Jason Worthington comes calling

A knock on her door made Charlotte freeze in fear. "Charlie?" Only Jason called her "Charlie" it was a nickname she despised but he refused to abandon it. "Charlie, I heard you cry out." His voice was thankfully low, so her other guests would not hear.

"I'm fine Jason; I just had a bad dream." Charlotte told her persistent suitor, pleading silently for him to go away. Her body had yet to recover from the momentous orgasm and she was in no mood to prolong this discussion. To her horror she saw the door open a tiny crack.

"Jace!" She exclaimed loudly not having to feign shock at his bold intrusion. "Close that door, what would my father say?!" To her dismay the arrogant man misinterpreted her objection, stepping quickly into her boudoir and closing the door softly behind him.

"He won't mind, Charlie." Jason took a step closer to where she lay still flushed and naked under the bedsheets. "He wants us to be together. He told me." During the course of the evening Jason had removed both his dining jacket and cravat, so he was in her bed chamber wearing just a ruffled white blouse and his form-fitting black pantaloons tucked neatly into his black boots.

"But I mind Mr. Worthington." Charlotte protested as he stepped even closer to her bedside. Charlotte wondered if slipping into the bedrooms of his hostesses was a common practice of Jason's. Considering the boastful comments she overheard about his success with London's women she would not be surprised, was he expecting a more welcoming reception. Perhaps he had heard and recognized her orgasmic moans; that would explain his audacious confidence. Or it might be the numerous drinks that he had enjoyed throughout the evening. "You must leave now." She added to make sure there was no misunderstanding.

"I will Charlotte, if you insist." Jason assured her as he knelt at her side just a foot or two away from her trembling body. At least he did not presume to sit upon her bed, but even this was intolerable. He was close enough for Charlotte to smell the strong odor of brandy on his breath; he was most certainly at least a little drunk.

"But first I wanted to express my admiration for your singing tonight." His hand rested on her bed just inches from her. "The ballad was beautiful, it nearly made me cry. I had no idea that you were such a romantic." Both of his hands were on the bed now and his face was getting closer to hers. Was this Jason's idea of a seduction? Charlotte pulled away from him in shock.

"Jason, leave this room immediately." She put as much **** behind her words as possible and was rewarded with a small retreat on his part.

"Charlotte, you must let me spend some time with you." Jason protested "Time alone, just you and I; so I can make clear to you the strength of my feelings." Once again he leaned towards her clearly intent on kissing her.

"Wait!" Charlotte protested "Not here, not now." After this afternoon's kiss, Charlotte wanted no other man's lips to touch hers. "Wait..." She repeated as she frantically tried to think of some way to discourage this brazen ****.

"Tomorrow. I will take you to see the ruins of Saint Teresa's Chapel." She tried not to think about why she chose that location. What might happen if Jason and her stranger met, would there be a fight? "But we can't go alone. My aunts would never allow it." She added pushing the darkly erotic image of two bare-chested men fighting in the dappled sunlight of the ruins while she awaited anxiously, the prize to be claimed by the victor. "I'll invite Priscilla Dunning to come as well."

Charlotte could see Jason's disappointment, but he agreed all the same. He tried once more to kiss her, but Charlotte turned her face away from his questing lips so they merely struck her cheek. Satisfied with that small victory Jason stood and moved stealthily out of the room closing the door behind him as softly as he had opened it.

As soon as she had pulled the nightgown back over her head Charlotte locked the door to her chamber. Why ever hadn't she thought to do that before? Unlike the woodland gentleman's forceful kiss that had undeniably excited her, or the images of strong men mercilessly ravishing helpless maidens that sent her over the edge, there was nothing appealing about a drunk Jason Worthington attacking her in her bed. She set the key next to her on the bed stand and returned the volume that had almost got her into serious trouble.

However was she going to deal with Jason Worthington tomorrow? Inviting Priscilla had been a stroke of genius. For nearly a week now the buxom songbird had been trying to tempt Jason away from Charlotte; this might be the perfect opportunity. If she could somehow pair off Mr. Worthington with the charming Miss Dunning, her life would be much more pleasant. The two of them deserved each other.