Read Online Her Secret Fantasy by Gaelen Foley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Gaelen Foley
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arriving for an illicit tryst only to find the garden folly already occupied.
Must be a popular spot.
He angled a discreet glance casually over his shoulder, but he saw no sign yet of a jealous suitor on the way, nor of his own companion for the night. He was suddenly in no hurry for Lady Amherst to arrive.
It wouldn’t be long before she appeared, but in the meantime, Derek decided he certainly would not mind tasting this lovely vixen if he could get away with it—a most intriguing savory, a dainty hors d’oeuvre before the main dish.
He assumed she was here for the same reason he was, an illicit garden tryst, and he concluded without much thought on the matter that she must be either a widow like Lady Amherst or some ancient peer’s neglected young wife.
Either way, she was fair game.
What a beauty.
He let his stare travel over her in rich pleasure. The moonlight kissed her pale blond tresses with a white-gold glow, her upswept coiffure the height of elegance, with a few alluring tendrils kissing the curve of her neck. Above the floating cloud of her sequined skirts, her bodice drew his appreciative gaze to her slender waist and sweet round breasts, a lush, enticing body full of sensual promise. If he wasn’t mistaken, she seemed to fancy him, too, the inviting arch of her body sending him cues that hinted at her willingness to let him come closer—despite, of course, her refusal to tell him her name.
Well, he could hardly blame her for that, he thought wryly. Mistaking her for another woman had not exactly helped him make a good impression. He felt a bit foolish for his mistake, but she did not appear offended.
“No costume for the masked ball, Major?”
“I would never misrepresent myself as something I’m not. What you see is what you get.”
“Ah, an honest man? Fancy that.”
“Brutally honest, according to my sister. Why do you sound so skeptical?” he inquired. “Haven’t you met many honest men, Miss—?” he prompted, fishing for her name again.
“Nonesuch,” she supplied with a lift of her chin. “Mary Nonesuch. At your service.”
“Mary Nonesuch?” he echoed dryly, shaking his head at her cheeky jest. “Very well, then, Miss Nonesuch. As you stand there and lie to me with such a pretty smile, I suppose you’re going to tell me that all men are liars?”
“Not all, perhaps, but certainly some.”
“At least you’re a fair-minded nonesuch.”
“Major,” she said softly.
Some breathy note in her voice brought all his senses to attention. “Yes, lovely?”
“Are you going to kiss me or not?” she whispered. “I don’t have all day.”
He stared at her, riveted.
Impertinent minx, throwing his own impertinent words back to him! Words intended for Lady Amherst.
Well, maybe he
was
a bit of a liar, because if he was perfectly honest, he would have to admit that this beautiful stranger’s cautious smile turned him inside out.
No, he did not know her name. But if she thought that little mask concealed the hunger in her eyes, she was wrong. Her mask hid nothing, not from him. Nor did her practiced air of cool bravado. He saw her uncertainty, felt her longing to be touched; he sensed her trembling need and realized how much courage it had taken for her to utter her seemingly nonchalant request.
She wanted a kiss? he mused. Then she must have one.
He would give her a kiss she would never forget.
His pulse throbbing, Derek closed the space between them with one step, cupped her face between his hands, and captured her mouth hungrily with his own.
As his warm, silken lips caressed hers, Lily wrapped her arms around Derek Knight in a mix of helpless craving and wild relief. His kiss blurred the lines between reality and fantasy, but if this was naught but a decadent dream, then why did she feel wide awake for the first time in years?
Freedom sang through her veins. Joy thrummed along every tingling nerve ending. All the while, she could not believe she was doing
Must be a popular spot.
He angled a discreet glance casually over his shoulder, but he saw no sign yet of a jealous suitor on the way, nor of his own companion for the night. He was suddenly in no hurry for Lady Amherst to arrive.
It wouldn’t be long before she appeared, but in the meantime, Derek decided he certainly would not mind tasting this lovely vixen if he could get away with it—a most intriguing savory, a dainty hors d’oeuvre before the main dish.
He assumed she was here for the same reason he was, an illicit garden tryst, and he concluded without much thought on the matter that she must be either a widow like Lady Amherst or some ancient peer’s neglected young wife.
Either way, she was fair game.
What a beauty.
He let his stare travel over her in rich pleasure. The moonlight kissed her pale blond tresses with a white-gold glow, her upswept coiffure the height of elegance, with a few alluring tendrils kissing the curve of her neck. Above the floating cloud of her sequined skirts, her bodice drew his appreciative gaze to her slender waist and sweet round breasts, a lush, enticing body full of sensual promise. If he wasn’t mistaken, she seemed to fancy him, too, the inviting arch of her body sending him cues that hinted at her willingness to let him come closer—despite, of course, her refusal to tell him her name.
Well, he could hardly blame her for that, he thought wryly. Mistaking her for another woman had not exactly helped him make a good impression. He felt a bit foolish for his mistake, but she did not appear offended.
“No costume for the masked ball, Major?”
“I would never misrepresent myself as something I’m not. What you see is what you get.”
“Ah, an honest man? Fancy that.”
“Brutally honest, according to my sister. Why do you sound so skeptical?” he inquired. “Haven’t you met many honest men, Miss—?” he prompted, fishing for her name again.
“Nonesuch,” she supplied with a lift of her chin. “Mary Nonesuch. At your service.”
“Mary Nonesuch?” he echoed dryly, shaking his head at her cheeky jest. “Very well, then, Miss Nonesuch. As you stand there and lie to me with such a pretty smile, I suppose you’re going to tell me that all men are liars?”
“Not all, perhaps, but certainly some.”
“At least you’re a fair-minded nonesuch.”
“Major,” she said softly.
Some breathy note in her voice brought all his senses to attention. “Yes, lovely?”
“Are you going to kiss me or not?” she whispered. “I don’t have all day.”
He stared at her, riveted.
Impertinent minx, throwing his own impertinent words back to him! Words intended for Lady Amherst.
Well, maybe he
was
a bit of a liar, because if he was perfectly honest, he would have to admit that this beautiful stranger’s cautious smile turned him inside out.
No, he did not know her name. But if she thought that little mask concealed the hunger in her eyes, she was wrong. Her mask hid nothing, not from him. Nor did her practiced air of cool bravado. He saw her uncertainty, felt her longing to be touched; he sensed her trembling need and realized how much courage it had taken for her to utter her seemingly nonchalant request.
She wanted a kiss? he mused. Then she must have one.
He would give her a kiss she would never forget.
His pulse throbbing, Derek closed the space between them with one step, cupped her face between his hands, and captured her mouth hungrily with his own.
As his warm, silken lips caressed hers, Lily wrapped her arms around Derek Knight in a mix of helpless craving and wild relief. His kiss blurred the lines between reality and fantasy, but if this was naught but a decadent dream, then why did she feel wide awake for the first time in years?
Freedom sang through her veins. Joy thrummed along every tingling nerve ending. All the while, she could not believe she was doing
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