Read Online At the Earl's Convenience by Maggi Andersen - Free Book Online

“Better.”
    With a nervous intake of breath, she picked up the scissors. His golden hair, streaked with whiskey tones, settled over his shoulders. “How short shall I make it?”
    He shrugged. “Whatever you like.”
    Selina leaned in, and his shoulder pressed into her stomach as she ran her fingers through his hair. The gold strands were as silky to the touch as they appeared. Chewing her bottom lip, she began to cut. The sound of their breathing and the click of the scissors filled the quiet room. The atmosphere seemed charged with expectation as her fingers settled on the nape of his neck. His hair was so thick it slid away from the scissor blades, making her fear she would hack it out of shape. She parted it and cut in sections, tuffs of hair falling onto the sheet and the floor.
    “Must you do that?”
    “What am I doing?”
    “Chew that full bottom lip of yours. It’s an open invitation.”
    She took a step away. “It’s not meant to be,” she said, insulted that he’d think that of her. “It’s a habit.”
    “Well, if you don’t want me to kiss you, you’d better stop it.”
    The atmosphere crackled between them. “Do you want me to finish this or not?” she asked.
    “I do. Kindly continue.”
    She moved around to face him to gauge what she’d done. He gazed up at her with a small smile. At least the edgy expression she’d grown used to had gone. Dare she hope that one day he would come to love her?
    He took her by surprise when his arm snaked around her hips. He pulled her onto his lap, his arms trapping her there. “I have developed an appetite,” he said, his breath feathering her ear.
    “Then I’ll have food sent up.”
    “Not for food. I want to make love to you.”
    Her pulse beat faster. “Your temperature will rise.” She breathed in his musky male smell, sorely tempted to lean back against his broad chest and rest her head against his shoulder. It would be so easy to give in to him. She yearned to have him make love to her with every fiber of her being. She knew he wanted an heir, and she wanted that too. But she still feared that, if they made love now, all her resolve would be gone and the war that waged between them, he for her acquiescence, she for his respect, if not his love, would be lost.
    With a narrow, glinting glance, he released her. “I’m not a very patient man.”
    “I know, but you’re still a sick one.”
    “That might be true, or you would be too busy right now to argue.” He broke into a fit of coughing, and Selina slipped off his lap and hurried to pour out a spoonful of the cough medicine, which did seem to help him.
    His eyes narrowed at the mixture, but he opened his mouth. Shuddering, he swallowed and leaned back in his chair, stretching his long legs over the rug. “Kindly continue with the haircut.”
    She dropped her gaze, fearing he would see how weak she was where he was concerned and how difficult it was for her to refuse him anything.
    The knock at the door was a welcome distraction. Frobisher entered with the tea tray.
    “Remember the first time we met?” Devereux asked.
    “Of course I do.” Selina poured milk into teacups and stirred a teaspoon of honey in his to ease his throat. How could she not remember the handsome, devil-may-care man who had stolen her heart? The night of the Bath ball was burned into her brain. The ladies fluttered their fans in the hope he would dance with them, but for some unfathomable reason, Devereux had asked her. Three times, they’d danced together, causing a rumble of gossip, which she’d overheard: surely, the earl wouldn’t marry a nabob’s daughter and such a long Meg too. When they weren’t dancing, they’d talked, discovering interests in common: politics, the war, news she thirsted for. He was entertaining and knowledgeable and had her in thrall when he quoted from Milton.
    Selina wished he would tell her the reason why he’d left her alone on their wedding day. She suspected there was far more