Read Online Behind the Castello Doors by Chantelle Shaw - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Chantelle Shaw
Ads: Link
could probably see right through it.
If only she had pulled on her dressing gown before she had rushed out of the nursery. Her breasts felt heavy, andto her horror she saw that her nipples had hardened and were jutting against the almost sheer fabric of her nightdress. Mortified by her body’s betrayal, and confused by the reaction to him that she seemed powerless to control, she stared rigidly at the carpet, sure that he would make a mocking comment.
He exhaled heavily, as if, like hers, his breath had been trapped in his lungs. A hand cupped her chin and forced her head up, and a tremor ran through Beth when she saw the hard glitter in his steel-grey eyes.
‘I would not have forgotten if you had shared my bed,’ he said harshly.
She flushed, recalling that he had made the same statement when she had first spoken to him in the castle’s great hall. The disparaging look he had given her then had revealed what he thought of her.
‘I’m quite aware that I am plain,’ she told him, her voice stiff with hurt pride.
He gave a rough laugh, as if he was surprised by her words. ‘You cannot believe that.’ Almost as if he could not help himself, he traced the delicate line of her jaw with his fingertips, his touch as light as if she were made of fragile porcelain. ‘Sei bella,’ he said huskily. ‘I find you very lovely, Beth Granger.’
His face was so close to hers that she could feel his warm breath whisper across her lips. Time, her heartbeat—both seemed to be suspended. Was he going to kiss her? Did she want him to?
Dear heaven, he was a sorcerer and she was falling under his spell, Beth thought wildly. Was this how he had seduced Mel? Had he murmured sweet lies in his gravelly, sexy accent and mesmerised her with the sultry gleam in his eyes that promised untold delights?
Luckily the sound of her name restored her sanity. Boring, insipid Beth Granger was certainly not beautiful, she thought dully. If she was, she might have been fostered as a child instead of spending all her teenage years in care. She bit her lip as memories surfaced of having her photograph taken at the children’s home. Photos of the kids in care had been kept with their files and shown to prospective foster families, but it had seemed that only the pretty girls got picked.
Mel had been fostered a few times, but none of her foster parents had been able to cope with her challenging behaviour and after a few months she’d been sent back to the care home. Like an unwanted Christmas present, she’d joked. But at least Mel had been given the chance to be part of a family, Beth thought. It had been a salutary lesson to realise that she was being judged by her appearance—and found wanting.
She had reached adulthood firmly believing that she was unattractive. It was just another of life’s disappointments, she’d told herself. Her best attribute was her common sense. But she was ashamed to admit that for a few breathless moments she had been fooled by the look of desire in Cesario’s eyes. A handsome playboy like him was not going to be interested in an unremarkable office cleaner like her, her prosaic mind pointed out.
But maybe he did not care what she looked like. Maybe he just wanted sex with any woman he believed was available—like he had with Mel. Feeling sick at the idea that he might think she was an easy lay, she jerked away from him and folded her arms across her chest to hide her body’s shameful response to his potent masculinity.
‘There is no chance of me ever sharing your bed, so you won’t have to worry about your memory lapses,’ she informedhim, with an icy dignity that was somewhat spoiled by the tremor in her voice. ‘I think you should concentrate on trying to remember the night you spent with Mel—the night I believe your daughter was conceived.’
His eyes gleamed dangerously. She sensed she had angered him, and steeled herself for his caustic retaliation, but the simmering silence was broken by the
If only she had pulled on her dressing gown before she had rushed out of the nursery. Her breasts felt heavy, andto her horror she saw that her nipples had hardened and were jutting against the almost sheer fabric of her nightdress. Mortified by her body’s betrayal, and confused by the reaction to him that she seemed powerless to control, she stared rigidly at the carpet, sure that he would make a mocking comment.
He exhaled heavily, as if, like hers, his breath had been trapped in his lungs. A hand cupped her chin and forced her head up, and a tremor ran through Beth when she saw the hard glitter in his steel-grey eyes.
‘I would not have forgotten if you had shared my bed,’ he said harshly.
She flushed, recalling that he had made the same statement when she had first spoken to him in the castle’s great hall. The disparaging look he had given her then had revealed what he thought of her.
‘I’m quite aware that I am plain,’ she told him, her voice stiff with hurt pride.
He gave a rough laugh, as if he was surprised by her words. ‘You cannot believe that.’ Almost as if he could not help himself, he traced the delicate line of her jaw with his fingertips, his touch as light as if she were made of fragile porcelain. ‘Sei bella,’ he said huskily. ‘I find you very lovely, Beth Granger.’
His face was so close to hers that she could feel his warm breath whisper across her lips. Time, her heartbeat—both seemed to be suspended. Was he going to kiss her? Did she want him to?
Dear heaven, he was a sorcerer and she was falling under his spell, Beth thought wildly. Was this how he had seduced Mel? Had he murmured sweet lies in his gravelly, sexy accent and mesmerised her with the sultry gleam in his eyes that promised untold delights?
Luckily the sound of her name restored her sanity. Boring, insipid Beth Granger was certainly not beautiful, she thought dully. If she was, she might have been fostered as a child instead of spending all her teenage years in care. She bit her lip as memories surfaced of having her photograph taken at the children’s home. Photos of the kids in care had been kept with their files and shown to prospective foster families, but it had seemed that only the pretty girls got picked.
Mel had been fostered a few times, but none of her foster parents had been able to cope with her challenging behaviour and after a few months she’d been sent back to the care home. Like an unwanted Christmas present, she’d joked. But at least Mel had been given the chance to be part of a family, Beth thought. It had been a salutary lesson to realise that she was being judged by her appearance—and found wanting.
She had reached adulthood firmly believing that she was unattractive. It was just another of life’s disappointments, she’d told herself. Her best attribute was her common sense. But she was ashamed to admit that for a few breathless moments she had been fooled by the look of desire in Cesario’s eyes. A handsome playboy like him was not going to be interested in an unremarkable office cleaner like her, her prosaic mind pointed out.
But maybe he did not care what she looked like. Maybe he just wanted sex with any woman he believed was available—like he had with Mel. Feeling sick at the idea that he might think she was an easy lay, she jerked away from him and folded her arms across her chest to hide her body’s shameful response to his potent masculinity.
‘There is no chance of me ever sharing your bed, so you won’t have to worry about your memory lapses,’ she informedhim, with an icy dignity that was somewhat spoiled by the tremor in her voice. ‘I think you should concentrate on trying to remember the night you spent with Mel—the night I believe your daughter was conceived.’
His eyes gleamed dangerously. She sensed she had angered him, and steeled herself for his caustic retaliation, but the simmering silence was broken by the
Similar Books
