Free The Secret Desires of a Governess by Tiffany Clare Page B

Provided she could find her charge.
    He did not respond. He did not smile. He did nothing but steady his gaze on the pulse at her neck. He wasn’t much of a talker. No sweet words would come from his lordship’s mouth. Not that she wanted any such thing.
    “My first priority is to educate your son,” she reminded him. “As I was hired on to do. I am more than qualified for this position.”
    He nodded his agreement.
    “I believe you will be pleased with the results as soon as you locate him and bring him to me.” If his lordship wanted to put himself in her path, she might as well make good use of him. “He must attend his lessons daily and without issue.”
    His eyes locked with hers. A man shouldn’t have such eerily beautiful eyes. When he stared at her with such intensity, thoughts fled her mind.
    He reached toward the lower portion of her throat and ran his hand over the sheer linen scarf tucked into the top of her bodice. She did not stop him. Testament to the fact that she was welcoming his advances. This was a mistake, of course, but she was a slave to sensation right now.
    The slide of the scarf over her flesh was erotic and arousing. Her nipples peaked to firm tips
    beneath her corset, and her stomach fluttered in anticipation of more. Did he know the effect it had on her?
    She could not bring herself to push him away when she wanted to feel such carnal, sensual delights.
    That was a mistake.
    She didn’t want to stop him but knew she had to.
    Placing both her hands to his chest, she pushed him away. Far enough that she could no longer feel his heat warming her already overheated flesh and fogging her brain. Far enough that she was not tempted to rub up against him like a cat in heat.
    There was a long moment where they stood and studied each other. Neither of them said a word for some minutes.
    Neither moved.
    Lord Brendall wore a fierce scowl. His expression was devoid of emotion and intention. Well, not of intention.
    She knew perfectly well what it was he wanted, and it just so happened she wanted a piece of that temptation, too.
    In her limited experience, men treated women one of two ways: like bone china, liable to break if handled without extreme care, or like a ladybird ready to sing whenever commanded by its own er. Though she was not liable to break, she was not inclined to follow any demands set out by a man.
    He gave another glance over her person, one that nearly ate her up and licked a wicked heat over her body. She turned and left him standing there.
    “You can find me in the library once you have found your son.”
    She grabbed up her shawl and walked back to the main house, her steps brisk. She did not turn around to look at him. She couldn’t. She was angry about her reaction and her own lack of restraint, never mind his. She was out of her depth whenever he was around.

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Chapter 5
    Heartbroken, the wise woman’s daughter shed tears for weeks on end. She did not eat, nor could she sleep. Over time she withered away to a husk of the woman she was until finally she slept never to awake again.
    —The Dragon of Brahmors
    What in hell was wrong with him? Elliott smacked his hand against the pillar she’d leaned against moments ago.
    He wavered from a strong desire to possess her and an equal need to send her away. He didn’t only want her in the basest of ways, either. He wanted to just be in her company.
    Watching her pretty green eyes assess him and mea sure his worth.
    Why? He’d talked to her thrice since her arrival. But every time, she’d tested her will against his. Had stood up to him. Had told him without hesitation or reservation that he was nothing but a brute. Which there was no arguing.
    She was playing havoc on his emotions, his feelings.
    He didn’t like losing control. But the more she tested him, pushed him, the more helpless he felt to resist her. He had no right liking her. She was such a free- spirited woman, and crushing that exuberance would tear him