Read Online One Scandalous Kiss by Christy Carlyle - Free Book Online

could think only of what she wished to say but couldn’t. Based on her station in life, she shouldn’t even know a viscount, let alone be familiar with the taste of his mouth.
    “Miss Wright.”
    Such a lovely voice. In the night, she’d remembered his voice and the few words that had passed between them. She’d convinced herself its deep, seductive appeal was half imaginative fancy. But, if anything, it was more seductive in the daylight. Indeed he was more extraordinary in the daylight. His hair was pitch dark, truly black, and his eyes were the lightest, clearest blue she’d ever seen. Beautiful eyes, though their color did nothing to detract from the air of coolness about him. He cleared his throat and she felt a blush heat her cheeks. She’d lost track of how long she’d stood studying him.
    “I heard some troubling news this morning, Miss Wright.”
    “Did you, my lord?”
    “Did a Mr. Briggs visit you this morning?”
    “How could you know that?”
    Why would this man know about her problems and the very changeable Mr. Briggs? Then it struck her.
    “Did you send him here to close my shop?”
    “No. Certainly not.” His denial was emphatic and his voice almost intimidating when matched with volume. “I was appalled when I heard the news.”
    “And so you came to see the wreckage.”
    He looked away from her then, as if he couldn’t bear to meet her eyes.
    “Or did you come here to save me?” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Jess knew it was why he’d come. In his aristocratic way, he probably believed he could throw money at the situation and it would all be neatly resolved. Perhaps he meant to pay her off—or make a much more inappropriate offer. She had to know.
    “I don’t require saving, my lord.”
    The fact that she would have no place to live within the week, owned only two decent dresses, and had approximately eleven pounds and nine shillings to her name wouldn’t make her accept the man’s charity. She’d taken Kitty Adderly’s offer of charity just last night and look where that had landed her.
    He didn’t respond to her strident declaration, but he looked at her again, watching her awhile before turning his gaze to the bookshelves.
    Jess allowed herself a moment to study his far too appealing profile before emphasizing her point.
    “I have no wish for your charity, my lord.”
    She’d been working in the bookshop most of her life, aside from the few years her parents saved enough to send her to a boarding school she loathed. The notion of work didn’t frighten her. Now it was a simply a matter of finding new employment.
    Her words failed to earn her his undivided attention. He’d turned to inspect her books more closely, tilting his head to read the spines.
    Jess lifted her hands to her hips.
    “My shop is closed, my lord.”
    He was behaving as if he’d come to pick out a new book. Yet he’d admitted knowing about Mr. Briggs and had to realize the books were no longer hers to sell.
    “How many do you have here?”
    Goodness, that voice. Her ears warmed at the sound of it. She opened her mouth and then bit her lip, trying to recall what he’d asked her.
    “Books, Miss Wright? How many would you say are here in the shop?”
    “We’ve maintained a smaller stock of late.”
    He turned an irritated glance her way, narrowing his eyes before lifting a black brow over his right eye.
    She wasn’t prevaricating. She just couldn’t fathom what the number of books in her shop had to do with the viscount she’d kissed standing in the middle of it. Surely he had no desire to purchase a bookshop. He must know involvement with her or her shop would only stoke the rumor mill. It made her wonder why he’d risked coming to see her at all.
    “There are a little over eight hundred books.”
    He pursed his mouth and continued glancing up at the shelves.
    “Everything is quite tidy and meticulously organized. It must have been a great deal of work to run a shop on your