Chapter 13

She was burning.

What had felt like a low, simmering heat had become a conflagration that threatened to consume her body and soul. A shiver of delight danced down her spine as her toes curled inside her shoes, mirroring her fingers, which now dug into his broad shoulders as she clung to him like he was the very anchor that kept her from being tossed about in a stormy sea.

It was not like she had never heard of kisses before—she most certainly had, although she had yet to experience them for herself. She had thought kisses merely a prelude to… other things and could not understand why so many had fallen to ruin for them.

Now, she understood exactly why.

Simply put, a kiss had the capability to annihilate one's inhibitions—or at least that is what it felt like as Colin pressed his lips hungrily to hers. When she felt his tongue tracing her bottom lip, all logical thought fled her.

She became a creature of desire to be molded according to his will. Like a flame that danced to his tune.

She pressed herself against him, eager for more of what he could show her, teach her, when the distinct sound of someone clearing their throat tore through the night air. A simple sound, and yet it ripped through her consciousness like a crack of thunder.

Immediately, Alice jumped back, her entire body going numb and cold at the possibility of someone chancing upon them in a most scandalous embrace. If it had not been for Colin, who had his arm still wound about her, she would have no doubt fled as far away as she could manage.

"I have to go," she murmured, squirming in his grasp.

For a moment, she feared that he would not allow it. His blue-gray eyes had hardened until they were like dark chips of ice, and his lips pressed into a grim line.

And then, his hold on her loosened, and he dropped his arm wordlessly.

"Do not run," he told her hoarsely. "And enter from the side."

Because if she entered from the balcony, it was as good a declaration of what they had been doing.

Alice had seen other young ladies fall to disgrace. She would not be one of them.

She nodded curtly to Colin and picked up her skirts to calmly head back to the ballroom, her head held high even as her heart pounded crazily in her chest. She followed his advice and entered from the side, finding herself in a well-lit corridor that led to the ballroom.

She paused before a mirror with an ornate gilt frame and took note of the high color of her cheeks and her lips, which were still swollen from the force of Colin's kiss. With a trembling hand, she traced her bottom lip, and her entire face turned an even deeper shade of red. She could still feel her lips burning, could still feel her body wanting more…

She shook her head.

This is madness!

She had spent the better part of three Seasons—three!—on her best behavior with nary a breath of scandal to her name. How could she throw it all away with a single invitation from a man she had not even known for very long?

A Wolf, indeed!

He truly was a master in the art of seduction, and she was like a moth drawn to his flame. If she was not careful, his heat would burn her wings.

She shook her head as she headed back to the ballroom. Perhaps a betrothal—fake or not—with a Wolf was not a good idea.

Not the slightest bit.

* * *

Colin clenched his hands into fists behind him as he watched Alice walk back to the ballroom. He had taken great care not to mess her hair up too much or to wrinkle her gown.

It would be such a shame, for it is a beautiful gown and looks absolutely alluring on her.

As he turned away from the ballroom, he made a mental note to perhaps purchase another gown for her in the same color.

But… there were some things he needed to take care of first.

"You can come out now," he said coldly. "She is gone."

There was a slight shuffle, and then the elegant figure of Lady Wellington emerged from the shrubbery behind the gazebo. She cast a reproachful look at Colin, who only raised an eyebrow at her.

"I knew about your predilections before," she announced, "but I have never known you to be both foolish and inconsiderate!"

Her voice was like a whip, like a sharp rap on the knuckles of an errant schoolboy. Her lips were pressed into a thin line of disapproval as she raised her chin.

"Well, what have you to say for yourself?" she demanded.

"That she is my betrothed," he replied obstinately, "and I was being careful."

His grandmother heaved a long-suffering sigh and glared balefully at him. "Lady Alice Barkley is a lovely young lady. Even if she is your betrothed, you should exercise more restraint. Had it been anyone other than myself, you would have found yourself scurrying to the Archbishop this very evening, begging for a special license!"

Colin knew his grandmother very well, so he kept his silence. If he made the slightest protest, he knew he would never hear the end of it.

"Well, I suppose it is to be expected," she muttered finally. "You are both young, after all, and newly betrothed. Why, when your grandfather and I were betrothed a mere handful of hours, we?—"

"Grandmother, I would entreat you to spare me the details," Colin cut in swiftly.

It was one thing to endure his grandmother's lecture and another thing entirely to hear of… more personal matters.

Lady Wellington burst into laughter. "Well, I suppose I should blame your grandfather for your behavior, then. If you are any more like him, then Lady Alice will be quite fortunate?—"

"Grandmother!"

She glared pointedly at him, as if he had the audacity to reprimand her when he had just been doing something scandalous just a few moments earlier.

"In any case," she sniffed, motioning for him to offer her his arm, "I do hope you know what you are doing."

Sighing, he did as she wanted and held his arm out to her. "I hope I do, too," he muttered under his breath.

They entered the ballroom just as Alice approached Lady Brandon. When she saw Colin, she flinched imperceptibly—an action that did not go unnoticed by Lady Wellington.

"What did you ever do to that poor girl?" his grandmother muttered, shaking her head.

"Nothing that you have not witnessed, I would think," Colin calmly replied.

"Mama," he heard Alice say, "I think I need to leave. I feel the most dreadful headache coming on…"

Colin smirked at the almost plaintive note in her entreaty. She really did need to work on her acting skills. He could see through her lies even though he stood a slight distance away.

"Oh dear," Lady Brandon fretted. "Are you sure? The ball has barely begun, and everybody is asking so many questions…"

Questions that Alice had no intention of answering, Colin surmised. From the panicked look in her eyes, he knew that she would much rather take to her bed with some sort of debilitating illness than face the ton and all their inquiries.

He watched as Lady Brandon called Phoebe over. Evie, who had been with her, also hastened over with a look of concern in her blue-gray eyes.

"Come, Colin." Lady Wellington all but dragged him to the small group. "It is only right that we express some concern for the well-being of your betrothed."

Both he and his grandmother knew that there was nothing ailing Alice, save perhaps some shock from having been kissed so thoroughly in the gazebo a few moments prior. His gaze dropped to her slightly swollen lips, and he felt his lips curl into a trace of a smile.

"Dear Alice, are you all right?" his grandmother asked, drawing nearer to the small group. "You look… a bit flushed, my dear."

At her words, Colin noted with some smugness that Alice turned a brighter shade of red, if that was still possible. A very delectable shade of red, he might add.

"Lady Wellington." Alice's smile looked like an odd combination of panicked, miserable, and brave all at the same time. "I fear that I must be rude and leave earlier…"

"Was it something you ate?" his grandmother inquired, shaking her head. "Sometimes, these foods are prepared way ahead of time and are no longer as fresh as we would prefer."

He wanted to applaud his grandmother for her exemplary portrayal. She had not only managed to express her utmost concern for his betrothed, but she had also accomplished a subtle swipe at Lady Salisbury's capabilities as a hostess.

"Yes," Alice managed to say weakly, "it must be something I ate…"

Thinking of how he had devoured her lips just earlier in the gazebo, Colin turned the full force of his gaze upon her. At first, it seemed as if she would glare back at him, daring him to say anything. But then Alice had since learned to use her presumed frailty to feign her distress further and avoided looking at him.

"In that case, you had best retire early, my dear." Lady Wellington was the very picture of consideration. "Have your maid prepare a nice cup of ginger tea when you get home. I find that it takes care of a lot of ailments rather nicely."

"Thank you so much, Lady Wellington. I shall do as you advise." Alice smiled. "Ginger tea sounds… lovely."

"These hostesses have simply forgotten how to host a good party," Lady Wellington mumbled to Colin. "Great care must be taken with the food so that the guests do not fall ill. In my day, it was a great disgrace if someone were to become sick from eating at your party!"

"Oh, no doubt about that," Colin replied blandly.

"I think," Lady Wellington continued, "that it is high time that I hosted a house party of my own."

Evie looked at her grandmother with wide eyes. "Really, Grandmama?"

"Absolutely," the older lady affirmed. "Why, back when your mother was younger, my house parties were famous, I tell you!"

After what she had suggested in the gazebo, Colin had no doubt of it. Their grandmother might be stern and elegant on the outside, but it appeared that she hadn't lost her mischievous side as well.

"Certain details must be ironed out, of course," Lady Wellington continued, turning to Lady Brandon. "But when everything is ready, I shall have the first invitation sent out to the household of the Marquess of Brandon."

"Oh, that is so kind of you, Lady Wellington!" Lady Brandon smiled widely, even as she looked over at her daughter in concern.

His grandmother smiled in satisfaction. "Now, go home and recover, sweet child. There will be time for parties and balls once you are feeling much better."

"Thank you so much, Lady Wellington."

The rest of the family thanked his grandmother as well before excusing themselves. Colin preferred not to say anything, merely keeping his eyes on Alice the whole time.

Lady Brandon expressed her disappointment as well at having to leave early before she quietly escorted her daughter out of the ballroom. As the small family approached the hostess, his grandmother simply shook her head with a wry smile.

His eyes continued to follow Alice as she leaned on her mother for support. Just as they were about to leave the ballroom, he saw her turn towards him with a shy look in her eyes. If he had not been paying attention, he would have missed it.

"Ladies," he muttered to his grandmother and younger sister, "I must excuse myself."

"Where are you going?" Evie asked him in confusion.

"I need a drink," he muttered.

His grandmother merely shot him a knowing look. "Take two if you need it," she called after him airily.

Colin did not reply as he stalked off to find the first footman with a glass of wine. He had thought that a kiss would be just the right course of action to subdue Alice—and his inexplicable attraction to her.

Who would have thought that it would only serve to stoke the flames of his desire for her?

He had miscalculated—and grossly at that. Lady Alice Barkley was a force to be reckoned with, and ridiculously enough, she was even mostly unaware of it—and that made her even more dangerous for his sanity.

And his fraying control.

Daniel was right—he was going to need more than two drinks if he was to last the night.

As to how he was going to last the entire month, that was another problem…