.
“My lord, if I’m to help you, you must tell me everything. Otherwise, I will not be able to fully provide you what you will need to secure your bride.”
He dropped his head back in the chair and pinned her with an annoyed look. “Although I enjoy your professionalism in such an important matter, if you don’t drop the titles, I will be forced to remind you how intimate we had become.”