Bronwyn Scott's Sexy Regency Bundle (195 page)

"On principle, you, as the gentleman in this scenario, should leave and accede to a lady's wishes," she said sweetly before adding, "But principles and reputations are moot issues really after

our

earlier

discussion.

Unless

I

misunderstood you in the ballroom? Was all that talk of strawberries and wool blankets just a gentleman's daydream?" She dropped her eyes to a place a lady was
never
supposed to look on a man while managing to give the impression of demureness. "I thought you were going to try to seduce me and I was going to try to resist."

Julian's jaw clenched. It was time to test this dichotomous angel's mettle. Was she as

Scott

17

as she looked, or was she the adventuress her dancing eyes and wicked challenges suggested?

He stepped toward the chair she occupied and bent

a hand resting on each

of the

chair, effectively trapping her. She caught her breath.

"You are a master flirt, my pretty vixen. I would be happy to seduce you if you think you're up to it." He expected her to push at him. It was what he wanted. He'd let her succeed and race toward the door. No self-respecting society miss would countenance such a naked invitation. It might be one thing to tease a man so avidly on a dance floor surrounded by hundreds of others. It was a far riskier proposition to flaunt those wiles in private with no one to interfere. Here in the dark, the proverbial safety net was gone.

Instead, she propelled herself into his with three little words he'd have loved to hear if circumstances had been different: "The sofa, quickly."

Chapter 3

The force of her motion drove them both backward onto said piece of

hit

the sofa hard with her on top of him in an inelegant sprawl. Then he heard what she'd heard moments before: people. Someone else had found the dratted room, two of them with libidinous intentions

the sounds they were making.

Good lord, the entire party would soon be ensconced in this most remote chamber.

"Don't just lie there, kiss me, or we'll be stuck here for the duration of their affair." She jerked her head toward the sounds of the interlopers, whispering in stem, dictatorial tones that didn't sound in the least like the dulcet voice of an innocent young lady. Come to think of it, she didn't
feel
like an innocent young lady either.

The breasts crushed against him, spilling out of her ball gown, were definitely a woman's breasts, and lush. Julian's erection stirred to life. How

Scott

could it not? She was stunning in the flush of excitement-her breath coming fast, her green eyes flashing, her hair falling out of its around her face.

Intuition told him she wasn't what her appearance led him to believe. For the first time, it occurred to him that she was possibly a liar, a very

liar. The thought completed his

arousal, the proof of which was pressing against her stomach in obvious force. She really mustn't wiggle like that.

Suddenly Julian jerked. The minx had her hand on him in a most indecent way. He was no prude, but he at least liked to exchange names before such proceedings. Before he could protest, she silenced him with an openmouthed kiss. She moaned audibly, her hand

the length of

him, taking his measure through his trousers. "Oh my lord, you're magnificent, so big, so She gasped and giggled, making every effort to be heard. She

her face far enough

his for

him to read her arch expression.

smiled. He understood her game, a clever ploy to expel the new invaders from the room. "It is you who makes me such a stallion, my sweetling," he parried, nipping at her bottom

20

Libertine Lord, Pickpocket Miss

lip

a

squeal fi-om

It

served the wench right for taking his trousers at unawares. She sucked at the delicate lobe of his ear in retaliation. He groaned his appreciation and the game within the game was fully underway.

This venture was quickly becoming less about driving the intruders

the room and

more about something else altogether. His stranger was an able partner; nibbling at his ear, stroking him expertly with her hand until he thought he might lose control without even taking his trousers off. That would be a first.

His

drew back as suddenly as she had engaged. "I think they're gone." Gingerly, she lifted her head to peer over the sofa. Julian decided to tickle her one last time for good measure. He told himself such precautions were to keep up the believable pretense. But in reality, he knew better. He wasn't ready for the game to be over. She gave a little scream and he pulled her back down onto him.

"What was that for?" she scolded, pushing at his chest to lever herself upright.

"Just in case they were still here. Are they?"

Julian asked, admiring his view of her breasts, which were rising and falling in her indignation.