Free An Invitation to Seduction by Lorraine Heath Page B

brief memories and left him the better for them. A woman he would forever remember, even if he never set eyes on her again. A woman with a smile that took his breath, haunted eyes that made him want to serve as her protector, and a strong enough will to stand firm against him.
    His sister’s tart voice snapped him out of his reverie.He turned his attention to her, certain her question had been directed at him, but unsure as to what she’d been asking. “Pardon?”
    “I asked if you agree with Farthingham. Is she beautiful?”
    “Beautiful?” He thought of her flaming red hair touched by the sun, the smattering of light freckles across her cheeks and nose revealed by the arriving dawn, the sea-green shade of her eyes, the fine arch of her eyebrows, the way her lashes landed on her high cheekbones as she closed her eyes to receive his kiss.
    “I consider her to be the loveliest woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.”
    “Oh, I would so love to meet her,” Anne lamented. “I shall definitely plan to attend the next ball. Which one are you going to, Farthingham?”
    “Haven’t a clue, my sweet. Whichever one Kitty decides is the one she wants to attend. However, I am equally anxious for you to make her acquaintance. Which is the very reason that I popped by this morning. I have plans to join Kitty for a bit of lawn tennis this afternoon. I thought you and your brother might care to join us.”
    Anne’s face lit up. “Splendid. Oh, Richard, do say yes.”
    “Yes,” he responded without hesitation, unable to believe his good fortune.
    Anne smiled at him as she hadn’t in days. He had an uneasy feeling that Miss Robertson wouldn’t.

Chapter 6
    K itty was restless, desperate to prowl. She felt as though she needed to crawl out of her skin and just…do something !
    Using her racket, she smashed the ball against the side of the house.
    Bam!
    She needed an ocean in which to swim—
    Bam!
    —a meadow to run through—
    Bam!
    —a mountain to climb.
    Bam!
    Something physical that required a great deal of exertion.
    Frustrated by her limitations, she snatched the ball as it bounced toward her. Her lawn tennis dress with its trimmed skirt restricted her movements—which she recognized as a good thing. Otherwise, she might be bounding all over the court like a harridan. Right then shelonged for something that would tax her strength, leave her weak and gasping for breath…not unlike how she gasped after Weddington kissed her.
    She still couldn’t believe that he’d had the audacity to come to call. To ask her to cast Farthingham aside like so much rubbish. She didn’t know what she’d do if he ever decided to tell Farthingham about the wanton behavior she’d displayed at the seaside. Little wonder Weddington thought so little of her as to believe she could be easily swayed into giving up the man she loved for a man she desired.
    Turning, she leaned against the wall, her knees suddenly weak. She didn’t want to desire Weddington, didn’t want to think of him at all. Yet every time she closed her eyes, he filled her vision. Every moment when she had nothing to occupy her thoughts, he taunted her with promises. Even now she thought of him wrapping his arms around her and pressing her close—the very reason she wanted to crawl out of her skin. So she’d no longer be tempted with the memories of his touch.
    Voices, a deep timbre mingling with a softer cadence, alerted her to the arrival of Farthingham, who’d obviously brought others with him. She often thought of him as a traveling party, bringing guests and festivities wherever he went.
    Kitty headed round to the back of the house, where the voices were originating. Beyond the gardens were the facilities for playing lawn tennis. With an audience, perhaps she’d have more luck at getting Farthingham to at least give her a worthy match.
    She turned the corner and froze. The voices had keyed her in to that fact that he wasn’t alone. Still, she hadn’t