Lady of the Night
Chapter 4
Miss Colton's Bookstore, Cheryl's Street, London
Early in the afternoon
In a moment where nothing was considered proper…
"We seemed to have gotten off on the wrong foot."
Rae almost let out a very girly surprised shriek as a male voice suddenly spoke beside her ear. The book she was holding had dropped to the floor with a loud thud.
The gentleman, whose voice belonged to, bended down and picked it up. He read the title and gave it an approving nod. "Good choice."
With a scowl, Rae snatched the book back. "Don't you dare criticize what I read. You have no right." The book was Mathilda, by the way, and she loves it.
"I wasn't criticizing," he said, shaking his head. "I swear."
Rae stared at him. There was a surprising honesty in his tone, and so she decided to get over it. But still, he had embarrassed her.
He didn't even bother greeting her first. He just sneaked up from behind and suddenly spoke, scaring the bejefusout of her. As she waited for her nerves to completely calm down, she took a good look at him. He was wearing a brown coat which was styled for a casual day-out. His white shirt was open just below his neck, revealing a bit of his chest.
Her body suddenly grew warm.
"I apologize once again for my inexcusable behaviour last night," he said.
He really was so close. They shouldn't stand like that, especially in a public place, and he wasn't doing anything to step back and give a proper space between them. But he doesn't seem to care and Rae knew that she should be, but…but… He smells so darn good.
Her cheeks instantly heated up and she immediately turned around to face the bookshelf so that Lord Hoechlin can't see her blush. But then he was still behind her and she could still smell him…and she could still feel him.
This time, it wasn't just her cheeks that were warming up. Her entire body felt like she was on fire, which was completely ridiculous.
Dash it! She shouldn't have left her fan at home!
"Miss Caito," he said and Rae almost gasped when she felt his hand on her arm as he slowly turned her around to face him. "Rae… May I call you that?" he asked.
Rae found herself nodding, even though she wanted to say no. Her name sounded sweet on his low, silvery voice, though.
He smiled, just barely, and his hand found hers. Was it proper that she's allowing him to touch her like that in a very public place? "Please," he said. "Let me make it up to you."
Rae could say so many things about Tyler Hoechlin, future Duke of Blackwood. She could give great adjectives that best described him. For example there was the word royal. He was every bit as regal as a prince; from his looks down to his obvious grace and elegance. Their dance last night wasn't as awful as it should have been because he had led it so perfectly. He clearly knew what he was doing.
There were also the words beautiful, handsome and swoon-worthy. In all truth, those seemed to be an understatement because he has this strange kind of charisma. When he looks at you, you feel sort of cornered, like a hunter that has found his prey and that shouldn't be a good thing, right? At the moment, that's what Rae feels, but she couldn't find it in her to leave, to wrench her hand away from his hold, or to take a step back from the scandalous way they were standing too close to each other. In fact, she wanted nothing but to close their distance until there was nothing that separated them.
She would have. Oh, how close she would have, but she was holding back because there was something about him that screamed dangerous. Rae is not the kind of female to get easily intimidated or afraid, especially when it comes to men. She was used to the men back in America who were far more rough and gruff and foul-mouthed compared to the English gentlemen in London. But then there's Lord Hoechlin with his thick black hair, heart-shaped face, and dimpled smiles and she found herself sort of…confused. She knew she had to get away—far, far away— not because she knew why she has to, but because she doesn't know why she has to. But why can't she seem to stay away once he's there?
If only she could understand him though, this all would be easier. And to think they've only been introduced last night!
But she digressed. She could think of twenty more words that best described how he looked right now, but apologetic wasn't one of them. So she was mildly surprised when he uttered an apology again even though last night, all he ever did was to make sure that she forgave him, which was strange.
If Rae was remembering her lessons correctly, it is rare for a duke to apologize. And to think that Lord Hoechlin did speaks a lot.
But before she gets carried away by having the attention of a sought-after gentleman, she must teach him a lesson first. She must have been raised from doting parents inside a loving house, from a carefree country; it doesn't mean she doesn't know a thing about proper manners and conducts.
Rae narrowed her eyes at him, her nerves had finally calmed down. "Just because you know you can make it up to me doesn't change the fact that you were rude last night and embarrassed me in front of my sister and her husband."
Lord Hoechlin raised his brows and grinned in amusement. "Then I'll keep making up to you until I am fully forgiven."
Rae's eyes grew round, and then they narrowed. "Are you flirting with me, Lord Hoechlin?" she asked, and then she remembered that she wasn't supposed to blurt something like that out.
She pulled her hand from his grip and covered her mouth, looking away. "I'm sorry, that was rude and assuming."
But instead of being offended, Lord Hoechlin's grin grew into a fit of chuckles. "If that was being rude to you then what happened last night was an overstatement. Still, you're forgiven. And please do call me Tyler."
She narrowed her eyes. "It would be improper, my lord."
"Really? Then if I do this—" he took a step back, took her hand and landed a feather light kiss at the back of it, "—would it still be improper if I insist it?"
"I—uh," Rae was left speechless.
He straightened up. "Anyway, you had allowed me to call you by your first name, so it's only fair that you should too."
Rae slowly snatched back her hand away and cleared her throat. "Alright, if you insist."
"I do."
"But next time," she said, her eyes narrowing, "if you want to speak to me, get my attention first. Christ, were you trying to give me a heart attack?"
He laughed and put a hand over his heart. "Once again, I am sorry. I was just keen on getting your attention. I didn't think of anything else. I didn't think you'd dislike it."
"What I meant was in a proper way." Rae didn't roll her eyes, although her comment should have been best accompanied by one. She glanced around her, catching the looks from the ladies in other aisles. That's when she remembered.
She swung her gaze back to the grinning, mysterious gentleman who seemed to be used to doing whatever he wants. "And what do you think you're doing inside a women's bookstore?" she asked in disbelief.
He smiled so wide for the first time, like he was up to something, and it showed his perfect white teeth that matches his clear blue eyes.
Wait a minute.
Rae blinked for a second. His eyes weren't this bright last night. They were almost too dark, like clouds on a stormy sky, to even be considered blue. But at the moment, as he stood against the sunlight that was pouring down the window, they were as blue as the sky back in Boston during summer.
She cocked her head to the side and stared closely than what was more than allowed.
"What?" Tyler asked. "Do I have a something funny on my face?"
"Your eyes…" she said.
"What about them?"
"They're blue," she pointed out.
Tyler looked at her, puzzled by her sudden change of conversation. But she felt him tense. It was strange how she could feel him even when they're not touching. "And?" he asked.
She pulled her head back and stood straight. "They weren't this blue last night."
Tyler scratched the back of his neck. "It's the sun, Rae."
"Hmmm… maybe," she said, and after staring at him for a few seconds, she was convinced. "Right, it must be," then let out a sigh.
He cocked his head. "What was the sigh for?"
What it was for? Well first of all, it wasn't supposed to be just a small sigh. It was supposed to be a one long exhale needed to release the tension she was feeling, and of course it was supposed to be returned with an equally long inhale, to fill her lungs with enough air so her throat wouldn't feel so tight, her stomach filled with—and she couldn't believe that she was actually thinking about this—stupid, flying, butterflies, and that her heart would start beating normally. But it did nothing.
But, she couldn't very well say those things, could she? So she turned slightly away, enough so that she was facing the bookshelf without completely turning her back to him, and said, "Never you mind. I think I'm just tired."
She returned Mathilda and picked up Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. That's when a thought crossed her mind.
Rae turned to him, her eyes gleaming. "Do you read?"
He frowned. "What do you mean?"
"You said that Mathilda was a great choice, so I assume that you've read it. No?"
"I have read it," Tyler confirmed. "In fact, I read quite a lot. Why?"
Rae finally allowed a smile. "Since we've already established that you lack lessons about manners—"
"I do?" he bit out with a frown and this time, he looked clearly offended.
"Uhuh," she nodded.
His frown deepened. "I lost it just one time, Rae. Just last night. I assure you, I've never been that rude before."
"Really? How do you explain sneaking up on me just now then? You made me nervous, I almost screamed. And what about your presence here? This is a bookstore for women, if I'm not mistaken. You shouldn't even be here."
He let out an irritated sigh. "I was just passing by and saw you and thought of inviting you to watch a play tonight, so it could, somehow, make up for last night. And yes, this is a book store for women, but it doesn't mean that men are not allowed here. I have been raised properly but if I have short comings, it's not because I don't have manners. I'm not perfect Rae, no one is."
Rae bit her lower lip, trying hard not to smile, but he looked so cute when he's annoyed.
His eyes narrowed at her. "What are you smiling about?"
"I am not," she denied.
"You are."
"No—oh, dash it all. Alright. I was smiling, but only because…" she almost admitted that he looked cute when he's annoyed but fortunately, for the first time, she thought otherwise.
"Because?"
"Because I had thought of just the greatest idea. Here," she handed him the book. "Read that and tell me exactly what you think of the story."
Tyler flipped it open, skimmed through the pages. "Why should I read this?"
Rae found herself biting her lips again. "If you do," she hesitated for a while but then thought the better of it. "If you do, I'll go to the theatre with you tonight."
Tyler's mouth slowly crept up into a wide, pleased smile and then tucked the book under his arm. "I'll read it," he said. "So, I will call upon you tonight at seven in the evening?"
"Seven is good. Of course I have to bring Allie with me."
"You can bring Scott too, if you like."
Rae nodded. "Very well." She bowed down into a perfect curtsy, and with a smile, she said, "I shall see you tonight," and then walked towards the door. But before she opened it she heard him say, "Until tonight, Chelsea Rae."
She turned abruptly to him, wanting to ask him how he knew of her first name. But she thought of leaving it for now. After all, they will have plenty of time to get to know each other more, and today was just the start.
So after a one last smile, Rae opened the door to leave the small book store, thinking that it wasn't a coincidence that he was there. She wasn't convinced one bit that he was passing by and just happened to see her. Rae doesn't quite know how she can tell, though. She just can. It was a new feeling, and quite alarming.
But as she climbed up inside Allie's carriage, she regretted not asking what play they are going to see, or where. And then she worried if she had packed enough dresses for such an occasion.
What do you exactly wear when you go and watch a play with a gentleman who may or may not be attracted to you?
"Just be yourself and smile, my dear." Her mother's words echoed inside her head. Just be myself, huh? she thought. Alright then, smile. And maybe paint my lips red again, she added thoughtfully.
An excited smile was plastered on Rae's face during her ride home. And when she arrived at Brunswick house and Allie asked her about the books she purchased, all she said was, "I was invited to watch a play, so come on and help me find a perfect dress."
She had smiled. She had tensed up. She had wanted to step a bit closer to him. And then she felt embarrassed, but not resentful.
She wants him, Tyler thought with a satisfied smile as he rode back to their house inside his own carriage. Rae wanted him there, inside the bookstore, and if he gave in and bent down a bit and kissed her, he knew she would not stop him. He felt her body heating up on his first touch, and when she leaned her head a bit on his direction and caught his scent, her arousal was all over the place.
But she wasn't giving in, though. She's confused and in doubt and he couldn't blame her. After all, they had just met last night. If they give in to their attraction right away, if he wouldn't hold back for a few more while, it could ruin the mood of anticipation.
Seduction it is then. He would seduce her, not that she needs it. He would try and seduce her for him to know how far she would allow him to go. He would court her properly, of course, but he would sweep her off her feet. He needs to make her fall in love with him and accept him as a person and as a werewolf. He needs to know that she wouldn't go willingly just because she was destined to be his mate. He wouldn't force her. If she chooses him, her feelings should come from the heart and not just because there was an unmistakeable, irrevocable and un-ignorable attraction between them.
And from the way her pupils dilate whenever she stares at him, or get close to him, Tyler was confident that he was doing the right thing for taking enough time.
Tyler glanced at the book on his hand and he let out a smirk after he opened the book and read the first sentence.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune is in need of a wife.
He smirked. Indeed, it is.
