Read Online His Mistress By Christmas by Victoria Alexander - Free Book Online Page B

seriously.”
    “Does she?” Surprise raised his brows. “I wouldn’t have thought she would be concerned with such matters.”
    She considered him thoughtfully, then sighed. “She isn’t really, not usually. However, as you specifically invited her and provided her ticket, she feels under some sort of obligation to actually make an appearance.” She met his gaze directly. “I tried to tell her she needn’t come at all, but she insisted it would be rude as you have been so thoughtful.”
    Sebastian stared. “Then it was not necessary to invite her?”
    “Do I strike you as the type of woman who insists on a chaperone ?”
    “Not exactly.” Still, it was the proper thing to do.
    “You should keep that in mind,” she said primly. She settled in a chair and arranged her skirts around her.
    “Then we are alone for now?” He took the chair beside her.
    “Scarcely.” She glanced around. “We are in the midst of hundreds of people.”
    He refrained from mentioning the obvious: with the curtains on either side of the private box, and the chairs placed well back from the railing, they were very much alone. “Yet another pity. I do like being alone with you.”
    “We were alone in the park,” she pointed out. “Aside from Henry, of course.”
    “Ah, but there’s an enormous difference between being alone in a park in the light of day and being here, in the dim recesses of a theater box. Why, who knows what scandalous behavior might occur?”
    “Who knows indeed?” Her gaze met his, an assessing look in her eyes. “Are you intent upon scandalous behavior, then, Sebastian ?”
    He nodded. “Absolutely.”
    She smiled pleasantly. “Good.”
    “Good?”
    “Why on earth would I be here otherwise if not to indulge in scandalous behavior? After all . . .” She leaned forward and scanned the other boxes. “I have seen this play.”
    “You should have told me.”
    “Why?”
    “We could have seen something else.” In truth he had picked the theater more than the play. He had been to the Prince before and was well aware of the potential for privacy in the boxes.
    “But neither of us is really here for the play.” She cast him a quizzical glance. “Are we?”
    He stared in confusion. “Well, I did think—”
    “Come now, Sebastian, in the interest of honesty, did you really wish to see
The School for Scandal?
”
    “I do appreciate the theater,” he said staunchly, “and—”
    She laughed.
    “Very well.” He leaned closer to her. “The theater was simply a ploy to spend time with you, to know you better, in an altogether acceptable manner.”
    Her gaze slipped to his lips, then back to his eyes. “Do you intend to kiss me?”
    “Indeed I do.”
    Her lips parted. “Now?”
    “Not now.” He settled back in his chair. “I do think the lights should dim before indulging in scandalous behavior.”
    “Then I am disappointed.” She shook her head in a mournful manner. “I thought you had no concern for proper behavior.”
    “I don’t know what’s come over me.”
    “I should have expected it, I suppose.” She sighed. “You are a well-known figure, and, no doubt, your being here has been noticed. With your reputation, just being in your presence is enough to thrust me into the center of gossip. Given your family, however . . . Well, as I said, I should have expected it. And inviting my aunt along as a chaperone confirms it. You, Sebastian Hadley-Attwater, are apparently a gentleman.”
    “Am I shattering yet another illusion?”
    “Actually, I am pleased.” She studied him for a moment. “I much prefer to share scandal with a gentleman, a man of honor. All ends so much better that way.”
    “I will warn you right now, I am not at all interested in endings, only beginnings. Ours.” He paused and forced a casual note to his voice. “So, have you shared scandal with many gentlemen?”
    Amusement curved her lips. “And you accused me of being direct.”
    “We are an excellent