Read Online One Rogue Too Many by Samantha Grace - Free Book Online
Authors: Samantha Grace
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her father’s birthday celebration three years earlier. A forbidden desire he had buried had resurfaced.
The day he had received her letter expressing her love and imploring him not to marry Camilla, he had known he loved her too. But it had been wrong. Gabby had been too young, their age difference too large. To love his best friend’s little sister was depraved. Besides, he had been engaged to a woman he thought would complete him.
He’d been wrong, because that woman stood before him now. Walking away from Gabby had been a mistake he wouldn’t make again.
He went to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She stiffened in his embrace, but he didn’t allow that to deter him. His lips grazed her ear, then trailed loving kisses along her neck. “I missed you, Gabrielle.”
She melted against him, her back molding to his front.
“You must have known I wanted to be here with you,” he said.
“How?” she whispered. “You were gone so long and you sent no word. I don’t even know what you were doing in Wales.”
He pulled back, his lust cooling by degrees. He had planned to share his secret today, but her cool reception gave him pause. What if she refused his offer? He must protect Annabelle above all others. If there was any doubt in Gabby’s mind…
He urged her to face him. Perhaps if he looked into her eyes, he would see that she still loved him, that he could trust her. He studied her in silence, searching for a flicker of anything to reassure him.
Her expression began to harden again, and she crossed her arms. Her eyes became like shards of ice. “Aren’t you going to tell me anything? I want to know why you were in Wales.”
He released her, disconcerted by her coldness. “What happened to your promise to wait for me? What is this nonsense with you being on the marriage mart?”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“Neither is that .”
She flung her hands in the air. “I had no excuse to give my brother when he insisted it was time to return to London. What would you have had me tell him?”
She had a point, but that didn’t explain Thorne.
“Attending balls is one thing, but taking carriage rides with the baron was unnecessary. Your brother didn’t force you into accepting his invitations, did he?”
“Luke would never force me into accepting anyone’s suit.”
“I’m fully aware of that, thank you. Why didn’t you tell him I was coming today?”
“Why do you get to ask all the questions?”
“ That was a question.”
“And you didn’t answer again. Really, Anthony. You are too frustrating by half. Do you truly want to know why I didn’t mention you? I couldn’t count on you showing up.”
He balked. “How can you say that? I realize I wasn’t back by Easter, but you were aware I intended to ask for your hand. When have I ever let you down?”
Her mouth dropped open as if she had a retort, but she snapped it shut.
“Go on. You seem to have something to say.”
She shook her head. “It’s nothing. Perhaps we should forget about that day at Ellis Hall. I showed up on your doorstep unannounced and my emotions were high. You were just trying to comfort me. I don’t blame you for—for…you know.”
“Almost making love to you?”
She blushed and backed up a step. “I understand. You did the honorable thing by asking for my hand.”
There had been nothing honorable about his offer. Once she was his wife, he wouldn’t have to stop himself from taking her on the settee, or any place they damn well pleased.
“I’m releasing you,” she said with a dismissive flick of her wrist. “Lord Thorne has made his intentions known. You needn’t worry about me anymore.”
His blood shot to boiling. “I didn’t ask you to marry me because I was worried about your future.” He’d been worried about his own. “I refuse to be released.”
“What? Why? Even before you left, you avoided me like the plague. I know you don’t really want to marry me.”
“You know
The day he had received her letter expressing her love and imploring him not to marry Camilla, he had known he loved her too. But it had been wrong. Gabby had been too young, their age difference too large. To love his best friend’s little sister was depraved. Besides, he had been engaged to a woman he thought would complete him.
He’d been wrong, because that woman stood before him now. Walking away from Gabby had been a mistake he wouldn’t make again.
He went to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She stiffened in his embrace, but he didn’t allow that to deter him. His lips grazed her ear, then trailed loving kisses along her neck. “I missed you, Gabrielle.”
She melted against him, her back molding to his front.
“You must have known I wanted to be here with you,” he said.
“How?” she whispered. “You were gone so long and you sent no word. I don’t even know what you were doing in Wales.”
He pulled back, his lust cooling by degrees. He had planned to share his secret today, but her cool reception gave him pause. What if she refused his offer? He must protect Annabelle above all others. If there was any doubt in Gabby’s mind…
He urged her to face him. Perhaps if he looked into her eyes, he would see that she still loved him, that he could trust her. He studied her in silence, searching for a flicker of anything to reassure him.
Her expression began to harden again, and she crossed her arms. Her eyes became like shards of ice. “Aren’t you going to tell me anything? I want to know why you were in Wales.”
He released her, disconcerted by her coldness. “What happened to your promise to wait for me? What is this nonsense with you being on the marriage mart?”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“Neither is that .”
She flung her hands in the air. “I had no excuse to give my brother when he insisted it was time to return to London. What would you have had me tell him?”
She had a point, but that didn’t explain Thorne.
“Attending balls is one thing, but taking carriage rides with the baron was unnecessary. Your brother didn’t force you into accepting his invitations, did he?”
“Luke would never force me into accepting anyone’s suit.”
“I’m fully aware of that, thank you. Why didn’t you tell him I was coming today?”
“Why do you get to ask all the questions?”
“ That was a question.”
“And you didn’t answer again. Really, Anthony. You are too frustrating by half. Do you truly want to know why I didn’t mention you? I couldn’t count on you showing up.”
He balked. “How can you say that? I realize I wasn’t back by Easter, but you were aware I intended to ask for your hand. When have I ever let you down?”
Her mouth dropped open as if she had a retort, but she snapped it shut.
“Go on. You seem to have something to say.”
She shook her head. “It’s nothing. Perhaps we should forget about that day at Ellis Hall. I showed up on your doorstep unannounced and my emotions were high. You were just trying to comfort me. I don’t blame you for—for…you know.”
“Almost making love to you?”
She blushed and backed up a step. “I understand. You did the honorable thing by asking for my hand.”
There had been nothing honorable about his offer. Once she was his wife, he wouldn’t have to stop himself from taking her on the settee, or any place they damn well pleased.
“I’m releasing you,” she said with a dismissive flick of her wrist. “Lord Thorne has made his intentions known. You needn’t worry about me anymore.”
His blood shot to boiling. “I didn’t ask you to marry me because I was worried about your future.” He’d been worried about his own. “I refuse to be released.”
“What? Why? Even before you left, you avoided me like the plague. I know you don’t really want to marry me.”
“You know
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