Free To Seduce a Rogue by Tracy Sumner Page A

her gown: the tapered sleeves, the rounded bodice, the fitted waist, the tiny rosettes adorning the skirt. She had even left those damn black boots of hers at home.
    He brought his gaze up gradually, admiring the gentle, almost boyish curves of her body. That he found her so fascinating astonished him.
    Her type did not usually appeal to him.
    Stubborn. Thoughtful. Disinterested in the mores of society. Strong-willed. Intelligently passionate. Scrupulous. Mysterious.
    He shook his head and released a relieved breath. It was a good thing he had this attraction under control.
    She lifted her hand to her hair, pushing a stray tendril behind her ear.
    He followed her movement. He loved her hair. Dark as the devil’s soul, cascading past her shoulders and down her back like molten lava. Had he ever noticed before how distracting unbound hair could be? “Mrs. Mindlebright spoke the truth just now. You do look beautiful.”
    She lifted her head, blinking as if she was not quite sure what to say. He felt her regard skip from his eyes to his mouth. Obviously without thinking, she blurted, “You look wonderful, too.”
    He felt a sharp tug in the region of his chest. It was the finest compliment he had ever been paid. “Thank you.”
    She dipped her head again, never guessing how her naiveté endeared her to him. Questioning his sanity, he slid his palm underneath her chin, studying her. The heat of her skin burned into his. Her eyes were wide. So blue. What would she do if...?
    He leaned in.
    A voice rang out: “Charlotte?”
    She drew a quick, startled breath.
    Adam stepped back, releasing her without warning. His hand shook when he shoved it in his pocket. “Over here.”
    Tom, his brows drawn together. “Charlotte?”
    “What is it, Tom?”
    Adam lifted a hand to cover his smile. He couldn’t help it. That tone he was all too familiar with.
    Obviously, Tom recognized it as well. He halted a few feet away. “I just...I just wondered where you were. Lila said she saw you come in here.”
    Adam felt anger kindle. He would like to wrap his hands around Lila’s dainty throat.
    Instead, he watched Charlie straighten her shoulders. “Is there a point to this?”
    Tom glanced from her to Adam. “The picnic is beginning.”
    “Thank you for finding me.” She turned to Adam. “You’re sure you have an extra pencil? I want to work on my editorial after lunch.”
    Bravo, Charlie . “Yes, of course.” He went into the stall and again dug in his saddlebag. He laughed to himself as he spied the tangle of pencils in the pouch. She certainly was quick on her feet.
    He handed her two.
    A sly smile only he could see lit her face. “Thank you.”
    “My pleasure.”
    Without another word, she sailed past Tom, who stared at Adam a moment before following.
    Adam watched them leave, then dropped to his haunches and grasped the abandoned flask that lay at his feet. He rotated the canister between his fingers. Amber liquid swirled and swished like an angry tide—reminiscent of his chaotic emotions. He ran his finger along the letter E burned into the casing. Eaton had been carrying it in his coat pocket the day he died.
    His father had given them identical ones, engraved with their first initial, on their eighteenth birthdays. Of course, they had begun to drink long before that conspicuous occasion. How like their father to think he had the power to bestow the privilege upon them. Adam sighed and pushed those thoughts from his mind. He needed to forget the past. Leave it behind. It sometimes appeared to be stronger than he, wrapping him in ugly memories as binding as shackles.
    Why had he thought so much about it lately?
    She brought memories he never wanted to remember to the forefront of his mind; emotions he wanted to deny he could feel into his being.
    He ran his tongue across his lip. Had he been close to kissing her?
    In the absolute depths of his soul, he knew he had been thinking about lowering his head and—
    It had to stop.