Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 107639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“I am devoted to you,” I said. “Devoted to your punctuality, your organization, your schedule, your dry cleaning, your…” My snark trailed off as a memory inserted itself front and center.
“I am devoted to your pleasure,” Landry said with a teasing look on his face.
“Yeah, how about being devoted to getting me off as quickly as possible. I have a meeting in six minutes, and you’re going to be late for your shoot.”
We’d been in the executive restroom off my office, and Landry had been on his knees for me.
My eyes flicked to his and found deep aquamarine eyes staring back at me with knowing intensity.
The tailor was three seconds away from moving from my back to my front, so I shot Landry a death-ray glare and quickly imagined a quick plunge in an icy lake. It worked, but it left me feeling a little chilled.
I blamed Landry.
Just when I was poised to disappear upstairs and take some much-needed time to myself, Cora shot me a cheeky grin. “Etiquette lessons, remember? They were rescheduled when the sports day went long?”
I closed my eyes and bit back a curse.
Landry chuckled and moved past me. “Yeah, good luck with that, husband. It’s a lot about utensil placement and proper address. Riveting stuff.”
Cora caught his elbow. “You’re in it, too. He’s doing a dance lesson with it since the two of you will be watched like hawks at the Hearts of Hawling Dinner.”
I silently cackled with glee when Landry did his cursing out loud.
The etiquette part of the lesson was easy enough. I’d picked up details here and there over the years that seemed to have covered most of it. The biggest challenge was the rules around addressing people properly and rank-based protocol. I planned to review a few of the finer points before the dinner since Landry was expected to spend the majority of the event introducing me and Jamie to as many peers as possible.
But the dancing part of the lesson… that one was brutal.
“Too close!” the teacher snapped for the third time, causing me to jump away from Landry. “This is not a brothel.”
Landry’s jaw ticked, but he kept his mouth closed.
“Again,” she said, restarting the music on the Bluetooth speaker. “Forward, slide, close. Forward, slide, close. That’s it. Keep tension in your arms. Just like that. Alright.”
I lowered my voice to a nearly imperceptible whisper. “I notice the viscount is the man in this scenario. How unexpected.”
His nostrils flared. “I am holding on to my patience with her by a thread, Kenji. Say the word, and I will let it go.”
“Smile when you’re talking!” the teacher called out. “Everyone is watching. Do you want to look like you’re at the dentist, or do you want to look like you’re in a happy marriage?”
“Is this when I casually let slip we’re just fuck buddies?” I murmured. “If the ambulance comes, we might not have to do this for much long—”
“No whispering!” she warned. “Whispering is considered rude. You may speak of the weather, of sporting events, of a hobby such as gardening or visiting the theater, music. You may inquire about your partner’s family, their recent travels, or their work. Stick to topics that can be overheard by others without causing harm.”
Thankfully, Landry was now trying to stifle a laugh. As long as he was happy, so was I.
The day dragged on, ending in a formal dinner with five courses. The Winthrops had been invited, since Landry and Jamie’s “rekindled friendship” had smoothed over any lingering resentment between Jim and Lord Davencourt, but their inclusion in the dinner meant Landry was even more stressed than ever, fearing Ed would get into a repetition loop that gave the Winthrops private insight into the real reason he was retiring from politics.
Jamie, his younger sister, and his parents were seated closer to Lydia and Landry, while Cora and Nan flanked Ed at the head of the table. I sat between Nan and Jamie’s sister and managed to help steer the conversation. Every time Ed began to repeat a story, Cora, Nan, or I interjected to ask him about something completely different, sending him off in a different direction.
It was a long three and a half hours.
The Winthrops, minus Jamie, left soon after dessert, and Nan and Ed headed right off to bed. Cora, Landry, Jamie, and I made our way into a billiards room I’d never seen before.
“Thank you for that,” Jamie said sincerely as he shrugged out of his dinner jacket. “My parents were happy to be invited and pampered, and my sister couldn’t stop staring at all the paintings around the room and the sheer amount of silverware on the table.”
Landry took both of their coats and mine and laid them over a leather chair in the corner. “Didn’t she go to Wycombe Abbey? Surely they covered all of that there.”