Chapter 11

"I simply cannot bear it, darling," Aunt Sophie groaned.

"Here Aunt, this will make you feel better," Olivia smiled, handing her some poultice.

"You're so good to me, Olivia. I'm so sorry that I can't accompany you tonight," she said, clutching her wounded ankle.

"It is unfortunate that I won't be having any chaperone tonight, but I shall make do," she smiled serenely. Aunt Sophie nodded gratefully, her golden hair falling about her face.

Olivia tried to contain her grin as she left the room. Archie wouldn't be attending tonight and she could be in Mr.Townshend's company without any interruptions.

She stopped short.

Why was she so excited about being alone with Mr.Townsend? She had no business flirting with the devil. She felt the smile fall off her face.

It was as if her brain had stopped functioning ever since he'd kissed her in Hyde Park. She'd run into him almost every day after that and he'd treated her to the full force of his charm. And Olivia had simply forgotten everything she'd taught herself-all the rules.

She stood still, mechanically raising her hands as Sally dressed her in a blue brocade gown.

She was falling for Mr.Townshend. Hard.

This wasn't supposed to happen. She couldn't let her feelings get engaged. He'd broken her heart the first time around, albeit unknowingly. She couldn't go through this again.

Olivia was well on the road to ruination...she was allowing herself to dream of his kisses-of more than just his kisses, she was looking forward to having more clandestine rendezvous with him and she was allowing her emotions to get tangled in this web that he'd unwittingly spun around them.

While she wasn't precisely happy, she was content with her life. She had a loving family. She was popular amongst her peers because of her poise, wit and cool composure

And if she were ruined, she'd be barred from all the charitable causes she was working for. As a noble unmarried woman, there was little that she could do for the society, so she'd become a patroness of various homes and hospitals. She'd wanted to spend her money on people in need instead of useless fripperies and the like. If she couldn't help them...

No.

She couldn't let this happen.

She would simply remove him from her life. She'd treat him with cold courtesy tonight and hopefully, he'd get the message.

***

Lady Catherine Bell's house party

Mayfair

Why the hell was she avoiding him? It didn't make any sense.

Jacob nodded at a gentleman who passed him. He made his way to the opposite side of the room with little effort...probably because the crowd before him cleared owing to the stormy expression on his face.

He didn't bother hiding the annoyance on his face. He didn't care what they thought.

When Jacob finally spotted her, she turned away, as if to greet a matron.

So it was going to be like this, was it?

"My dear Lady Olivia! I've been looking for you all this while," he exclaimed, pasting a fake smile on his face. But the smile became quite real when she hesitantly turned around, her shoulders stiff, her face grim.

Oh, but he enjoyed teasing her.

"Mr.Townshend," she curtseyed politely. She couldn't very well give him the cut direct. Why did the blasted man have to make a spectacle of them both in front of their peers?!

"Would you like to take a turn about the room?"

"Of course," she smiled thinly.

Obstinate man.

Once they were out of earshot, he bent down a little. "Why are you going out of your way to avoid me tonight? Have I offended you somehow?"

"Not at all. I've tired of your company, is all," she smiled up at him as if she hadn't just insulted him.

But unlike her, he didn't try to hide his anger despite their surroundings.

He practically dragged her to the deserted library.

"What are you doing?" She hissed as he shut the door behind him.

"I'm sorry, but you'll have to endure my tiring company for a bit longer, my lady," he said acerbically as he stalked her.

Olivia resisted the urge to walk backward. She stood her ground, her hands fisted at her sides. But she couldn't stop her lips from trembling or her heartbeat from accelerating.

He was so different from the man she'd spent time with this last week. He didn't have that easy smile on his face. His beautiful mouth was set and his dark eyes glinted dangerously. He didn't look charming anymore, in fact, he looked every inch the rake and scoundrel he was reputed to be.

"Let me go. Please," she said, her voice shaky.

"I will. But after you tell me what's wrong," he murmured.

"Nothing," she said mutinously. What was she to tell him? That she'd begun to develop feelings for him?

"Liv," he whispered, coming to stand only a few inches away from her, his voice cajoling. Olivia tried to concentrate. She couldn't let the scent of him or his velvety voice distract her.

She tilted her head a little and met his black eyes with her own. The look in his eyes stopped her from saying whatever she'd meant to say. Good god, the intensity in his gaze took her breath away.

She swallowed. He smiled slowly as if sensing her turmoil.

"I think I'm going to kiss you now," he said almost contemplatively.

"Why?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Because I find that it is quite impossible to be so close to you without wanting to kiss you," He rumbled, his eyes intense. "Quite inconvenient, that."

"Jacob." She wasn't sure what she wanted to say.

"Hmm?" He swiped his thumb across her bottom lip leisurely. Olivia flicked out her tongue nervously. He groaned when the wet tip of her tongue touched his thumb. "What are you doing to me?" He asked before he pulled her to him, not waiting for an answer.

He nibbled on her lips, his hands roving over her tempting bottom most daringly. Her gasp of surprise soon faded as he pressed against her jaw, encouraging her to open her mouth. She complied and he began to explore the sweet cavern of her mouth. He delighted in every single moan that came from her throat, in the way her tongue tangled with his, he revealed in the way her curvaceous body yielded to his hard one.

When her hands moved to his head, sifting through his hair, Jacob lifted her closer, pressing her against the evidence of his desire.

That seemed to shock her because she suddenly broke away from him, her eyes wide, her red lips swollen from his kisses.

"You're no gentleman," she said, her voice low, her cheeks flushed with indignation.

Jacob raised a brow at that. "I never claimed to be one," he smirked.

Olivia muttered something uncomplimentary under her breath and walked past him in a swish of blue skirts and vexation. She opened the door and left.

Jacob didn't try to stop her.