The Wolf's Pursuit by Rachel van Dyken Read Free Book Online Page A

flinched at her words.
    Isabelle paused and looked at him with
curiosity. "I didn't mean anything offensive, Hunter. It's just
that..." Her eyes watered. Blasted emotional woman.
    "It is nothing. I was merely shocked you
still possessed a sense of humor after living with Dominique for a
few months."
    "I missed you, too," Dominique said, bounding
through the room looking healthy, virile, and extremely satisfied
with himself. Curse the man. Maybe Hunter merely needed to find
himself a mistress.
    After all, it had been several months since
his last encounter, and that one had scarred him to such an extent
he hadn't had the courage to face a woman again. The lady in
question had drugged him within an inch of his life and then
proceeded to eat her dinner whilst on top of him. The thought gave
him a shudder.
    "Still feeling under the weather?" Dominique
poured them both a glass of brandy. At this rate, Hunter would be
foxed before the ball this evening.
    "No, simply repulsed that Isabelle would find
you charming enough to share your bed every night."
    Isabelle smirked. "Believe me, he's—" Her
face flamed red as she looked down at her hands, making Dominique
laugh aloud.
    Incredible. Hunter was now in his own version
of Hell. Marital bliss surrounded him, and memories of his dead
wife plagued even his waking dreams. He hadn't thought anything
could possibly get worse.
    "What are your plans for the Season?"
Isabelle tried her best to engage him in conversation.
    Unfortunately, his mind was working quite
slowly. He blamed the brandy. So he blurted out, "I'm to find a
wife."
    Dominique began coughing wildly while
Isabelle laughed.
    "I was not jesting."
    "Oh," they said in unison, causing a painful
silence to blanket the room.
    "It is a mission of sorts, so if you see me
acting…"
    "Strange?" Isabelle offered.
    "Like an idiot?" Dominique felt the need to
chime in.
    "Yes." Hunter gritted his teeth. "All of the
above, I guess. It is of the utmost importance that you do not
deter me from my act. After all, it must be believable."
    Dominique sat across from him. "Mind if I ask
what part you shall be playing this Season? Perhaps the prince?
Mayhap the devoted lover?" His friend grinned and leaned back,
clearly enjoying himself.
    "More predator than lover, I'm afraid. I'm to
be myself."
    Silence. Again.
    Isabelle squinted. "So you're to play the
fool?"
    "You wound me!" Hunter grinned. "At least you
truly do still have your sense of humor, Isabelle. And yes, if that
is how you see me, that is what I will be."
    Dominique hadn't spoken. Hunter waited.
    "Am I to believe you're going to revert back
to the incident of 1806?"
    "Why the devil does everyone keep bringing
that up?" Hunter demanded suddenly, wanting to pace the room and
yell at the same time. First Mrs. Peabody and now his best friend.
"It was not such a big catastrophe."
    "You went to the regent's annual
end-of-Season ball with all of your clothes as well as your wits,
and left naked, drunk, and with several women on your arms."
    Hunter scoffed. "You exaggerate."
    "They groped you."
    Hunter shook his head and looked away in
hopes to appear bored, when really he was deuced uncomfortable that
Dominique would talk of such in front of his wife.
    "In public."
    Hunter sighed. "I was foxed."
    "Believe me, nobody will forgive you that
even if you were foxed. I believe you left town the next day."
    "Forgive me," Isabelle interjected. "But is
that to mean that tonight will be your first night in society
since?"
    "The incident," both Hunter and Dominique
finished in unison.
    Her mouth formed an O before she closed it
and smirked to herself. "So you're to be playing the rake?"
    "My dear." Hunter leaned forward and brushed
her arm with his gloved hand. "I am a rake."
    Dominique cleared his throat as Isabelle
jerked back and giggled behind her hand. "I'm sorry, Hunter. I just
don't see it. You've always been so…" She shrugged. "Happy."
    Her admonition made his heart lurch. Of
course he acted