All the Honorable St. John Ashford ever wanted was his father’s love, but if he can’t have that, he’ll settle for being noticed. In an effort to do that, St. John sets his sights on Andrew Dorincourt, a man for whom the Viscount has nothing but disdain. Surely this will draw his father’s attention?  Unfortunately, while Andrew seems willing to date him, he appears entirely disinterested in anything else. St. John knows it’s just a matter of time before all his plans going up in smoke, especially when Andrew becomes attracted to an exotic young man he rescued from Malossini’s House of Oddities.<br><br>Robin Dorincourt is something of a playboy who enjoys nothing so much as flitting from one boyfriend to another. He doesn’t poach, though, and when he finds himself attracted to St. John Ashford, he does what he can to keep a healthy distance between them, using taunts and teasing. It’s difficult, until he realizes his brother is in love with someone else. Robin’s path toward St. John is clear, and he makes his move.<br><br>But is his path as clear as he imagines? St. John might be as attracted to Robin as Robin is to him, but he’ll be damned if he allows himself to be passed from one brother to the other as if he’s nothing more than a poor second choice. Now it remains is for Robin to persuade St. John he’s no one’s second choice.

More, by All Mores

I woke up tense and headachy but determined to keep to my course.


Although the Ashford title was less than two hundred years old, Father insisted my brother Garrick only date young ladies of the bluest blood. Andrew was the wrong sex and also not of the peerage, which was possibly worst of all. Not that I cared, but it would drive Father insane, since the most Andrew could claim were a couple of minor baronetcies in his ancestry, and even those were questionable.


I hoped by taking Andrew to my bed—or giving that impression—my father would finally be forced to acknowledge my presence. Of course it hadn’t reached that point just yet, but I saw no reason not to settle for Andrew. I had no idea why he was being recalcitrant. After all, we’d been going out for a month, and still not even a proper kiss. I was sure with a bit more effort on my part…I knew it would simply be a matter of time.


Chapter 3