Free The Seduction of Sebastian St. James by Rachel van Dyken

of plundering her mouth. A little further. There was no going back. Their laborious breaths seemed to tangle, making the room seem like magic. The moment was perfect. Her eyes closed in anticipation. Reaching the point of no return, his lips brushed against hers. Tentatively at first, almost waiting for her invitation.
    Boldly, she answered yes in response, and her mouth opened. The intoxicating sweetness stole his breath away as he clung to her shoulders plunging his tongue further into her invitation, drinking in her sweet nectar.
    “Sebastian! I know you’re in there!” Nicholas’s booming voice went hardly un-noticed.
    Before Sebastian had time to react, Emma grabbed the collar of his jacket and pushed him away. Putting her hand over her mouth, she stepped back, and then as if a brilliant idea had dawned on her, she pulled him forward. Her lips briefly touched his again. A goodbye kiss or a taunt, he wasn’t sure which, and then she stepped away again just as Nicholas opened the door. By then they were separated, but looked flushed and guilty.
    “Oh, hiding. I see how it is. Well, Seb, your grandmother’s scouting the room for you. If she doesn’t find you soon, I figure she’s going to report you missing, or worse, dead. I’d make an appearance if I were you.”
    Nicholas turned on his heel and stomped off.
    The man would have made a good spy. How was it he knew where Sebastian had run off to?
    “I should go.” Emma bit her lip and pushed by him. He didn’t miss the provocative smile she sent him.
    “I might kill him, you know.”
    “Nicholas?” she asked.
    “Yes. I do hope you’re not too attached.”
    She shrugged. “I hope you can manage to keep your head straight the rest of the night. Do try to set that kiss out of your mind while the little debutantes follow you around, your grace.”
    “Minx!” he yelled, watching her run off.
    He couldn’t leave the closet yet. Not if his life depended on it. Thinking of his grandmother for more than two minutes seemed to set him to rights again. Though physical evidence of his desire was still apparent, he knew he would be presentable by the time he reached the crush. As he stepped around the corner he noticed a small—no, take that back—a large swarm of debutantes waiting to trap him. Yet all he could think about was the cursed kiss he had shared with Emma. The girl had ruined him, and she knew it. He couldn’t focus on stating his own name, which the little debutantes took as him being nervous and shy.
    He was going to wring her pretty neck later.
    Violence was obviously in the forefront of his mind along with searing passion, and God forgive the most distressing thought of Emma Gates sprawled across his bed.
    It was going to be a long night.
     
    ****
     
    Emma watched in fascination as Sebastian danced with debutante after debutante. She couldn’t seem to hide her amusement each time they made eye contact across the room. He was sending her threats through his eyes.
    Of course he wouldn’t follow through. He was too much of a gentleman. A gentleman in need of seducing. She let out a shaky laugh at the thought. No, this man was not hers for the taking. But a girl could dream. She had no idea what had possessed her to kiss the man again except for an incessant need to feel his protective body close to hers. And the amusing thought that he would have trouble pushing their scandalous embrace out of his ‘angelic’ head. Selfishly, Emma could not help but be curious, and after their first kiss had been interrupted by none other than Nicholas, well she had wanted to feel his lips against hers again. Never one to pass up an opportunity, she took it, knowing fully that a man like that would never marry a woman like her, for good reason. Besides, it would be impossible to be more ruined than she already was.
    And the man could kiss.
    Not that she had anything to compare it to. But she could well imagine that any man’s kisses would pale in