A Rogue to Ruin (The Pretenders #3) - Darcy Burke Page 0,3

They’d already stopped to speak with two booksellers.

“You spend a good portion of time on this street,” she remarked. “Your love of books is perhaps greater than you let on.”

At odds with his strong, confident personality, he gave her a sheepish look that she found incredibly endearing. “Guilty. I have endeavored to become familiar with as many booksellers and publishers as possible.”

“For your library?”

He nodded. “I will have new literary works before anyone else in London.”

“My goodness, that’s exciting, isn’t it? Is your goal driven by your love of books or the desire to be first?”

He let out a sharp laugh. “You’ve a keen skill of observation. How did you realize I’m competitive?”

She shrugged. “I didn’t. But now I’m very curious.”

“I’ve had to work very hard to achieve my place in this world,” he said softly.

Before she could ask why that was, he gestured toward the Chapter Coffee House. “Shall we stop in for a coffee?”

“I’ve never been to a coffee house. How can I refuse?” She pulled on his arm, drawing him to stop. The pavement was only wide enough for two people to walk abreast, and another gentleman walked toward them.

Lord Bodyguard edged closer to her to give the man more room. Consequently, they stood chest to chest. She looked up into his captivating gaze, and her breath caught.

His other hand gently clasped her hip, holding her as the man moved past them. Lord Bodyguard did not immediately back away, nor did she want him to. Indeed, she could have stood like that all afternoon. It was as if the world had been shuttered out, leaving the two of them alone in this riveting proximity.

“Thank you,” she said softly. “For taking me places I could only imagine.”

“It’s my pleasure.” He took his hand from her hip, but then clasped her fingers and brought them to his lips. His eyes never left hers as he pressed a kiss to the back of her glove.

Anne shivered. Not with cold or dread, but with something she’d never felt before—desire. She’d never been kissed, and she wanted Lord Bodyguard to be the first.

They continued to the coffee house, moving more closely together than they had before. He escorted her inside, where they found a table in the back corner. He always sought to keep them away from the center of attention, which she appreciated. It was almost impossible that anyone in this area would recognize her, especially since she was new to town, but it was wise to be careful.

“This is also an inn,” he said as he settled her into a chair before taking the one next to her. He looked toward the door, while she was angled toward the wall, which kept her face averted from the main part of the common room. “Writers from out of town stay here when they come to London.”

“You know Paternoster Row very well.”

“I admit I love it. The last day of the month is Magazine Day. That’s when periodicals go on sale, and it draws quite a crowd. For someone who likes to watch people, you’d enjoy it.”

“Then I will make a point of returning at the end of the month. Too bad it’s not a Thursday afternoon.”

“I could still bring you. Or meet you here. Actually, if you come, you should dress like a man. Then you’d blend right in. There are far more men on this street than women, so you tend to stand out.”

The idea excited Anne. But where would she get a set of men’s clothing? “Could I pass for a gentleman?”

He eyed her carefully, his gaze moving down over her. He tipped his head to see around the corner of the table. “It would take some effort, but given your petite size, you could probably pass for a boy. If you bound your, ah, chest.” His gaze jerked to hers, his eyes widening slightly. He abruptly stood. “I’ll fetch coffee.”

Anne watched him as he went to the counter. He was always superbly dressed, from his tall ebony hat to his crisp white cravat to the molded fit of his dark brown pantaloons tucked into his black Wellington boots. His blue wool coat was expertly tailored, hugging the muscles of his shoulders and arms. Seeing him never failed to make her heart skip or her breath catch. Even now, just watching him, she felt a rush of excitement, of anticipation.

He returned with two cups of coffee and set them on the table. Retaking his chair, he offered her a