An Invitation to Scandal by Kelly Boyce Page A

Miss Laytham sitting at his feet staring up at him with a fiery anger that left little doubt in his mind as to what she thought. Though in truth, her thoughts were no more distracting than the soaked muslin clinging to her skin, or the plump lips pulled into a tight line of disapproval that begged to be kissed.
    Lips he had kissed. Lips that tasted like an exotic fruit so sweet few words existed that could describe such a—
    Nicholas slammed the door on the thought before evidence of what that kiss had done to him showed on his body, mortifying them all. He pulled his attention back to the situation at hand. He would not entertain thoughts of Miss Laytham. He no longer had that right. And if the late Lord Glenmor was to be believed, he never had.
    He picked up the thread of their conversation. “What pleased me was the thought of seeing you at the masquerade. Your father tells me you and your sisters have been hard at work fashioning your costumes. I think that alone would be worth my attendance.”
    “Oh how wonderful.” The baroness clapped her hands and saved Nicholas from the frigid waters with the arrival of a steaming pot of tea. He relaxed. Marriage to Miss Caldwell would never be a comfortable existence but he could not withdraw now. His family would never forgive him. And he had much to atone for.
    “Yes, wonderful indeed.” He forced a smile.
    Now he must attend this godforsaken masquerade, which he had dearly hoped to avoid, spend the evening doting on Miss Caldwell, while doing his best to avoid Miss Laytham.
    But in truth, he would much rather avoid Miss Caldwell, and spend the evening with Miss Laytham, sampling one or more of her delectable kisses.
    So much for simplicity.
    * * *
    “Abigail, you must reconsider this. It is madness. You are playing with fire and yes, it seems exciting now, but eventually you will get burned.”
    Caelie followed Abigail around the room as she ferreted through her armoire. The masquerade fast approached and she wanted—no needed—to look spectacular. She had to stand out amongst all the others so he could find her.
    He. Him. Her mystery lover. Of course, it had never gone so far as that, it had just been a kiss after all. But oh, what a kiss it had been. She had never thought something as simple as two pairs of lips meeting in the dark could create such a thrill through every inch of her body. It had almost made her forget why she had gone there in the first place.
    Almost. She’d remembered herself at the last moment and managed to convince the stranger to meet her once again. Quite a brilliant piece of thinking, if she did say so herself.
    “Have you even stopped to consider why this man attended that party in the first place?”
    Indeed the thought had crossed her mind, but she chose not to explore it with any great depth. He’d been the perfect gentleman with her—well, almost. She smiled secretly as she pulled out a sage green silk that looked far better on Caelie than it ever had on her. In fact, when he’d warned her of what went on at such parties he had sounded almost…disgusted. Angry.
    “Are you listening to a word I am saying?” Caelie rounded to Abigail’s left. She took the gown from her hands and tossed it back onto the bed.
    Abigail shrugged. “Of course. Fire. Burning. Very bad things. I have heard you, Caelie. I simply choose to take a different viewpoint.”
    “And that is?”
    Abigail stopped for a moment and stared into space, trying to formulate something pithy that would convince her cousin she had not lost her mind. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
    If Caelie found the humor in her flippancy it did not show. “You do not know what you are doing. How can you be so cavalier about your reputation? You think it is something to play with, but I assure it is not. Once it is lost, it is lost forever, much like your innocence. And you will wish it back, I promise you. But there will be no retrieving it.”
    For an instant, Abigail thought