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  pany for dinner, when you can have her to yourself at a

  other time. Have a heart.” “He’s been pining for the sight of her all week,” Percy added in what should have been a whisper but wasn’t. “Might as well give in gracefully, old chap.”

  The table suddenly jumped as someone kicked someone else under it. With Percy and Jeremy now glaring at each other, it was a good guess who did the kicking.

  Derek sighed. “If you’re going to stay, behave.” Kelsey had to bring a hand up to hide her smile. Jeremy was beaming now that he’d got his way, and he turned that stunning smile on her. She had forgotten how unbelievably handsome this young man was.

  For several long moments, she was quite dazzled, staring at him, until he asked her, “So how’s this clod been treating you, sweetheart?”

  She blushed, and not just because he’d managed to mesmerize her, but because the subject he’d introduced was too

  personal by half.

  But she replied neutrally, “He just today spent an amazing amount of money on me, refurbishing, or rather supplying me with a new wardrobe.”

  Jeremy dismissed that with a wave of his hand. “He’d have done that in any case, but how’s he treating you? No

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  need for rescuing?” he asked hopefully. “I’d be glad to, you know. if

  The table jumped again. Kelsey couldn’t help it, this time

  she laughed aloud, because it was Derek doing the kicking now. And Jeremy wasn’t as circumspect as Percy. He howled, drawing dozens of eyes in their direction.

  He also mumbled, “Hell’s bells, a simple no would have sufficed.”

  Percy chuckled. “Gads, Jeremy, ain’t you learned that if

  you’re going to try to steal someone’s lady, you shouldn’t do it in front of him?”

  Jeremy snorted. “I wouldn’t steal from my own cousin. He knows I was just teasing. Don’t you, Derek?” At Derek’s stony look, the lad hooted, “I don’t believe it! Derek jealous? But you never get jealous.” “Better protect the other knee, lad,” Percy warned, grinning.

  Jeremy immediately scooted his chair back, nearly toppling it over, and scowling, said, “Bloody hell, I got the point the first time. I’ll be wearing it for a week. No need to make it again.//

  To that, Derek shook his head, muttering, “Incorrigible scarnp. f I

  Jeremy heard him and grinned. “Well, of course. Any other way is no fun a’tall.”

  16_1’

  LSEY COULDN’T REMEMBER EVER LAUGHING SO mucli, or having so much fun, as she did that evening with Derek and his friends. The teasing and bantering among them had gone on mercilessly. Derek had aptly termed Jeremy an incorrigible scamp. But she could also tell how fond he was of his cousin, and vice versa.

  Close familial ties were good. She felt them strongly herself, or she wouldn’t be where she was now, Her sister’ jean, was her responsibility. She loved Jean dearly. She loved her Aunt Elizabeth, too. Uncle Elliott-well, she’d lost what respect she had for him, but she would reserve further judgment until he proved he could be responsible again. And if he couldn’t be, after what she had sacrificed, well, she just might take a leaf from her mother’s book and find herself a pistol.

  The laughter hadn’t ended with dinner. Kelsey had inadvertently mentioned they were going to Vauxhall afterward, and both Jeremy and Percy swore upside and down that that was exactly where they’d intended on going, too. Which was

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  patently untrue, of course. But Derek finally gave up the idea of trying to get rid of them.

  And they had likely regretted their determination to tag along when they were both beset with shivers-though watching their antics to keep warm was hilarious. Derek had brought along a greatcoat, and Kelsey had her velvet mantle, which kept her warm enough with the addition of Derek’s arm around her shoulder. But Jeremy and Percy were dressed for going from heated carriage to indoors and back, not for an outdoor excursion late of an evening in the winter.

  It had been a very long but very nice day all the way around-and it wasn’t over yet. When Derek took her home, he kissed her gently in the foyer while his driver brought in her parcels. He held her hand to walk her upstairs. In her bedroom, they found cheese and fruit with a bottle of wine on the table by her bed that Mrs. Whipple had left before she went home for the night. “Very thoughtful,” Derek remarked, gazing at the arrangement.

  “Yes, Mrs. Whipple is very competent in that way,” Kelsey agreed. Alicia had also stoked the fire so the room was toasty warm.

  “You’re keeping her, then?” “Oh, yes. You’ve sampled one of her dinners. And she outdoes herself for breakfast, too, as I discovered this morning.” . “I’ll wait and reserve judgment on that tomorrow,” he said in a deeper tone, glancing at her again.

  Her own voice sounded thick as she asked, “You’re staying-the entire night, then?” “Oh/ yes.”

  Be put so much more meaning into those words than she had, Kelsey was starting to feel nervous, though not any—

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  where near as nervous as she had been the night before. In fact, she was looking forward to making love with Derek again, to experiencing the pleasure he’d pron-dsed her.

  Ever since he had put his arm around her in the gardens, she had started to feel a tingling inside. What had May said about it? That she’d know it if she desired a man, and she could thank her lucky stars if that man happened to be keeping her. Was it desire, then, when she felt all mushy when Derek gave her a certain look, his lips turned up just so? or when her pulse leapt at just the touch of his hand?

  Her heart was pounding now in anticipation, but he made no immediate move toward her. He opened the bottle of wine and poured a bit in each of the two glasses. He picked up a stem of grapes and tore off one with his teeth, then glanced at her again as he slowly chewed.

  How quickly she felt overly warm. He must have felt it too, because he shrugged out of his greatcoat and said, “Come, let me remove your wrap./f

  She approached him hesitantly. His fingers were warm at her neck as he untied the silver cords of her mantle and, tossed it with his greatcoat over a nearby chair. His hands then slipped behind her neck, not to pull her closer, merely to massage the muscles there. Heavenly. Her sigh told him SO.

  She then felt the glass placed in her hand and looked down to see the wine. She gulped it down. He smiled. She was

  beginning to feel nervous again. “I really enjoyed this evening-the whole day, actually,”@, she said. “Thank you.” “No need for thanks, m’dear,” he replied. “I enjoyed it, too.”

  Surprisingly, that was quite true. Derek was still very, very eager to make love to her again, he had been all day, and yet he had simply enjoyed her company, too. Which was.’

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  sual for him. Typically, he spent very little time with UPLU of the bedroom, Other than the female rnemWomen outside family. bers of his large how much he had at first re—

  it had also been surprising . and how right On sented his friends’ intrusion at the Albany

  the mark Jeremy had been when he’d accused Derek of being jealous-Seeing Kelsey dazzled by Jeremy had really infuriated hin-1. But it hadn’t lasted, and she shared her smiles with him, not with Jeremy. That more than anything had put his jealousY to rest.

  11YOur friends are very amusing,” she remarked. . more like it. if

  “Obnoxious is -you did your share of laughing,” she reShe grinned. minded him.

  He shrugged. “So I did.’/ He picked up the stem of grapes again, tore another off,

  and leaned toward her to offer it with his mouth. She took

  it, blushing as she did. it was warm and sweet, like the wine.

  Some cheese?” he asked. “I’d rather have you kiss me. . She couldn�
��t imagine where Her blush spread like wildfire at had althose words had come from, or the boldness th lowed her to say them. But he was delighted apparently, if

  his expression was any indication. He set their glasses down

  as well as the grapes. “So much for savoring the moment , he said as he gath

  ered her fully into his arms. “It was killing me anyway.

  Killing him? But the thought didn’t last any longer than

  the first touch of his lips on hers. Mush, pure mush inside. Her knees buckled, but she didn’t need her legs for support,

  he was holding her so tightly. Her arms went about his neck anyway, because it felt good to hold him, too.

  She was growing accustomed to kissing, but she had an

  excellent teacher in Derek. When she got up the nerve to

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  make a foray with her tongue as he was doing, it produced a groan from him that was so highly gratifying it encouraged her to even more boldness.

  The bed was conveniently next to them. He kneeled on it, laid her down so carefully, she barely noticed. But the loss of her gown was noticeable, then the warmth of his hands as they caressed her from neck to thigh. Her fingers circled the corded muscles on his arms, felt them ripple on his back. His skin was so smooth, but so unyielding.

  His lips began to move on her, branding a heated trail across her cheek to her neck. His tongue flicked into her ear, and she trembled with pleasure. Down his lips moved, over

  her shoulder, along the side of her breast, under it, then up to capture the hard nub and draw it deeply into the heat of his mouth.

  Sensation spiraled down to her belly, still farther to her loins, where it gathered and coiled into a nearly unbearable tension. The last of her inhibitions just disappeared. She arched toward his body with silent demands. He pulled her close, belly to belly, but he wouldn’t relinquish her breast yet. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, leaving half moons

  without realizing it.

  After what seemed an endless time, he let go of one nipple to capture the other, and even more heat shot down that invisible cord to her belly and loins. She was going up in

  smoke. He seemed an inferno himself. And then his hand slid between her legs and Kelsey cried out.

  It was too much, too intense. But he was kissing her again, deeply, ravenously, his body settling over hers, slowly pressing her down. And then that hard, heated part of him pushing for entrance, finding it easily, sliding smoothly to her depths.

  The tension was relieved immediately, pleasure coursing through her, shooting outward, reaching even her toes. And

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  it was repeated with his second slow thrust, then his third, ,ntil a new tension began to build, more powerful, racing swiftly toward a pinnacle that suddenly burst on her in a

  wave of purest sensation, purest ecstasy that held her in its grip for long, blissful moments.

  She was smiling when he looked down at her a while later.

  She couldn’t seem to help it. And he was grinning rather smugly himself - “Better this time?” he asked softly, already knowing the answer. “An understatement,” she replied with a long, languorous sigh.

  His grin got wider. “Yes, I must agree. And the nicest part is, we’ve only just begun.”

  She blinked. But he went on to prove that remark to her

  complete satisfaction.

  ATER THAT WEEK, DEREK CAME BY ON THE SPUR OF THE moment to take Kelsey to the races with him. He had planned on going with Percy and Jeremy, but at the last moment he had told them that he’d meet them there.

  It wasn’t that he’d decided that Kelsey might enjoy the outing. Likely she would, but that wasn’t his motive. It was that he’d tried to put their relationship in perspective, to visit her only in the evenings, as was proper with one’s mistress. And having done so for several evenings, he’d found that he didn’t enjoy behaving properly where she was concerned. Far from it. As he’d gone about his business, or tried to, as if nothing had changed in his life, he’d had to force himself to leave her in the mornings and fight the urge to stay away until the evenings.

  On the day of the race, he’d given in to the urge, telling himself that it wouldn’t hurt, just this once. The problem seemed to be that he enjoyed her company too much. She

  f,,A T I

  made him laugh. She didn’t run on with endless chatter. She was intelligent. They had discussed literature one evening over dinner, and he’d been amazed to find himself in a

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  heated debate with her over philosophy, of all things-and he’d enjoyed every minute of it.

  Whether this was going to be a serious problem, he couldn’t say. In the back of his mind was the notion that a mistress served one purpose and only one purpose. His last mistress had talked him into being her escort as well, and he had resented that intrusion upon his time. Nor had he enjoyed Marjorie’s company outside of her bedroom. But Kelsey was different. She didn’t make demands. In fact, she’d never asked him for a single thing, other than that one time when she’d asked him to kiss her.

  That was an extremely fond memory. It brought a smile to him every time he remembered it. Actually, he’d been smiling much too often lately, for no good reason. Even his valet had remarked on it. But then Kelsey was never very far from his mind. And the truth was, she’d turned out to be a pleasure to him in every way.

  Kelsey quickly dressed for the outing. He liked that about her, too, that she didn’t spend endless hours over her toilette, fussing and primpmig and expecting every curl to be just so, and yet she always ended up looking perfect to him, a

  delight to each one of his senses, and today was no exception.

  She had made another visit to the dressmaker’s, and had come home this time with several completed dresses, including a bright sapphire velvet with matching spencer. She looked so lovely that it made him wish the weather were

  warmer so he could take her about in an open carriage to show her off in Hyde Park, a @candalous thought that appalled him even as it occurred to him. Promenading through the park with a lady you were seriously courting-was one

  thing, with your mistress, quite another. That might have been something his younger uncles would have done without a care, but then neither one of them had ever been bothered by what people said or thought about them. They hadn’t

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  been called two of London’s more notorious rakes for nothing.

  The races were to be held just on the outskirts of London. Arriving, they were able to squeeze their coach in between a barouche and a phaeton right next to the track for ideal viewing, despite the large crowd already gathered. Usually, the high bettors would stand right at the track, so they would park their carriages farther away, leaving the circle around the track for those people who preferred to watch with their ladies from the comfort of their vehicles.

  Some ladies did attend with either husband or family, though not many ventured out in the winter. So Derek wasn’t too concerned about offending anyone with Kelsey’s presence. No one other than Percy and Jeremy would even

  know she was there, as long as she stayed in the coach, which he’d already cautioned her to do.

  They had a brazier going in the coach, but the weather wasn’t miserable. Chilly it was, certainly, but there was no

  wind, and the sun was even making periodic appearances.

  Refreshments could be bought, but most of the gentry brought their own along, including Derek. He’d had Mrs. Hershal prepare him a basket with an assortment of snacks and sandwiches, enough to feed his friends as well, and several bottles of wine. The races could last half a day or more

  sometimes, after all, depending on how many challenges were issued after the official races were over.

  Percy and Jeremy soon joined
them after the first race. Percy was all smiles as usual. He seemed to have a sixth sense about racing. He not only found exceptional horseflesh to buy, and in the oddest places, but he was rarely wrong in picking a winner, despite the odds. He never took betting seriously, though. For him, it was just a pleasure to have his judgment be proven correct. “I take it you’ve already collected a few wagers?” Derek

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  remarked as Percy said a mere “How do” before he dug right into the basket of goodies.

  Jeremy said drolly, “Need you ask?” Derek grinned. “Percy isn’t always right on the mark. I can

  remember losing a few thousand pounds once when he wasn’t, which is why I don’t go overboard on his choices anymore.”

  Percy made a long-suffering face. “And he’ll never let me

  live it down,” he said to Jeremy.

  The lad chuckled. “I think you enjoyed taking old Nick’s wager more’n you did the win on that first race.”

  Percy suddenly beamed. “Didn’t I though. But, then, Nicholas always manages to talk me out of every fine Thoroughbred that comes my way. Don’t know how he does it, damn me, but I don’t.” “Nicholas is here?”

  Percy nodded. “He’s entered that stallion he just bought off me. Should be coming up in the fourth race.” // You should have asked him to join us,” Derek said.

  Jeremy coughed. “No, actually, that wouldn’t be a very good-”

  He didn’t quite finish because the door opened just then and in climbed Regina Eden, Nicholas’s wife-and Derek and Jeremy’s cousin. Obviously, this was why Jeremy hadn’t thought it would be a good idea to invite Nick over, and Derek couldn’t have agreed more. He was, in fact, confounded, wondering how the deuce he could avoid introducing his irrepressible cousin to his mistress. “I thought I recognized your coach, Derek,” Reggie said as she leaned forward to kiss his cheek, then plopped down on the seat next to him. And to Jeremy, “And why didn’t You tell me he was here?”

  Jeremy stuffed his hands into his pockets and slouched

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  down on the seat across from them. “Didn’t think of it,” he said lamely. “Reggie, what the deuce are you doing here?” Derek asked. “You don’t like the races.” “I know I don’t.” She shrugged, then grinned. “But somehow I ended up betting with Nicholas that his new stallion wouldn’t win today, so I had to be here to see for myself. You don’t think I’d take his word for it, d’you? When he hates losing to me?”