Night of Pleasure by Delilah Marvelle Read Free Book Online

hours trying to organize all the ledgers before April.”
    “Why before April? What happens in April?”
    “You aren’t the only one who has secrets. Mr. Grey finally let me set the date for the wedding.” He flashed a smile. “I’m getting married this April. And you’re the first to know it.”
    Andrew snapped straight. “Oh, damn. You don’t say? Well…congratulations.” He hesitated. “Are you still concerned about your lack of experience? Or did you finally gain some?”
    Derek awkwardly stepped back. “I ended up hiring a woman when I was back in London.” He had to. He couldn’t very well be a virgin to a virgin and unleash all of his passions on her like a wild animal in need of raw meat.
    His brother angled closer. “You hired a prostitute?” he demanded loud enough for his voice to echo throughout the corridor and beyond. “Whatever happened to your vow of never touching another but Miss Grey?”
    Derek shoved him and glanced toward the corridor behind them. “Jesus. Quiet . Are you trying to announce my sins to the world?”
    “You needn’t worry. Mother retired over an hour ago.” His brother quieted his voice. “You didn’t pick up a random woman off the street, did you?”
    “What do you take me for? An idiot in need of the pox? I went over to a high-end establishment on Moon Street. They ensure the women are clean and more importantly, they let me bring my own condom. Because I sure as hell don’t trust theirs. They barely wash them.”
    Andrew pulled in his chin. “I went there myself not that long ago. Hopefully, we didn’t ride the same goddamn horse or I’ll—” He shuddered. “Her name wasn’t Nancy, was it?”
    Derek rolled his eyes. “No. Her name was Elizabeth.”
    “Thank God . Or I’d gag.” Andrew’s mouth quirked playfully as if he’d already moved on. “You should have bypassed the grotto and gone straight to the duchess. It would have been free and she comes with a long list of instructions.”
    Unbelievable. There could be a knife to his brother’s throat and he’d still make a joke of it. Andrew was definitely their father’s son. Because when the weight of responsibility threatened to choke him , Derek didn’t have it in him to laugh quite as easily. That was who he used to be. He’d long since learned that being stupid at the wrong time came at a high price.
    Turning on his heel, Derek strode back to his desk and shook his head. “Let me know when you’re interested in being serious.” Trying to distract himself, he dug out Clementine’s letter from his waistcoat, broke the seal, and unfolded the parchment, square by square. “I’ll acknowledge you in the morning. I have a letter to read.”
    It had been almost eight months since he’d heard anything from her. Eight . He was beginning to worry that his last letter had been overly amorous. Of course, they all were. He called her ‘beautiful’ and ‘dearest’ and gushed on and on about how he couldn’t wait to see her. He even signed it ‘My whole heart goes out to fetch you.’ He couldn’t help it. He had been sharing all of his personal thoughts with her since he was eighteen. And the best part? She genuinely listened. Even if she didn’t always reply in a timely manner.
    Andrew seated himself on the edge of the mahogany desk with a long hefty breath, clearly intent on staying. “Women exhaust me.”
    “Are you certain you aren’t exhausting them?” Derek tossed back.
    Andrew snorted and straightened the haphazard pile of ledgers with the back of his hand. “It’s not like you would understand. You’ve never been involved with a woman.”
    “You forget who you’re talking to. I was kissing women long before you even knew what a kiss was.” Derek sat and turned Clementine’s letter over in his hand, admiring the way she wrote his name and address.
    “I can’t believe you actually hired a prostitute. You waited seven years and couldn’t wait another few months?”
    Derek