Chapter 9

"Ithink we better dance before anyone suspects anything," Greyson spoke from beside her, as if he had materialized from thin air.

Violet clutched at her chest in shock, then breathed a sigh of relief. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

She looked at him and saw mirth in his eyes. He raised an eyebrow in question.

"I accept your offer." She held her hand out for him to take.

Greyson's eyes searched hers for a moment before he took her hand in his and led her onto the dance floor.

She felt overly self-conscious and nervous as the guests whispered behind their hands.

Greyson placed his hand on the small of her back, with the other holding hers aloft. "Don't focus on any of them, keep your eyes on me. We are all that matters, not what anyone else thinks," he whispered to her, as if he could read her thoughts.

Allowing her breathing to slow, Violet lifted her eyes to his and focused on the green depths that now held a more complex emotion than the simple mischief that she had noted there before. The feel of his fingers lightly brushing her back through the fabric of her dress grounded her in an unusual manner.

The soft music from the string quartet began to fill the air as he swept her into an elegant waltz. His footwork was light, while his grip was strong and firm. The rest of the guests faded into the background amidst the music.

Violet could have sworn that they were the only two left in the room as she gazed into his eyes. "I want to thank you again for saving me," she spoke softly, captivated by his presence as her eyes fell to his lips.

What would it feel like if he kissed me?

She felt her breath moving effortlessly through her body as he twirled her across the dance floor, dipping her and pulling her back up slowly. The sensual way that his eyes roamed over her chest and lingered on the base of her throat filled her body with heat.

"I will always be there when you need me, no matter how things end." He sounded almost breathless as he held her a little closer and trailed his fingers up her back, until he was gently touching the bare skin that was visible above her dress.

The soft feeling sent a tingling sensation down her back that spread through her body until it reached her core.

Greyson spun her out and pulled her back in with expert precision, looking into her eyes as he held their hands above their heads. "When the song is finished, I want you to head to the powder room, but then take a detour to the right. There will be a door with gold moldings. Go inside, and I'll follow shortly behind."

Her breaths came out in short bursts as her heart pounded in her chest.

Does he want to be alone with me?

Her pulse raced when his thumb lingered on her wrist, sending exhilarating sensations down her arm. The atmosphere between them was loaded with attraction and unspoken desires that mingled with the music and vanished in each other's eyes.

"I can't be seen without a chaperone. What if someone finds us?" she tried to reason with him as her heart thudded in her chest.

Greyson seemed to consider her words for a moment, but quickly drew her in and whispered as the song came to an end, "I only want a quick word. No one will even notice we are gone."

Violet let out a breath she hadn't noticed that she'd been holding until the guests erupted into applause, openly admiring the couples who had danced the waltz.

Tearing her gaze away from Greyson's eyes, she forced a smile and looked around the room, noticing that her parents were just as enthralled by the performance as everyone else.

She swallowed hard and began to make her way to the powder room with the rest of the ladies. Recalling his words, she turned right before the corridor and quickly stepped inside the room with the gold leafing on the door. Her heart pounded in her ears as she squinted in the dark room. The moon provided the only source of light, casting shadows through the open drapes.

This was a mistake.

Her heart raced with panic as she turned to make her way back out of the room. However, the handle of the door turned just as she reached for it, causing her to take a step back.

Greyson stepped into the room and quickly shut the door behind him. She could just make out the outline of his face and the way his chest rose and fell rapidly.

"I wasn't sure if you were going to come. You didn't seem certain on the dance floor," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

"It seemed urgent, whatever it is you need to say to me," she breathed.

"I wanted to know if…" he trailed off as he locked the door and took a step toward her.

Her breath caught in her throat as her heart thudded in an entirely new excited rhythm. The scent of his cologne was intoxicating in the confines of the dark room.

"Yes?" She was beginning to feel faint because of her labored breathing.

"I think I need to do this before I change my mind," Greyson uttered and then stepped forward before Violet could even respond.

His hand was on her hip as the other cupped her face, drawing her closer as his lips came crashing down on hers in a passionate kiss. He backed her further into the room until she felt the back of her thighs press against what felt like the edge of a table. The hot feel of his lips against hers made her dizzy as she returned his kiss with equal amounts of passion and lust.

Her hands trailed up his abdomen, lingering on his chest as she felt the hard lines of his muscles through his shirt. It wasn't long before she felt her lips being parted by his tongue.

His tongue probed hers at first, but then their tongues moved against one another in an intricate dance until his movements grew more urgent, inhaling her breath as if his very existence depended on it.

A soft gasp of pleasure escaped her lips as he broke the kiss and sought the tender skin of her neck. His strong hand gently held her jaw, turning her face to the side as his tongue licked down the length of her neck. Shivers of pleasure ran down her body, all the way down to her toes.

Suddenly, Greyson lifted her onto the table and stepped between her legs.

"Violet, you don't know what you do to me…" he growled with pleasure and dragged his lips over her jawline before taking her bottom lip between his teeth.

Lust filled her body as the hand on her hip suddenly lifted her dress, making its way up her leg before pausing on her knee, just above her stockings. Every ounce of her being wanted him to take her. She wanted to feel his naked body on hers and sample the dangerous poison of his kisses.

She would have been his at that moment if he wanted her mind, body, and soul.

Dipping his head again, Greyson sucked on her bottom lip with urgent moans of pleasure. The way his body moved against hers with a deep, almost animalistic hunger drove her on. Her fingers began to undo the buttons of his shirt as if they possessed a will of their own.

"We can't do this." Greyson suddenly stopped and drew away from her, running his fingers through his already messy hair.

The sound of his rapid breathing filled the silence between them.

Violet leaned back on the table, with her hands behind her back. Confusion filled her mind as she struggled to steady her breathing.

"We shouldn't have done that. We broke one of the rules. This must never happen again," he spoke briskly, before turning on his heel and leaving the room.

Silence filled the air as her heart suddenly jolted amidst the confusion.

Did I do anything wrong?

She lifted a hand and drew the tip of her finger over her lips. The soft flesh still tingled from his kisses. She had never thought herself a passionate person, yet his touch had awoken a part of her that was almost as animalistic as his growls.

She wanted to cry, to run after him and demand an explanation. Why had he drawn away from her as if she he stung him? Her heart ached with questions she couldn't answer. All she knew for sure was that Greyson posed a threat to her sanity.

His kiss was as hot and dangerous as the charm he threw around with abundance. She slipped off the table and proceeded to straighten her dress.

The plan would have to continue, it was far too late to back out now.

* * *

Violet sat across from her oldest friend in the busy café. They had chosen to meet for tea when Augusta had sent her a very concerned note after hearing what had happened at the ball.

"Are you ready to tell me what happened at the ball? Many of the guests apparently saw you dancing with the Earl who got into a fight." Augusta lifted her cup of tea to her lips and gingerly sipped the amber liquid before adding a few drops of milk and sugar. Her thick brown hair had been braided into an intricate pattern that now hung down her shoulder.

Violet observed her friend.

Augusta had gotten married less than a year ago. She had been forced into a marriage to save her family's reputation after being jilted at the altar, yet her green eyes now shone with happiness whenever she spoke of her husband and the bond they shared.

By all accounts, Lady Oakhampton was thriving in the match that was arranged by Marie Webster. Which had come as a surprise to Violet. She'd thought that her friend would be miserable like so many other married ladies of the ton.

Sighing deeply at having to explain her situation, Violet took a sip of her tea without milk. "You know that my mother was insistent on finding a match for me. Well, she did her calculations and decided that Greyson Stone, the Earl of Montclair, is my perfect partner." She placed her cup back on the table and straightened the tablecloth with her fingers.

Augusta let out a giggle. "That was a very romantic way of describing the situation, but go on. What happened at the ball? I heard he's a rake who likes to bed as many women as possible. Did he get punched because he flirted with someone's wife?" she asked a little more seriously. Her voice lost its cheerful tone as she examined Violet's face. "Are you sure you want to go ahead with a man like that?"

"He wasn't flirting with anyone's wife," Violet snapped a little too quickly, before realizing that she'd been too harsh.

Augusta raised her eyebrows but waited patiently for a response.

"That is to say, he was defending my honor. One of the men at the ball was being a little too forward, and Greyson put him in his place," Violet explained, without revealing anything about their little arrangement.

It wasn't that she didn't trust Augusta, she just felt that telling anyone else would be too risky.

Augusta chewed her lip thoughtfully before lowering her cup. "How did it make you feel when he was defending your honor?"

The question caught Violet off-guard. She hadn't thought of how his actions made her feel. She had given a great deal of thought to the heated kiss they had shared, but the implication of his actions hadn't occurred to her. She had felt safe in his presence, more so than she had with anyone else. Yet, she couldn't help but wonder if he would have done the same thing for any other woman.

"It was chivalrous, but I think any man would have done the same thing in his position." She felt a strange sensation welling up in her chest.

Jealously?

She frowned at the thought of not wanting Greyson to defend anyone else as he had done with her. Given the specifics of their arrangement, she shouldn't care if he even looked at any other women.

Augusta leaned forward in her chair with a conspiratorial look in her eyes. "I did a little investigating of my own once I heard what happened. It turns out that your Greyson and the man whom he punched had a rivalry when it came to flirting with women. Whoever would convince a woman to kiss him, even if the other was on a date, would win and get the lady," she explained in a hushed tone.

My Greyson.

Those words made Violet's heart skitter unexpectedly.

"You see, the thing is that the Earl has lost occasionally when it comes to Jason McCormack, but he's never acted this way before." Augusta practically bounced in her seat as she relayed the piece of gossip. "I think the punch had a little more to do with you than the situation at hand. I'm not sure if Greyson would have reacted in the same way if it had been any other lady. He may have come to their defense, being the honorable man he is, but I'm not sure he would have been so adamant on honor being restored."

Violet felt her pulse quicken upon hearing about the rivalry. She couldn't say that she was entirely impressed by men using women in little games of their own devising, but Greyson had changed the rules. What did this mean for their arrangement? If either of them got attached, things would become too difficult.

"Where did you get all this information?" Violet shook her head to rid herself of the bothersome questions.

Augusta looked sheepish as color filled her cheeks. "I asked Jason if he knew anything about the punch, and he did a little digging at White's. Men sometimes talk more than ladies," she stated in her defense.

"Do the two of you often talk about such things?"

Violet's thoughts drifted to Greyson and the light banter they shared whenever they were together. The rest of the world would disappear, leaving them in a bubble of their own. She felt as if she could be herself around him.

"All the time! We are best friends first and foremost—not that I will ever forget about you," Augusta added quickly and reached for her cup to cover up her slip.

Violet laughed at her friend and the delightful way she had changed since getting married. Augusta seemed happy and fulfilled in her new life as the Marchioness of Oakhampton, so much so that Violet began to wonder if getting married to the right person wasn't such a bad idea, after all.

Her chest clenched a little from anxiety.

Am I allowing him to change me?

The thought made her anxious enough to want to call things off and run for the hills.