Page 55 of Seducing the Knave

She turned to face him in a whirl of indignation. Her expression was heated and her gaze sharp despite the glint of intoxication in their depths. “Why is that so damned amusing? Is it funny that I might wish to direct my own course?” She lifted her chin. “Perhaps I don’t wish to marry at all. Perhaps I’d prefer to tuck myself away in a cottage somewhere and plant a garden and paint pictures of the sunrise and raise...pigs or something.”

With an unrepentant smile curving his lips, Max slid his hands up to cradle her face. Though her eyes still shot sparkling daggers at him, her lips parted breathlessly.

Lust wound tightly through his body.

“Ye’re quite drunk, luv. These things’ll feel different with a good night’s sleep.”

For a moment, it looked like she’d argue. Her eyes narrowed and she took a swift breath.

But then she let it out again on another heavy sigh. Her thick, sooty lashes drifted over her gaze and her chin lowered as she lifted her hands to rest them against his chest. “You’re probably right. Sleep does sound like a heavenly idea.” Her voice faded to a soft murmur as she added, “You can have the right side and I’ll take the left.”

Max stiffened. From the suggestion in her words as much as the rush of heat her touch inspired. “Ye wish to sleep in me bed?”

Her eyes opened again and she looked up at him with a deep furrow between her elegant brows. “Well, I’m not going to sleep in the barn.”

He gave a throaty laugh.

How much ale did she drink? No doubt she wouldn’t even remember this conversation. The thought triggered a pang of disappointment, but he ignored it to sweep her up in his arms. As he did so, her skirts briefly flew up to her knees. The chit was barelegged.

He stifled a groan as desire shot through him like a flaming arrow.

After her initial gasp of surprise, she looped her arms around his neck. “What are you doing?”

“Taking ye to bed.”

“Oh.”

He grinned at her utterly uncharacteristic compliance.

He carried her across the room and set her down on the left side of his bed, as she’d dictated. But when he would’ve pulled back the blankets for her to lie down, she balked.

“I can’t sleep in my dress. It’ll wrinkle.”

He stiffened as she stood and turned around while sweeping the mass of her hair over one shoulder.

“Can you unbutton me?”

With his gaze following the graceful line of her neck, Max swallowed. Hard.

“Ye sure that’s a good idea?”

“Please.”

The soft murmured word cut straight through him, angling sharply to the center of his chest before shooting down to his stiffening cock. That word always seemed to get to him like little else could. But when spoken by this fair, unwitting seductress, it near killed him.

His fingers flew along the buttons, releasing them easily. When the dress gaped down to her waist, it took all his strength not to lean forward and press his mouth to the hollow between her shoulder blades.

Instead, he stepped back.

The pale gown fell to the floor in a pool of lavender, her concern about wrinkles apparently forgotten. No doubt she was accustomed to a maid managing such things.

With a sigh that filled the room, Elle climbed somewhat clumsily onto his high-standing bed.

The vision of her smooth skin and precious curves covered in nothing but a short cotton shift and a fall of golden curls would forever be burned into his mind. As she stretched out atop his sheets, throwing her arms above her head and bending one leg to the side, Max turned swiftly to stalk toward a small liquor service in the corner.

He downed a shot of gin straight from the bottle. Then another. After a few deep breaths, he strode back to his bed.

As he stared down at her sprawled and languid form, the sound of her feline snores filling the dark silence, a heavy weight tugged at his brows and tensed his lips.

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