A Certain Wolfish Charm(18)

He'd never expected her to become so angry. Or to cry. It had nearly wrenched his heart out when that tear had fallen onto her fair skin.



He was taking Oliver for her own good, so she wouldn't be in danger from a pup who hadn't learned to control his basic instincts. No matter how much Oliver might love her, he needed someone to guide him through these changes. And that someone was him.



He had to push Lily Rutledge far, far away from him. From both of them. If that mean marrying her off, so be it. Though the image of her smiling at someone else, kissing someone else, holding someone else made his stomach tighten.



"You look like a storm cloud," Will said and then plopped himself down in a seat across from Simon.



"I'm in no mood to converse with you, Will." He was in no mood to converse with anyone.



Will leaned back in his chair, studying his older brother. "No, apparently you're simply in the mood to bark at young ladies. Congratulations on that, by the way. Splendid performance. You were perfectly ruthless."



"I was no such thing," he mumbled.



"My room is next to Lily's. It's not as if the walls are thicker than parchment in this place."



Simon closed his eyes, hoping his brother would get tired of pestering him and leave him in peace.



"You can't honestly want to marry her off," Will said quietly.



Simon took a deep breath, rose from his seat, and glowered at his interfering brother. "Go pester someone else."#p#分页标题#e#



"You're making a mistake, Simon."



"It's mine to make then, isn't it?" But he wasn't making a mistake. He was doing the right thing, hard as it was. What did Will want from him? "Now go find someone who actually enjoys your company."





Eight





Simon didn't know what was worse, his intense attraction to Lily Rutledge and his inability to act on it, or having her hate him so much. Her feelings about him emanated from her body in great waves as they rode back to Westfield Hall. The blasted rain continued to pour, so he was unable to ride outside the coach. Not that he would if he could, not when Will was so solidly ensconced in the seat beside her.



As they'd left the inn, Lily had grabbed hold of Will's arm, talking animatedly with him. She smiled at Will. She laughed with Will. Yet she continued to ignore Simon. It was as though he no longer existed.



Simon's mood darkened more and more as they rode toward Westfield Hall. Not only did Lily talk to Will, she touched him. She reached out to his brother, pressing her fingers to his arm when she wanted to make a point. The tinkling sound of her laughter was painful to his ears.



To make it even worse, Will ignored him as well. All of his attention was centered on Lily. Go find someone who actually enjoys your company. He could kick himself for saying those words to his brother. Not once did Will look at him and grin. Or tease him unmercifully. Or take his eyes off Lily's delectable form.



When Simon finally got Will alone, he would box his ears. He might not even wait to get him alone. He might have to attack him and rip him limb from limb in the coach. He wondered if he would get blood on Lily if he chose to kill his brother in such close quarters. She probably wouldn't enjoy the sight.



Simon was relieved to find that being around her during the day was getting easier and easier, despite the coming of the full moon. That first day, he'd been ready to take her, even in the broad light of day. But yesterday, when he'd kissed her, he'd been in control of the beast.



Simon could not have been more relieved when the coach finally stopped. Jenkins opened the door, and Simon stepped out, turning to raise a hand to Miss Rutledge. She ignored it and took the driver's offered hand instead. He fought back a groan of displeasure.



"Welcome home, Your Grace," Billings said as he stepped through the threshold. Simon didn't even respond as he turned toward his study, anxious to get as far as he could from Lily Rutledge as quickly as possible.



***





"Well played there, Lily," Will said quietly to her, as the duke stalked away from them. Lily worried her bottom lip as she watched Blackmoor throw his hat and coat at Billings, who barely caught them before the force of the items nearly knocked him from his feet.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," Lily said sweetly, smiling at Will.



He used one crooked finger to tip her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. His blue eyes, so unlike the duke's, sparkled with mirth. "You know exactly what I mean," he chuckled. "You would do him a better service if you had him strung between two horses and pulled limb from limb. Poor fellow."



Lily sighed. That suggestion had merit. It would certainly make her feel better, easing some of the ache around her heart.