The Seductress' Marriage Ploy

22. Jealousy II

SEBASTIAN SAT DOWN on the daybed in his library, his fingers wrapped tightly around his blue ruin, his head resting on the wall behind him. His eyes clenched shut.

He couldn't believe he had lost control. something he had cultivated his whole life. To think that he had just relinquished it so early and to a slip of a girl vexed him. What was it about Julia that made him forget himself? She was not the most beautiful woman but still, she enthralled him in such a way that he couldn't even begin to understand.

His blood boiled just by being in the same room with her. That was how attracted he was to her. Hell! He saw her and he thought mine. Even now his blood was boiling hot, he had come out from his study five times to spy on her. Taking the steps two at a time, and each time rewarded with a view that made his hands curl.

Cole had been kissing Julia, in his drawing-room! Whatever happened to his own townhouse. Why should his own be used as a meeting ground?

Now, Sebastian stood by the door and watched, that was what he was reduced to. Cole was kissing Julia, he gripped her head angling it, and then when his hand moved down, towards Julia's bottom. Sebastian cursed and barged into the room, interrupting them.

He moved straight to the table by the window and started looking through papers stacked on them, pretending as if he was looking for something.

"Ahem!... Arh, perhaps, you might be looking for something? Cole asked.

With his back to them, Sebastian scowled before he schooled his features into a blank expression. He turned and regarded them with an innocent neat expression devoid of any emotions. as if he wasn't aware that they were in the room. He curled his lips up. "Oh, I didn't realize you were still here, " he paused then nodded his head at Julia acknowledging her. "Julia."

Internally Sebastian scoffed, look at them pretending as if they weren't just kissing now. Who did they think they can deceive?

"Your grace, " Julia inclined her head. "How nice to see you."

Sebastian gritted his teeth. Your grace? Just a moment ago he had heard her call Cole by his name.
Presenting her with a fake smile. "The pleasure is all mine."

The right thing to do would have been to leave the room, but because, right then Sebastian was shameless he took a seat in front of them. He was acting childish and he knew it. He didn't care. He won't be able to stop wondering if Cole was making cow eyes at Julia or if his hands were under her skirts! Sebastian scowled at the thought. His expression black.

In the opposite chair facing Sebastian. Cole smiled to himself, he wasn't fooled.  Cole smiled deviously, "What says you to a game of card, I know you have the necessary things here."

Sebastian raised a brow. "A game of card?" Then he looked at Julia. "It wouldn't be polite to exclude lady Julia from the excitement."

Cole waved his hand, "No worries at all, she would join us."

That stunned Sebastian and he stared at Julia. "She will?"

Julia squirmed in her seat, suddenly uncomfortable, Sebastian was looking at her as if she had divulged their personal secret out in the open. His gaze was straight and direct freezing her in her seat. "I...i.."

Cole's smile turned into a full-fledged grin. He knew something that nobody else knew. "Of course she will?" He paused and stared at Julia "Won't you?"

Julia's eyes widen. What was happening here? suddenly she placed her right hand on her head and sighed deeply her eyes fluttering closed. "Am sorry but I have to be leaving on short notice, I think am coming down with something."  Even as she said it she knew her excuse was quite flimsy but she needed to get out of there. Something was quite out of place Julia thought, there was some kind of undercurrent. She couldn't place her hands on it. But she gets the feeling that Cole was trying to rile Sebastian, which was strange.

As soon as she stood up. Sebastian stood up too trailing after her. " I will send for the butler." Julia wanted to cry. what now. couldn't she just make her escape peacefully?

Julia could feel how stiff her back was. Her heart pounding furiously. Why was Sebastian angry? Was it because he didn't know that she had come to his house and was even with Cole! When the note had arrived today at first she had thought that Victoria had sent her something. Then she realized that Vicky hardly Gossip through notes she prefers the physical where he can pry her answers from you. Then her next thought was that it was Sebastian informing her that Cole was at the house.

You can imagine her surprise to see that the letter was not from Sebastian but from Cole. He was at Sebastian's house and he wanted the pleasure of her company. She had not been thrilled she had not quite recovered from Sebastian. but she had been curious.

He was one of her prospective husbands after all. Even though the last thing she thought about for the last three days was about Sebastian and not even about her prospective husbands. One has already been ruled out.

When she had arrived at the house she was quickly ushered to the drawing-room where Cole was waiting for her. He had engaged her in all sorts of silly questions until suddenly he had started kissing her. She had wanted to push away but then she remembered that if they married she would have to provide an heir and to provide an heir she would have to withstand his touch.

Suddenly the touch turned to something else. He was kissing her like he wanted to course a response from her. At one point he had even held her tightly and because she was so out of breathing her protest came out as a moan.

She could swear that she had a curse right outside the drawing-room. Was it Sebastian? Or was it just a scurrying maid who happened to have seen them by mistake.

Alone in the drawing-room, Cole smirked, Sebastian was in really deep trouble and he didn't think his friend had realized. It would be so much fun to rile him. He chuckled out softly. He had never seen Sebastian possessive about something before. The look on his face when he had caught them was just too priceless. If looks could kill, he would already be a dead man. He looked like he wanted to throw Cole out of his house. How unfortunate for him because he wasn't going to let the sleeping dog lie.

AUTHORS NOTE