Free Seductive Wager by Leigh Greenwood

bundled her up and hurried her inside, fussing and scolding the whole while. “Make sure nobody comes into this yard. Though I don’t know what you can do about it if they do. Stands to reason you can’t clap your hands over their eyes or talk them into not seeing what’s right under their nose.” Brett looked quizzically at Michael, but the landlord just shook his head. He knew when to heed Mathilda and when to say nothing.

Chapter 5
     
    Despite Kate’s assurances that she was quite able to take care of herself, Mathilda was still fussing over her when they reached the room. “You’ll do no such thing,” said Mathilda, scandalized. “Mr. Westbrook can bear you company until dinner. And it wont be long, either,” she confided with a chuckle. “There’s a fat old gentleman downstairs who’s already had too many dinners. It won’t do him any harm to wait a while for this one.” She waddled out laughing merrily.
    Now that she was no longer in danger of being left to starve or sleep in the coach, Kate’s courage deserted her and she felt tired and extremely vulnerable. Her shoulders were no longer so square nor her back so straight. She looked very innocent, younger than her nineteen years, and Brett’s irritation and impatience disappeared. Even after the trouble she had caused him, he found it impossible to deny his attraction to her. Her creamy skin invited his touch, the slim arch of her neck his caresses. He imagined kissing her full red lips until the cool creature lost her control and responded with an ardor Brett was positive waited beneath that glacial surface. No one who could be stirred to wrath as easily as she could was beyond the reach of sensual pleasure.
    Kate looked up, and saw the way he was looking at her; she blushed red all over. With a stifled, “Oh!” she drew as far away from him as possible and clutched tightly at the huge cloak that still enveloped her.
    Brett smiled in spite of himself. “Haven’t you ever had a man stare at you? I should have thought you had aroused quite a few animal passions in your brother’s house.”
    Kate shook her head. “I never come downstairs when guests are present.”
    “Now you see why. Your effect at close range is such that I find it almost impossible to keep my hands off you.” A hunted look flashed into her eyes. “Don’t worry. I don’t mean to give Mathilda an excuse to use that knife on me instead of the goose.” Kate swallowed hard.
    “I can’t stay here anyway. Half the men downstairs know me. I want them to think I came alone, so I’ll eat my dinner with them. You, however, are not to set foot outside this room. Ask Mathilda if you need anything.”
    Suddenly Kate was more frightened that he would leave than that he would stay. She couldn’t understand the sudden reversal in her feelings, but she didn’t have time to reason it out.
    “Where will you go?” she stammered.
    “To the coffee room. I’ll see the fight and probably get back sometime after ten o’clock. Make sure your door is locked before you go to bed. I’ll spend the night wherever I can.”
    Brett started to leave, but her deep-blue eyes continued to regard him so intently he hesitated. Once more the astonishing magnitude of her beauty swept over him, and he walked over to her. He stroked her soft cheek and traced the line of her jaw with his finger. Kate was rigid, but she didn’t move away from him. “You’ve had a pretty terrible twenty-four hours,” he said in a caressing voice, “but you don’t have to be frightened now. You’re safe as long as you’re with me.”
    He walked briskly to the door, turned, and said in his usual curt voice, “Be sure to go to bed early. We have a lot to do tomorrow.” Then he was gone.
    Kate sat perfectly still trying to untangle the emotions churning within her. She was still weak from the exposure to his naked desire; she’d never had that effect on anyone before and it terrified her. Yet she was just as