Page 59 of To Pleasure a Prince

He laughed, the low rumble curling a knot of longing in her belly. “We aren’t talking about virtue, dearling. We’re talking about nonsensical requirements that you ladies impose on us men to make us fit for your company. And if I follow them, I expect something in return.” He bent close. “If you know what I mean.”

Her pulse burst into a gallop. “I know you’re being impertinent.”

He grinned. “As I recall, you enjoy some impertinence from time to time.” His eyes smoldered down at her. “In its proper place, of course.”

Swallowing hard, she dropped her eyes to his immaculate cravat. She should not encourage his presumption. But five nights of reliving every caress of his presumptuous hands and mouth and tongue had whetted her appetite for more. More kisses. More fondling.

More outrageous advances.

Now he was holding her much too close. She could smell the bay rum and soap on him. The sheer size of the man enthralled her, made her feel protected, safe…desired. Dangerously desired. “You shouldn’t hold me so close.”

“Probably not,” he murmured.

“People will talk.”

“Let them.”

Thank heavens the waltz ended before he had reduced her to a spineless ninny in his arms. But his words lingered as he led her from the floor, his gloved hand lying warm and possessive over hers.Perhaps later, you can reward me for my efforts.Sweet heaven, the very idea sent her senses reeling.

Which was probably why she didn’t notice Lady Hungate’s approach until the pesky woman was upon them.

The marchioness eyed Marcus through her lorgnette. “I don’t know what the Lady Patronesses were thinking to allow you into Almack’s, sir.”

Regina tensed.

“I could say the same for you, madam,” Marcus drawled. But just as Lady Hungate’s brow lowered in a scowl, he added, “We are both too clever for the likes of Almack’s. Thank God they were too blinded by our other charms to realize it.”

Regina held her breath, watching the odd display of emotions over Lady Hungate’s face—first disbelief, then wariness. But since Lady Hungate prided herself on her cleverness, her face settled at last into a cool smile. “So you no longer wish to see me horsewhipped, Lord Draker?”

Regina held her breath.

He lowered his voice to a husky whisper. “Haven’t you heard the rumors about me, Lady Hungate? I always like to see pretty ladies whipped. But only in my dungeon, and only for our mutual enjoyment.”

Oh, Lord. Mutual enjoyment from such a thing—was the man daft? To Regina’s astonishment, the marchioness snapped open her fan, fluttering it furiously as she turned to Regina with an arch look. “Take care, my dear. I’m not sure you’re ready for the sophisticated tastes of his lordship.”

Casting Marcus a smile that could only be called coy, she sashayed off like some fifteen-year-old chit fresh from the schoolroom.

Regina let out her breath in a whoosh. “I can’t believe you just said that to her. And that she didn’t cut you dead right there.”

“I can’t believe it either,” he admitted ruefully. “But you did once tell me to use the rumors to my advantage. And I couldn’t deny I’d ever mentioned horsewhipping.”

“You were lucky she reacted so well to your…ridiculous insinuations.”

Marcus gave a short laugh. “Luck had nothing to do with it. Lady Hungate and my mother were good friends once upon a time; both had a taste for the bawdy and the outrageous. In her younger days, Lady Hungate was rumored to have a lover with…shall we say…‘ridiculous’ tastes.”

“But surely a woman would not…could not…”

“Enjoy such a thing? Some women do, though I can’t imagine why.”

“But Lady Hungate?”

“Why do you think she brought horsewhipping to my mind the first time?” He winked at her. Marcus actually winked! “I did have a life before my exile at Castlemaine, you know. And my mother was an inveterate gossip.”

“So was mine, but…but—”

“You think she would have told her innocent daughter about such things? Hardly. But that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.”

She gazed at him with new awareness. He was not as cut off from society as she had assumed. He could handle himself when he chose. “I was right, wasn’t I?”