An Indecent Proposition Read Online Free Page A

unfortunately. Mostly they involved visions of Annabel—no, a correction was necessary: soon-to-be Lady Hyatt—in the arms of her new husband. Naked, in his embrace, his mouth on hers, her golden hair gleaming across the bed linens as they moved together in an age-old rhythm, her slim legs spread wide as her lover thrust inside her willing body . . .
    Well, it was certainly productive to picture that , he chided himself morosely, sinking lower against the squabs and letting out a frustrated breath. Torturing himself was not helping matters. It was what landed him into his current predicament. The fact he’d gotten so deep in his cups the night he and Rothay had started their adolescent debate didn’t surprise him, and maybe even the public bet had been a way to strike back at Annie for the announcement that had appeared in the paper.
    The Honourable Thomas Drake wishes to announce the formal engagement of Miss Annabel Reid to Lord Alfred Hyatt. The nuptials will take place four months hence. . . .
    Derek hadn’t been able to read any further.
    It had hurt. Bloody hell, seeing it there in stark print had hurt . More than even he expected, though his uncle Thomas had already told him of the offer for her hand and her acceptance along with his own opinion it was a suitable match.
    Yet the slice of the pain as Derek sat there and stared at the bold lettering of the public announcement and felt the implications settle into his soul had opened a raw, bleeding wound.
    So to improve things, he thought with an inner wince, he’d gotten thoroughly foxed and decided to worsen the reputation Annabel already found repugnant by making a challenge that now had London buzzing with speculation. It didn’t help that he and Nicholas had a past history of competition in everything from academics to athletics to—of course—women. Part of it was just an innate aspect to both their personalities, part of it the result of similar backgrounds. They’d inherited their wealth and titles young, and along with them both the freedom and constraints that came with the legacies. Their friendship had been immediate and natural, like two brothers meeting face-to-face for the first time and recognizing each other.
    It had spurred on the nonsensical debate of the other evening. Nicholas had his own demons he held close. Derek was well aware his friend had a less-than-happy experience that kept him guarded, no matter how charming he might seem on the outside. Nick didn’t talk about it, and Derek didn’t ask questions about the near-disastrous brush with romance that revealed itself as calculated avarice rather than deep feeling on the part of the woman Nicholas thought he would marry. It was an unspoken agreement between them not to discuss the matter, not violated for the ten years of their acquaintance.
    They were, after all, very alike.
    Now it seemed to be Derek’s turn to burn in hell.
    No doubt Annabel was even less fond of him than ever. If that was even possible. Why was it he’d never realized he was in love with her until it was too late?
    Because he was a damned fool, of course. She loved someone else. Lord Alfred Hyatt was a decent sort as far as he could tell, which only made matters worse. If she were marrying a cad, he could reasonably voice an objection, but she wasn’t, so he couldn’t, and she would never listen to his advice anyway.
    Why should she? He was an expert on impermanence, not marriage.
    “My lord?”
    The voice roused him from his abstraction and he realized the vehicle had come to a halt and his driver stood there waiting, the door ajar. The young man gave a discreet cough.
    “Sorry.” Derek clambered out, a rueful smile on his face. “Drank a bit this afternoon,” he said unnecessarily, wondering why he was offering an explanation to a servant. Probably because he had no idea how long he might have been sitting there in morose contemplation. He went up the steps to his town house, nodded his thanks to the