His Wicked Seduction by Lauren Smith Read Free Book Online

foolish. Resurrecting the proposal incident had been the only straw he could grasp as a reason to stay away from her. If he couldn’t get his hands on her, he couldn’t kiss her, couldn’t make love to her, couldn’t love her. It was for the best, though of late, it was working less and less.
    “Are you saying Horatia had something to do with Melanie Burns?”
    “Yes,” Lucien answered flatly.
    “How? She was a child back then.”
    “Horatia was with Cedric at my estate in Kent on a visit. Melanie Burns was there. I was in the middle of proposing when Horatia dumped a bucket of pond water over our heads from the gazebo roof. Melanie was humiliated, her dress was ruined and the little imp, Horatia, dared to laugh at her. No matter how much I apologized later, Melanie refused to marry me.”
    “Then she married Waverly. If he’s more her type, you ought to thank Horatia, not punish her.”
    “There’s more to it. Horatia professed her love for me. She was only fourteen,” Lucien growled.
    “A child’s infatuation. That’s no reason to be cruel,” Charles replied softly.
    “I told Horatia I would never love her. That she meant nothing to me.”
    A epiphany struck Charles’s face. “You broke her heart.”
    “I couldn’t help it. I was so much older than she. Now she’s grown and I don’t want her setting her cap at me. I’m not attracted to her and never will be.” Lucien prayed with every fiber of his black-hearted soul that he sounded truthful.
    Charles was silent for a long moment.
    “Ash once told me that between love and hate there is a fine line. Sometimes you can cross it without even realizing it.”
    “You can’t seriously be suggesting that I love Horatia! You know the sort of woman I need. She’s too prim and proper for my tastes. I don’t feel anything at all for her—certainly not love .” A bitter taste filled Lucien’s mouth at such a denial. He felt too much for her, and although it couldn’t be love, it was stronger than lust and therefore more dangerous.
    Charles frowned, his gray eyes surprisingly tinged with sadness.
    “Are you so adamant to avoid her because of the second League Rule? Have you learned nothing from Godric and Emily?”
    “Wouldn’t you avoid a woman if it meant your friend might seek satisfaction against you? Charles, you know me. You know how I am with women. I couldn’t stay around her for much longer and not desire more than friendship, and anything beyond that could end very badly. I don’t have to remind you how protective Cedric is of his sisters. He’s always taken Rule Two very seriously.”
    “You really cannot control yourself around her? Your only solution is to be cold and cruel in order to avoid temptation?” His friend seemed baffled, but then, Charles was the sort of man who was never tempted by forbidden things—he dove headlong into them.
    “Unfortunately, that’s exactly what I’m saying. The more I’m around her, the more I want to be with her. We both know I’m not the marrying type, so any time spent with her would have one conclusion and no one would like the result.”
    Charles raked a hand through his hair. “You’re a fool, and you’re hurting Horatia because of it. I can’t stand to stay here, not when I’m tempted to box your ears.”
    “Charles.” Lucien put a hand on his friend’s shoulder as he turned to leave, but Charles shrugged free as he turned to leave.
    “Good night, Lucien.”
    Lucien stared at the door as it closed. A lump worked in his throat. Was Charles right? Had he been keeping his distance from Horatia to avoid more than bedding her?
    Lucien loved women, but he didn’t fall in love with them. It wasn’t in his nature, and the women he’d had understood this. Horatia deserved a man who could be loyal. He could never have her, not as a lover or a wife. Cedric would never give him permission, and in any case there was the League’s second rule. Still, the thought of having her, calling her