One Naughty Night2 Read Online Free PDF Page B

such feelings about a man, such erotic urges. Not after seeing her mother’s life in the brothel, the girls she knew on the streets, seeing where such things always led. She wrapped her hands tightly around her cup and looked away from him.
    “Easy enough to remedy,” he said. “I am Aidan Huntington, at your service. And you are…”
    Lily touched the tip of her tongue to her suddenly dry lips and tried to ignore the way his gaze sharpened on that tiny gesture. “I am Lily Nichols.”
    “Nichols?” A frown flickered over his brow. “Why is that—Ah.” He sat back in his chair and stared at her, studied her. As if this were the first time he saw her. “Juliet.”
    Despite the confusing swirl of emotions inside of her, Lily had to laugh at his thunderstruck expression. “I did wonder if you would remember. It was so long ago.” And he had surely known so many women, so many intimate moments, between then and now.
    “Not that long ago. I have been gone on family business to the West Indies since then.” He leaned his forearms on the small table; he was so close she could smell him. The light touch of some expensive cologne, the dark scent of his skin. His stare was so intent on her face.
    “So you married your greengrocer,” he said quietly.
    “Yes, I did. But he died last year.”
    “And you never went back on the stage.”
    Lily remembered too well the frozen terror of that night, humiliation that only burned away when he kissed her. “Never. Acting is not for me.”
    “I looked for you,” he said. His hand slid over hers, a quick, soft gesture hidden under the folds of a napkin. “But the name in the program was a false one.”
    “Thankfully. One less embarrassment if no one knows who I really am. My sister took over the role after that.”
    “Isabel St. Claire is your sister? I have heard about her.”
    Lily gave a wry laugh. Of course he knew of Issy—everyone who saw her onstage fell in love with her red-gold hair, green eyes, and sweet manner. Any interest Aidan Huntington had in Lily would surely flee now. “My adoptive sister, yes.”
    She waited for him to ask her to introduce him to Issy, but he just frowned. His hand slid over hers again. His fingertip rubbed across the tiny band of skin where her wedding ring once rested.
    “Lily,” he said softly, as if to himself.
    “Aidan,” she whispered. She turned her hand palm up and let his fingers tangle with hers for the merest instant. She couldn’t seem to help herself. He had her caught in some spell.
    “There is so much I want to ask you,” he said. He glanced over his shoulder at the crowded cafe. “But this doesn’t seem to be the place. When can I see you again?”
    Lily stared at him in surprise. “You would like to see me again?”
    A rueful half-smile drifted over his lips. “You can tellme to stay away, if that’s what you want. I can’t promise I will do it, but you can tell me to.”
    And that was exactly what she should do. But it was not what she wanted to do. Lily was suddenly weary of doing what she
should
do. She wanted to cease to be cautious for a moment, to be mischievous and seize life as her siblings did. Even as she knew it would not end well.
    “My brother and I are opening an exclusive new club in Mayfair in a fortnight,” she said. “If you will give me your direction, I can send you an invitation.”
    Aidan laughed, and his hand fell away. “There’s no chance of anything a bit sooner, is there?”
    Lily laughed, too, and shook her head. “I am too busy before then. It’s not a long time to open a new business.”
    “I’ll take what I can get, then. For now.” His eyes held some hint of warning—he would not wait for very long.
    Lily felt a shiver ripple over her skin at the threat and promise in his eyes. She didn’t know what this was between them. The power of it both drew her in, like a moth to the fatal flame, and made her want to run. To never see him again, even as the thought of that