A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin_The Debutante Files

She swallowed. Dressed thusly and drawing breath within the walls of Sodom, no less. Her appearance was like the rest of the scantily clad near-naked females populating the house. Of course, he doubted her alleged inexperience.

She plucked at the gossamer-thin fabric. “I borrowed the dress from Mrs. Bancroft.”

“Ah. She is ever helpful, is she not?”

“Indeed.” Rosalie glanced to the door, anxious to be through it.

“But my confusion is not completely alleviated.”

“No?”

“You chose this place for a first kiss? Rather extreme measures for a mere kiss?” His grip loosened around her wrist, sliding down her hand until his fingers laced with her own, their palms flush. It felt shockingly intimate . . . and nice. Her breath fell a little faster. She’d never held a man’s hand before. His palm was big and warm, and he was virile and handsome and young. His hand, this moment, him . . . it was the dream she had imagined when she envisioned coming to Town and being courted.

But this was Dec.

She took a step back, severing the heady sensation of his fingers wrapped around hers. This time he let her go. “You’re correct, of course. My actions are extreme.” She moved for the door. “I’ve changed my mind.” Turning her back on him, she grasped the latch.

He stopped her, flattening a palm against the door, killing her escape, his chest a hard wall at her back. “Don’t go.”

She inhaled sharply, staring at that broad hand and tapering fingers on the door. “I beg your pardon?” her voice rasped.

If she didn’t know him, she might have been alarmed, but she knew him well enough to know that he was not the sort of man to harm a female. Even a female at Sodom. She had once watched him save an injured bird from his father’s hounds. He’d nursed it until it could fly again. The years did not change one’s soul. He would never be so beastly as to force his attentions where they were not wanted. She knew that.

“Let me kiss you.” The words gusted near her ear in warm breath. His deep voice felt like a physical caress. A tremor rushed through her. She turned. Not because she agreed, but because she had to see his face. She could not withhold that pleasure from herself.

He looked down at her, his face so close to her upturned one. They hardly needed to move for their lips to meet.

Oh God. She wanted . . .

She wanted.

“No. I can’t.” Anyone else and she could. Anyone but him.

Yet her sudden jarring and disappointing thought was that she wouldn’t want anyone else. Not like him. Not like this ever again.

At that bleak thought, her hand found the latch behind her and pushed down. This time when she tried to leave, he let her go.





Chapter 11


She stumbled out the door and hurried down the hall, determined to find her way back to the room where she had left Aurelia, not daring to look over her shoulder. Her chest hurt from lack of breath and she realized she had forgotten to breathe. She sucked in air, filling her lungs, but still felt breathless. As though she had run a great distance.

She was moving so quickly, she didn’t have time to stop when a man stepped suddenly from one of the private rooms.

She collided with him, crying out in surprise from the impact. Arms came out to wrap around her waist, steadying her on her feet.

“Ho there!” he exclaimed, his eyes traveling up and down her. “Have a care there. Where are you off to in such haste?” His hand came up to rest on her chest, fingers splaying wide on the bare skin between her breasts.

She gasped at the intimate touch. It came so suddenly and automatic from him. As if he had every right to touch her. She supposed it was the nature of Sodom. What people did to each other here . . . willingly. A stranger’s touch was welcome.

She arched away, but he didn’t unlock his arm from around her waist. She pushed at the mass of his soft, yielding chest.

“What have we here? An eager little dove looking for her next conquest? I’ll gladly offer myself.”

“No, unhand me. I’m not—”

An arm shot over her shoulder, a fist connecting with the stranger’s face.

Immediately the arm dropped from around her and she was free. Her gaze shot to the fallen man. He clutched his nose, glaring over his fingers up at Dec. “Banbury, what in bloody hell—”

“She asked you to unhand her, Hendricks.” Dec stood with legs braced apart, looking ready to tear the man apart.

Hendricks’s glare narrowed on Rosalie. “Since when do you mind sharing?”

Dec took a menacing step forward. Rosalie quickly jumped in his path, pushing a hand against his chest. A brawl in the hall of Sodom was calling more attention to her presence here than she wanted.

Dec stopped, looking down at her with glittering eyes. His hand came up to cover hers on his chest, his fingers warm over her own. Her gaze dropped to her hand against him. It looked small. Fragile. Or perhaps he was simply big.

Hendricks lumbered to his feet and marched past them, muttering under his breath. His tread faded down the corridor and still they stared at one another.

“You should not wander unattended through Sodom.”

Rosalie nodded, soaking in his handsome features as he stared down at her. She released a rattled breath and moistened her lips. His gaze followed the movement. Her belly fluttered.

“I’m trying to find my friend,” she said a bit desperately. So she could flee this place . . . him.

“I’ll stay with you until you do.”

She nodded. How could she refuse? She just discovered firsthand how unwise it was to stroll unescorted throughout the house. Still, neither one of them moved right away. She was achingly aware of their proximity. Of her hand still on his chest, the press of his hand over hers, his heartbeat thumping beneath her palm.

Voices sounded at the end of the hall, and they both snapped to action. He moved to the side, pulling her with him, tucking her hand into the crook of his elbow to allow the individuals to pass.

A trio of ladies, faces as hidden as hers, headed in their direction.

“Banbury,” the woman at the center called. “How good to see you, Your Grace. It’s been almost a week. Wait. More than that, I think. Where have you been, you naughty lad?” She glided forward and ran a familiar palm over his chest. She wore a brilliant gold gown and a powdered wig that looked heavy and headache-inducing. “I was just telling my friends they needed to meet you.”

“Lady X,” he greeted.

An alias, obviously. And she was a regular here and well acquainted with Dec. For some reason, this made her hand tighten around his arm.

Lady X turned her attention on Rosalie. “And who is your companion?” She lifted her hand from Dec’s chest and lowered it to Rosalie’s bare arm, stroking lightly. “I haven’t seen you here before, dear.”

“She’s never been here before, so tread easy.” There was humor in his voice, but a warning, too, however softly worded.

Lady X laughed and dropped her hand. “I see. I’ll let you introduce her to Sodom, then. Perhaps we will meet again. Once you’ve broken her in and she is feeling more adventurous.”

Rosalie’s face heated. She doubted she could be any more adventurous than this.

The ladies sidled past, their happy chatter fading away. “Friends of yours?” she asked.

“We’re all friends here.” His mouth twisted into a smile. “Until we’re not.”

“Until it doesn’t matter, you mean.”