Page 2 of How to Tempt an Earl

“He doesn’t need complete reforming, just from habituating this particular place.”

A flicker of amusement lit his eyes. “Look around you. Men come here to escape. They gamble. They drink. I don’t drag anyone through my doors, nor do I force them to stay against their will.”

“Not physically, perhaps. But you prey upon their weaknesses.”

He glared at her, frowning. “What exactly do you want Miss…?”

She raised her chin a notch. “It’s Miss Grace, and I’m asking you to refuse my father admittance into your club.” She withheld her surname, not willing to reveal it until she had his cooperation.

He stiffened, and for a moment she thought she had pushed him too far, but then he threw back his head and laughed. Straight white teeth flashed in his bronzed face, and the corded muscles of his neck were revealed.

She stared. She couldn’t help herself. She’d never seen a man’s naked chest, and although he wore a shirt, its top two buttons were undone and she could clearly see the sprinkling of dark hair.

His lips curled in a slow, wicked smile as if he knew her illicit thoughts and was fully capable of satisfying each one. “Now why would I want to refuse your father admittance? I’m not in the habit of turning away patrons.”

“You don’t understand. Father is a baron, and he always behaved respectably. He never gambled, never drank…not until Mother died during my first Season three years ago.”

“Ah, I see. I take it your Season did not go well.” His voice softened a bit.

“Of course not. It was spent mourning the loss of my mother.” To her dismay, her voice broke slightly.

“It won’t help.”

“Pardon?”

“Even if I turn him away from my club, your father will go elsewhere. It won’t solve your problem.”

Whatever glimpse of sympathy she’d thought she’d detected was gone. The cold, hard gambling hall owner was back. She bit her lip, and his gaze dropped to her mouth.

She felt an unwelcome stirring of heat in her veins. As a third-year debutante, she was not entirely unaccustomed to male attention. She’d danced at balls, taken private walks in the garden, and had even been kissed. But she had yet to receive a marriage proposal. If she was truthful to herself, she hadn’t been devastated at the time. She’d found them all dreadfully boring, couldn’t envision a life of matrimony bound to any of them, and had intentionally dissuaded any serious interest.

But Ian Swift was entirely different from the men of her acquaintance. Others had looked at her as a gentleman should look at a lady, whereas Swift’s stare was earthy, intense, and good heavens…lustful.

She took a deep breath and strengthened her resolve. “There’s something else.”

“Ah, there always is,” he drawled.

“Father’s debts here. I want to pay them.”

One dark eyebrow shot up. “You have money?”

She clutched her reticule. “I do.” She didn’t have banknotes, only the remaining pieces of her mother’s jewels. She’d kept them hidden from her father and prayed they were valuable enough.

He stepped to the side and motioned to a staircase leading up to the second floor. “Then by all means, please follow me.”

…

There was something about her.

Blue eyes gazed out from behind her half mask. Her hair was hidden beneath her hood, but he could see the curve of her cheek and her swan-like neck, the skin smooth and satiny. She was clearly from quality, far from the type of women he associated with.

Ian Swift led her up the stairs to the second floor of the club. His man, Brooks, who was in charge of the whist, faro, and macao tables tonight, looked at him questioningly.

Ian never took patrons upstairs and certainly never mysterious ladies who just walked into his club. He nodded curtly to let Brooks know all was well.

His attention returned to her. She was shorter than he liked his women, and the top of her head would barely reach his shoulder. Despite the slight tremble of her fingers, she walked with her head held high. Women frequented his club, many of them ladies who chose to wear masks like hers to conceal their identities. He’d never before cared to see one of their faces. But this one was different. It was well past midnight, and he wondered how she had escaped her household to travel into the night and visit the Raven Club.

They reached the landing, and he led her down a carpeted hall. He opened the first door on the right and motioned for her to enter.