Read Online My Wicked Valentine (Club Wicked 1) by Ann Mayburn - Free Book Online
Authors: Ann Mayburn
Ads: Link
slipped her heels from her feet, putting her
shoes on the marble slab right off the elevator. Not waiting for him, she took
a step and sank into grass as soft as a baby’s blanket. Everything around her
smelled like summer even though a crystalline winter moon hung from the sky
above them.
“This is amazing, but won’t you get in trouble for bringing
me here?”
“Actually, Sara, Mrs. Florentine, arranged this.” He
shrugged and looked a bit uncomfortable. “She’s serious about me wooing you and
pulling all the stops.”
“Woo me?”
“Yes, Sara has rather old-fashioned ideas about how a
gentleman should court a lady.”
“I’ll say. Having a midnight glass of champagne in the
middle of a summer forest, in the sky above the trees, while snow is on the
ground is so old-fashioned.”
“What can I say? I think I might be an old-fashioned guy
where you’re concerned.”
A wisp of silvery cloud floated across the moon, slightly
dimming its light. She wondered what he meant by being old-fashioned around
her. The silly, girlish part of her mind wanted to believe that he may have
more feelings for her than he let on, but he’d been very clear about not
wanting a relationship. Weren’t relationships old-fashioned? Or maybe he just
said that in passing, just a play off her response. Most likely he’d meant
nothing by it, and she was seeing something that wasn’t there. That thought hurt
more than it should. She tried to shake off the melancholy, to recapture her
joy. Looking around at the amazing garden, it wasn’t hard to immerse herself in
the moment, to enjoy what she had rather than longing for something romantic
and silly.
She laughed and held the bottle of champagne while he rolled
his pants up. He turned to look up at her, and his delicious lips curved into a
crooked smile that made her heart beat faster. “What?”
He finished rolling the cuff and stood to face her. As her
eyes adjusted to the darkness, she marveled at the shadows created on his face,
giving him an almost sinister air. Like the evil prince in the fairy-tale
garden. He lifted his hand to touch her, then shoved it in his pocket instead.
“You know, you look lovely in the moonlight.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere, good sir.” Her voice came
out husky, giving weight to her flippant words.
He only grinned and rolled up his socks while placing his
shoes neatly next to her heels.
She surveyed the area and decided which path to take. To the
right came the faint sound of water while to the left an enormous hammock with
dozens of silk pillows swayed between two trees. Straight ahead was the
entrance to what looked like a hedge maze. Delicate purple flowers wreathed the
bushes of the maze, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever seen the exotic blossoms
outside of a book before.
When she wanted to ask a question about the kind of bushes
growing here, she found he’d moved up behind her without her knowing. The
warmth of his frame burned along her spine. If he touched her, all bets were
off. There was no way she could resist him, not after him watching her all
night, and especially not after his actions toward her at the bar. The memory
of sliding down his hard, masculine frame sent a tremble through her sex. They
were both adults, and if he belonged to a club like this, he certainly wasn’t a
prude. She didn’t think she was misreading his attraction to her. Hell, she
could practically feel his lust pressing against her, touching her in the most
intimate of ways. Her body craved him, and she couldn’t think of any reason to
fight it.
He moved around to her front and looked down at her before
taking the champagne bottle from her unresisting fingers. “Come on, I want to
show you something.”
Chapter Five
He slipped his fingers into hers and led her to the right
toward the sound of falling water. They crossed a grassy space big enough to
host a large picnic and went past some erotic statues that probably belonged in
a museum
shoes on the marble slab right off the elevator. Not waiting for him, she took
a step and sank into grass as soft as a baby’s blanket. Everything around her
smelled like summer even though a crystalline winter moon hung from the sky
above them.
“This is amazing, but won’t you get in trouble for bringing
me here?”
“Actually, Sara, Mrs. Florentine, arranged this.” He
shrugged and looked a bit uncomfortable. “She’s serious about me wooing you and
pulling all the stops.”
“Woo me?”
“Yes, Sara has rather old-fashioned ideas about how a
gentleman should court a lady.”
“I’ll say. Having a midnight glass of champagne in the
middle of a summer forest, in the sky above the trees, while snow is on the
ground is so old-fashioned.”
“What can I say? I think I might be an old-fashioned guy
where you’re concerned.”
A wisp of silvery cloud floated across the moon, slightly
dimming its light. She wondered what he meant by being old-fashioned around
her. The silly, girlish part of her mind wanted to believe that he may have
more feelings for her than he let on, but he’d been very clear about not
wanting a relationship. Weren’t relationships old-fashioned? Or maybe he just
said that in passing, just a play off her response. Most likely he’d meant
nothing by it, and she was seeing something that wasn’t there. That thought hurt
more than it should. She tried to shake off the melancholy, to recapture her
joy. Looking around at the amazing garden, it wasn’t hard to immerse herself in
the moment, to enjoy what she had rather than longing for something romantic
and silly.
She laughed and held the bottle of champagne while he rolled
his pants up. He turned to look up at her, and his delicious lips curved into a
crooked smile that made her heart beat faster. “What?”
He finished rolling the cuff and stood to face her. As her
eyes adjusted to the darkness, she marveled at the shadows created on his face,
giving him an almost sinister air. Like the evil prince in the fairy-tale
garden. He lifted his hand to touch her, then shoved it in his pocket instead.
“You know, you look lovely in the moonlight.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere, good sir.” Her voice came
out husky, giving weight to her flippant words.
He only grinned and rolled up his socks while placing his
shoes neatly next to her heels.
She surveyed the area and decided which path to take. To the
right came the faint sound of water while to the left an enormous hammock with
dozens of silk pillows swayed between two trees. Straight ahead was the
entrance to what looked like a hedge maze. Delicate purple flowers wreathed the
bushes of the maze, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever seen the exotic blossoms
outside of a book before.
When she wanted to ask a question about the kind of bushes
growing here, she found he’d moved up behind her without her knowing. The
warmth of his frame burned along her spine. If he touched her, all bets were
off. There was no way she could resist him, not after him watching her all
night, and especially not after his actions toward her at the bar. The memory
of sliding down his hard, masculine frame sent a tremble through her sex. They
were both adults, and if he belonged to a club like this, he certainly wasn’t a
prude. She didn’t think she was misreading his attraction to her. Hell, she
could practically feel his lust pressing against her, touching her in the most
intimate of ways. Her body craved him, and she couldn’t think of any reason to
fight it.
He moved around to her front and looked down at her before
taking the champagne bottle from her unresisting fingers. “Come on, I want to
show you something.”
Chapter Five
He slipped his fingers into hers and led her to the right
toward the sound of falling water. They crossed a grassy space big enough to
host a large picnic and went past some erotic statues that probably belonged in
a museum
Similar Books
