Free The Seduction of Sophie Seacrest by Mary Campisi Page A

this blasted headache. The woman beside
him stroked her pink-tipped nails along his belly. Her full lips
opened to a generous smile as she rubbed her breasts against him
and stroked the medallion dangling from his neck with milk-white
fingers.
    “Mmmm,” she murmured, laying her blond head
on his chest. “The jewel on this medallion is as mesmerizing as its
owner.”
    Holt squeezed his eyes shut, pressed his
palms to his temples, and wished himself anywhere but in bed with
Jessica Heathers. In God's name, how had he fallen so low? It
wasn’t necessary to elicit divine assistance to determine the
reason for his plunge into the depths of depravity. He knew exactly
how it had happened. The very thought of her made his
breathing quicken in anger and something else he could not
define.
    Lady Sophie Seacrest was invading his
thoughts again, as she had for practically every waking and
sleeping moment these past six weeks.
    When she had so carelessly cut him from her
life the night he informed her she would be his mistress, he’d gone
straight back to the soiree and without more than five words taken
Jessica Heathers to her home and her bed. He’d remained there two
days and nights attempting to exorcise the green-eyed witch who had
stolen his soul. He should have enjoyed the naked beauty beside
him. Jessica Heathers knew how to pleasure a man but truth would
have it, he’d needed to remain in a semi-stupor to feel even
momentary desire for her and even then the image of a certain
auburn-haired enchantress forced itself into his mind. It wasn’t
Jessica's face he saw as she lay beneath him, not Jessica's arms
and legs wrapped tightly around him as he pumped into her.
    He saw Sophie's face, Sophie's body. Would he
never be rid of her? The fear he might not, made him more
determined to drive her from his mind. After two days with the
widow Heathers, a woman whom he bore not even a passing fondness
for, he decided to test other available females in hopes they would
drive away his obsession with Sophie Seacrest. It wasn’t difficult
to find willing partners. One suggestive look across a ballroom and
women flocked to him. He only took the experienced ones who knew
exactly what he was offering and would not expect more.
    Unfortunately, no matter how many women he
bedded, his desire for Sophie did not wane. Weeks passed with Holt
working all day, whether at the docks, overseeing the lands or
tending the books. He contacted Rendhaven and informed him his
daughter’s assistance was no longer needed and all further business
would be conducted between the two men only. Each night he attended
various functions and if he returned home, it would be a few hours
before dawn. On several occasions, he and Sophie attended the same
functions. He quickly overcame his initial shock at seeing her
again, and decided the best course of action was to ignore her
completely. Once, when an elderly earl deigned to introduce them to
one another, Holt smiled politely, murmured a few words as he
glanced at her flushed face, and turned on his heel, the woman on
his arm trailing behind. Touching Sophie again was too dangerous;
therefore, he simply walked away.
    Their behavior toward one another did not go
unnoticed. Jason usually attended the same functions and more often
than not, Sophie was also present. It was as though each desired to
make it known to the other that whatever had passed between them
was insignificant and forgotten. Both failed miserably. Jason often
noted how Holt's jaw tensed and his speech grew stilted whenever
Sophie danced with a man or stood among a swarm of suitors. Not
that his brother showed his jealousy but it was there, seething
just behind the feigned indifference. Jason had never seen two more
unhappy people in his entire life and after several weeks of
witnessing such absolute misery, decided to put an end to it and
cornered Holt the morning after another evening of debauchery.
    “You look like hell.”
    Holt glanced up from