A Secret Proposal by Valerie Bowman Read Free Book Online

laughed at that. “Let’s put it this way, the feeling is quite mutual. You’re a beauty yourself, Amy. And if I never hear that silly moniker about being a rake again, it will be too soon.”
    Amelia glanced back toward the French doors behind them. “As much fun as I’m having out here being kissed by a notorious rake, no doubt Mama will be looking for me soon.” She took a deep breath. “Now, here’s my plan…”

CHAPTER 7
    The good news was Thad had managed to listen to Amy’s entire speech without dragging her back into his arms and kissing her again. She’d somehow managed to make him feel younger. She’d damn sure made him feel inexperienced again. He’d wanted to drag her off behind the bushes and fondle her like a lovesick adolescent. Instead, he’d managed to kiss her, not make a complete fool of himself, and let her go, while listening to her insane plan about how she intended to spend the night with him at the Lexingtons’ house party next week.
    She’d slipped back through the French doors winking at him coquettishly, making him hard all over again. Hard, for the love of God! He was standing here on the Richmonds’ terrace, rock hard for Amy Templeton. He glanced up into the clear night sky. Lightning might as well strike him. And he was going straight to hell. The twinkling stars mocked him. Fine. Lightning was not imminent, but would it be if he carried on with this farce? And farce it most certainly was. When exactly had the bloody world gone mad and when, specifically, had he purchased a ticket for the mad coach? Yesterday had been a perfectly normal day. Today, today the world had turned on its axis and he was holding on for dear life. Or had been since Amy had come hurtling back into hislife. Why in God’s name had he agreed to her request again? Yes, he’d told her three years ago that he’d do anything for her, but he hadn’t expected this . Who would have ever expected such a thing? It was unheard of, unprecedented. Since when did impressionable young virgins make inappropriate, scandalous proposals to their brother’s closest friends? He stared at the empty doorway where she’d disappeared moments earlier. Apparently since today. He groaned. He’d agreed this afternoon mainly because he’d needed time to think. To absorb the enormity of her request and decide how best to respond.
    From her letters, he knew Amy well enough to know that she wouldn’t take such a matter lightly, wouldn’t make such a request flippantly. She wasn’t like that. No matter how horribly her mother treated her, Amy was loyal to the woman and would do anything for her. Anything including sacrifice herself in marriage to an old goat just to please her social-climbing mother. Amy had to have been scared senseless to have cried off from Colton only to end up with the choice of Highland, Bartholomew, or Stanford. It was a hideous decision, after all, and Thad didn’t blame her for wanting to face down her fears before her wedding night. Damn her mother.
    He’d actually come here tonight to try to talk Amy out of it, try to talk some sense into her. But he’d taken one look at her and she’d been so pretty and vulnerable, he hadn’t wanted to upset her and add to her fears by telling her he wouldn’t spend the night with her. Very well. He would spend the night with her—of sorts. He wasn’t about to add to his guilt by taking her virginity, but he could speak to her, tell her what to expect, make things clear to her. Obviously a woman should be sharing that information with her, not a male friend, but between her heartlessmother and Secrets of a Wedding Night , he didn’t blame Amy for being scared witless. It was inappropriate to say the least, but Thad would educate Amy on the real secrets of a wedding night. The good secrets. Not that he’d ever been married or planned to be. No, he’d leave that nonsense to his dutiful older brother, the white sheep. But fortunately, the secrets of a wedding