Robert Thorne would prefer not to get married. He enjoys his life: a viscount's younger brother, a lighthearted rake, fond of men and women and sensational novels. Unfortunately, tonight's ball is intended to celebrate his engagement. And his intended husband comes with a fortune, enough to repair the Thorne family's failing finances and secure their future. But they've barely spoken two words to each other, and the young man's very shy and very innocent -- someone Robert's brother's chosen for him, not the person Robert wants. But the person Robert wants is exactly the person he shouldn't: Anthony, his secretary. Anthony's the best and most organized part of Robert's life -- and off-limits, because Anthony's employed by the family to keep an eye on him ... Anthony Price has two secrets. Everyone knows that his family used to be wealthy, and that Anthony's needed to find employment to support himself and his mother and sister. But no one knows that he has another life -- and growing success as an author of lurid novels, written under a pen name. And no one knows that he's hopelessly in love with Robert Thorne, who is engaged to another man. Anthony will do anything to ensure Robert's happiness -- but when the engagement ball ends in disaster, secrets are revealed, hearts are exposed, and everything can change ... on one night in London.

One Night in London: Robert and Anthony

Anthony drew a breath—to apologize for overstepping, to explain again that he would never force those attentions upon Robert, to say something, anything, he didn’t know—


Robert kissed him. Hard and searing and clumsy and real.


Robert’s arms went around him, and Anthony’s hip collided with a startled bookcase from the force of it; Robert’s mouth was eager and hot and passionate and flavored with chocolate and brandy, and Robert kissed as if a kiss could save them both from drowning, throwing heart and soul and recklessness into lips and tongue and nips of teeth.


Anthony could no more have stopped kissing Robert, then, than he could have stopped his heart from beating. He had a hand on Robert’s back, a hand in Robert’s hair, feeling red-gold waves in his grip; he had Robert’s tongue teasing his, Robert’s body up against his, Robert everywhere and in all his senses.


He tightened his grip. On Robert’s hair; on Robert. Who groaned and wriggled shamelessly against him. “Anthony—”


Chapter 21