Free Forbidden (Scandalous Sirens) by Tracy Cooper-Posey, Julia Templeton

in her company, flattering her and flustering her with what could only be frank innuendos? Had he lied last night when he professed Natasha meant nothing to him?
    But he had not said she meant nothing to him at all. He’d said Elisa meant more to him than Natasha...but he had not said the girl held no charm for him.
    Elisa felt the anger pulse in her. It was ridiculous but very real. Vaughn saw it, for the side of his mouth lifted the slightest bit. Amusement? “Yes. Natasha is delightful,” he drawled.
    She dropped her gaze, unwilling for him to see the hurt that surely showed in her eye. The pain stabbed through the rest of her body and smothered her anger completely.
    “Your roses are beautiful, Madam,” Natasha said abruptly. She seemed to be completely unaware of the tide of feeling flowing between Vaughn and her. “Vaughn picked one for me. I hope you do not mind?” Natasha looked up at Vaughn with complete adoration while she stroked a petal of the rose with her thumb.
    “Perhaps you should show your mother the beauty of the rose beds,” Vaughn suggested, looking down at Natasha with a boyish grin.
    Natasha hesitated only a moment. “Mother, would you like to see the garden?”
    “I should certainly like to see Elisa’s roses. I understand you have toiled over them since your arrival. Elisa, come, show me your pride and joy, dear,” Caroline answered.
    “I cannot. The sun is much too strong for me at this time of day,” Elisa lied desperately. “But please do go and inspect them. They won’t last much longer, I believe.” She wanted merely to be away from Natasha and her mother—so she might shore up her defenses and recover her composure.
    “Well, of course, if you insist,” Caroline replied in a strained voice.
    Elisa did not dare look at the other woman as she stood and left the room with her daughter, but she felt their absence all the same. More than that, she felt Vaughn’s presence. It seemed to fill every crevice of the room.
    He was studying her. “You’ve made a mess of your embroidery,” he observed. “You’ve injured your finger. Look, there are blood stains.” He took a few steps toward her, sending her heart racing.
    When he stood before her, he took her trembling hand in his and brought it to his lips. “I saw you watching us through the window,” he said, kissing each fingertip. “What did you feel seeing me with her?” His lips were hot and moist on her sensitive skin. Shivers of delight rippled down her arm.
    “Don’t do that,” she replied, the words little more than a whisper.
    He slowly drew the injured fingertip into his mouth and suckled it, his tongue velvety and hot. For a fraction of a moment she almost pulled away, but found she could not as his smoldering green eyes held her pinned. Her heart pounded in her ears, and she heard herself draw in a ragged breath.
    “Vaughn, someone will see,” she said, pulling her finger away. She stood and quickly stepped around him, but it wasn’t far enough. He surrounded her, invaded all her senses to the point she couldn’t think straight.
    “They’re out in the garden and the servants will not bother us.”
    She turned back to face him. “Rufus—”
    “Is no doubt taking his daily nap.”
    “This is insanity.”
    A dark brow lifted. “Is it?”
    As he approached her, she stepped back, away from the window and from prying eyes. “Yes, it is insanity. Every day I feel like I’m coming undone and now with Natasha—”
    “Why, what do you feel about Natasha?”
    She turned from him, unwilling to look at him. She did not want him to be able to read all her feelings from her face and eyes as he would surely do—her emotions were too volatile.
    She straightened a picture on the wall and took a deep breath before blurting, “I hate it. I hate the way she looks at you. I hate the way Caroline desires to have you as a son-in-law.”
    “Ah…” There was a wealth of knowledge in his voice. Then he added, his voice