Page 25 of A Scandalous Proposition
‘It doesn’t matter.’
‘I dare say you’re used to such impediments in your profession.’ The idea appeared to amuse him.
‘An occupational hazard.’
He stretched his legs out before him, perfectly at his ease, which was a great deal more than could be said for her. ‘And what other problems do you encounter during the course of your work?’
‘Well…you know. Er, that’s to say?’
‘Yes?’ His smile broadened as she desperately searched about for something amusing to say.
A hand came to rest on her silk-clad thigh, causing her to start and spill champagne over her hand. He gently smoothed the fabric with long sensuous sweeps of his fingers. The intense intimacy of his actions caused her skin to burn, even though several layers of fabric separated it from his direct touch.
‘I dare say some of your gentlemen require a little encouragement.’ He spoke in a soft, seductive purr. ‘If they are of advanced years, that is.’
She nodded vigorously. ‘Yes, yes, you are absolutely right. That’s exactly how it is.’
He took her hand and slowly, teasingly, his eyes not once leaving her face, licked the spilt champagne away. The gesture was so sensual that her entire body trembled with a deep-rooted yearning. He noticed, of course. His eyes gave him away. They darkened until they appeared almost black in the dim candlelight. He released her hand again, almost abruptly. ‘But what else, Mrs Smith? What more do your gentlemen callers require of you?’
‘I really don’t think that I ought to betray their confidences.’ She shook her head emphatically. ‘That would be most indiscreet.’
He offered her a disarming smile. ‘That it would, my sweet, that it would.’
His hand was again caressing her thigh and she heartily wished he would remove it. It was hard enough to play her part with him looming so close, tempting her, filling her mind with forbidden desires. When he touched her, the ability to think about anything other than the exquisite feel of his questing hands deserted her completely. She chanced a sideways glance at his profile as he continued to laugh at her expense and wondered what had brought about such a change in him. He was a different person from the one who’d been so insulting that morning. He was now lighthearted and chivalrous. The epitome of the well-mannered gentleman the dowager spoke of in such glowing terms.
He removed his hand from her thigh and slipped an arm ’round her shoulders again, pulling her close. Her senses were assailed by the combined aromas of sandalwood soap, horses and raw masculinity. An aroma she already associated uniquely with him. His fingers were twined in a lock of hair that had fallen in front of her shoulder. He twisted it up into a tight knot, his knuckles brushing against her breast as he did so. Quicksilver rushed through her veins at this brief, accidental contact and she gasped aloud.
Adam laughed and dropped a featherlight kiss on her lips, clearly in no hurry to do anything more. Far from being grateful for the delay, she now appeared to be the one who was in a tearing rush. She slipped a hand behind his neck and drew his head towards hers. He immediately pulled away.
So he really did mean to reject her. Florentina’s face burned scarlet with mortification.
‘Have I displeased you?’
‘There’s plenty of time. I expect you’re used to dispensing with your gentlemen’s needs rapidly in order to move on to the next one, but in our case we have all night.’
She stiffened at his implication, having temporarily forgotten who she was supposed to be. ‘Absolutely,’ she agreed belatedly in a frozen voice. ‘Time is money.’
‘Why don’t we play a different game first?’
‘What sort of game do you have in mind?’
He produced a deck of cards and deftly separated out those that weren’t required.
‘Since you frequent the card rooms at Chamberleigh, presumably you are acquainted with the rules of piquet.’
‘Of course.’
Florentina frowned. He was here to seduce her. Why the devil did he wish to play cards? Well, obviously, seduction was no longer his intention and he was endeavouring to spare her feelings. But why would that matter to him? She was a courtesan, paid to do his bidding. She felt disinclined to be humoured and stood up.
‘Since you no longer require my company, I shall bid you good-night.’
‘What makes you say that?’
He seemed genuinely surprised. Presumably he wasn’t accustomed to women rejecting him.
‘I didn’t come here to play cards.’
He offered her a meltingly gentle smile that caused her legs to quake. ‘You came here to play any game that takes my fancy. Come and sit at the card table.’ He held out a hand. His eyes pinioned her face with such deep intensity that she spontaneously slipped her fingers into his. ‘I think you’ll find the game I have in mind entirely to your liking.’
