Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

" T here is something quite different about you," Benedict said as they climbed into the carriage.

"Really? I hadn't quite noticed."

A few days had passed since their last meeting, and Samuel still hadn't been able to stop thinking about Nora and the night that they spent together. She'd been a breath of fresh air, different from all the others he'd been with.

She was such a pleasant woman. He loved how she gave in to her pleasure, her eyes rolling to the back of her head as he pleasured her. He loved the taste of her sopping center on his tongue and the sounds she made every time he sucked her clit into his mouth.

He wanted to have her again in his arms, to touch her soft, milky skin, and even more, to be surprised by her boldness.

What other thing will she have in store for me the more we get to know each other?

He grinned, unable to imagine it. There was nothing more golden than a woman who was able to surprise him in a good way.

He wanted to see her again and continue their affair. He wanted more of this. It was the first time he'd been so intent on meeting someone again so close to when he last had her.

But you might not get to spend so much time with her.

Samuel groaned, rubbing a hand down his face. How could he have forgotten? She would be leaving soon, like she'd told him during their rendezvous together.

But how soon is soon?

Although he'd asked her that question, she'd been reluctant to give him an answer. At the time, he had thought not to push for one. It was not his way to pry or force out information when it was not given freely.

Samuel wished he had asked her again before she left. Not knowing irked him more than anything else. Although he wished to be with her again, he also didn't want to have the rest of their nights so close in between, because he didn't want their seven nights to end too soon.

Despite his desire to prolong their nights together, every single night, he tried to talk himself out of sending her a letter, requesting her presence in his home.

What is wrong with me?

Samuel had been having sleepless nights. Although he knew the reason why, he denied it to himself. Surely, it couldn't have anything to do with her. While she was a wonderful lady, she was just his mistress, much like every other lady he had been with in the past.

The thought of labeling her as merely a mistress left a sour taste in his mouth, one that he couldn't understand.

What is going on?

The other day, he'd had to stay his hand merely seconds before he grabbed his shaft and brought himself pleasure with memories of her in his mind, like some schoolboy only just having his first crush.

Samuel had been irritated by that. When did he revert back to being a young boy? And all because of one woman? It was so unlike him, since he had never been so invested in any of his lovers before.

What makes her so different from all the others?

Samuel looked out the window as the carriage rolled by. He looked at his friend, who was staring at him oddly.

"Is something the matter, Benedict?" he asked his friend, giving him his attention.

"Perhaps it is I who should be asking you that. I have been trying to get your attention for some time now, but you appear to be lost in thought. You're never like this, Samuel. Has something happened?"

Samuel shrugged. "There's nothing wrong."

Benedict shook his head. "No. I know you, Samuel. Something is definitely wrong. Is your mother trying to set you up with a match again?"

Samuel frowned. He had completely forgotten about that ever since his night with Nora. That was how much power she seemed to have over him. His mind had been stuck on Nora lately.

"Don't even remind me of that," Samuel scoffed.

"Remind you?" Benedict questioned. "So, that means it's something else on your mind and not that."

Samuel groaned. He had let that slip. Benedict was right. This was very much unlike him.

"I would like very much if we did not talk about it. Besides, we're about to head into White's," he said, pointing in front of them.

Benedict's eyes remained on him for a moment until the carriage slowed to a stop. Samuel jumped down before his friend could have the chance to ask him any more questions, walking into the club to see that, much like last time, the other gentlemen were already seated, indulging in a few drinks and some light conversations as they waited.

Samuel looked at them. All the gentlemen from the previous meeting were present, except Lord Malachi, whose gold business he had exposed for being fraudulent.

"Ah, Your Grace." Lord Silvermere got up, looking excited. He was the first one to see him. "We're glad you could make it."

He turned to greet Benedict. The men parted, leading Samuel and Benedict to the seats that had been reserved for them.

"Your Grace, I knew you would be coming, so I made certain that we didn't discuss anything important before you arrived," Lord Towbridge, ever the suck-up, said, sitting on the next available seat close to Samuel.

Samuel did not like the man. Still, he gave him a smile, albeit plain. "Thank you, Lord Towbridge."

"Yes, thank you, gentlemen, for having us," Benedict said. He often preferred to remain silent during meetings like this. However, he always came along with Samuel whenever he attended.

He was quite content with sharing a few drinks with Samuel and entertaining the ladies, which was his true passion.

"I have an interest in a business that I wanted to bring up, Your Grace," Lord Towbridge said. "I was thinking about importing tea. I believe it will be?—" –"

I wonder what she's doing right now.

Samuel's mind drifted back to Nora. He was worried about her. Although their night together had ended on very high notes, there was one thing that worried him. That was the fact that, other than not knowing when she planned to leave, he also did not know why she had suddenly changed her mind and needed to leave quicker than she'd planned.

Had something happened to cause her to want to leave sooner? Even so, did she have to leave so soon?

Why am I suddenly so worried about her leaving? I should be happy to get my seven nights and be glad that we have an inevitable end. Why can't I stop thinking about you, Lady Nora?

Perhaps I should send her a letter and have her with me tonight.

Samuel frowned. There was something awfully odd about how he continued to entertain the idea of having her with him every time he thought of her.

"Your Grace?"

Samuel looked up, pulled out of his thoughts by a question he didn't hear. Everyone was staring at him, but the one gaze he did not care to see at that moment was that of Benedict, who was staring at him with raised eyebrows.brows.

Bollocks! I truly am a mess.

Samuel played it off, leveling the Earl with a stare. "I have not deemed fit to give a reply because it was not important enough for me."

Lord Towbridge balked, the light dimming in his eyes at Samuel's words.

"The tea business is already oversaturated. If you had wanted to join in, it would have been a good idea to do so last year when it was still a new market and there was more chance of it being a great investment. Now, doing so would only give you a small yield and likely be a bad investment."

Thankfully, he'd listened enough to know that the man's business idea was definitely not worth it and there would be no chance for him to make it in the market if he chose to go that route.

The men continued to ask him for advice because he was good at it, reputable in the field. There was also the added fact that they saw him as the epitome of perfection and constantly wished to be near him.

That mask of perfection had, however, begun to slip, and it was only a matter of time before there was a crack and everyone saw a different side of him that he'd kept away.

For the rest of the meeting, Samuel listened to their business ideas, careful to pay full attention to what they had to say and trying his hardest to keep his mind from slipping back to Nora, no matter how much it continued to do so.

He would find a way to fix this no matter what.