Minor Indiscretions Read Online Free PDF Page A

So and So, only a kind-hearted seraph."
    "Silly, I know you are Lord Corey."
    Pew people had ever called the viscount silly. Fewer had fussed over him with such sweet, selfless concern. "My friends call me Corey."
    "You seemed to have a great many out there shouting for you."
    "I just had better odds. The underdog, you know."
    She was concentrating on getting a sticking plaster to his forehead, her tongue between her teeth. He never felt the pain. She did, and her eyes grew moist.
    "What's this, Angel, tears? Don't worry, head wounds just bleed a lot."
    "That's not it. All those people were
cheering
while you were getting hurt."
    He touched her cheek with a bruised knuckle. "An angel, indeed." '
    "No, I'm not," she said angrily, trying to get the dried blood off his chin, which she could see was very strong and square. "It's just that you were so… so… handsome is not the right word. A lot of men are handsome. You were perfect, like some kind of hero. Now look at you!"
    Melody felt herself blushing. However could she have said that to him, a total stranger?
    Corey had forgotten such innocence still existed. His heart thumped—or was that just a twinge from a cracked rib? He smiled as best he could with a swollen lip. "Well, I'll admit I am not a pretty sight right now, sweetheart, but I doubt any of the mess is permanent. The ribs are the worst of it, and they'll heal. I still have all my teeth, and if that doctor does a halfway decent job of stitching, there won't be much of a scar on my brow. It wouldn't be the first anyway, after the cavalry." He moved the cloth and carefully touched his nose. "Luckiest of all, my nose isn't even broken."
    "As if that makes it right!"
    His nose had finally stopped bleeding; his eye needed a slab of liver or something. Her inspection continued down—No, mopping at a man's chest was still beyond her daring. She'd never even seen one before today! For goodness' sake, she'd never been alone in a room with a man before today. Melody dragged her eyes back to Corey's, and caught an amused, knowing smile. She took his hand and poured brandy over the torn knuckles.
    "The deuce!"
    "Sorry, my lord, but spirits are the best thing to keep a wound from infection."
    "And a waste of fine liquor. I can see by that martial look in your eye that you disagree and are about to do your worst to my other poor hand. Do you think I might have another glass while there is a drop left?"
    Her hand shook slightly when she poured, he noticed, along with noticing the graceful tilt of her neck, the soft curve of her gown's bodice. His own hand shook slightly. "Perhaps you should have a sip also. This cannot be pleasant for you."
    "Thank you, my lord, but I am not used to spirits."
    "I'll warrant you aren't used to nursing fallen gladiators, either. You have my gratitude, of course, and also my respect. Every other young lady I know would have fainted long ago, and some gentlemen, too."
    "Paltry fellows," she said, to cover her embarrassment at his praise. She certainly could not admit to the queasy feeling in her stomach. "And Monday is my day to be a vaporish female, not Wednesday."
    His hands were dried and loosely wrapped in torn strips of linen. That left his chest to be tended, his taut-skinned, well-muscled chest. Melody took a deep breath.
    Corey chuckled. "Are you sure you wouldn't like a drink? Dutch courage, don't you know."
    He was altogether too knowing.
    "I'm, ah, afraid of hurting you further. Shouldn't you do this?"
    He held up his bandaged hands and just smiled. The dratted man was enjoying her discomfort.
    "Ow!"
    "Sorry."
    "Like hell you are."
    Maybe if she distracted him, and herself, she could consider this just another job, like polishing silver or rinsing a fragile teapot. Of course no teapot of her experience had soft golden hairs or firm—
    "Why did you do it? I mean the, ah, fight. It could not have been for the money, I know." At his raised eyebrow, the good one, she admitted to spying out