Read Online Pretty Persuasion by Olivia Kingsley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Olivia Kingsley
Ads: Link
vocabulary in search of vulgar words, you ought to thank me. If it weren't for our timely intervention, you would have married that fortune hunter."
She gaped. "
Thank
you?"
"You're quite welcome," he said with a smile. Her eyes glazed over and her lips thinned. Just one more nudge… "What say you, Cameron? A measure of gratitude would be welcome, wouldn't it?"
Cameron merely arched a brow.
"Perhaps if you had actually shot the fellow," Robert continued, "she would be more inclined to—"
Georgie jerked on the door and, catching him off guard, managed to pull it open. She gave it another yank, and pain exploded as the hard oak smashed into the back of Robert's head, pushing him forward. Momentarily dazed, he got his bearings just as she made a dive for freedom. He threw himself at the door and shut it, literally, in her face.
She launched herself at him with a growl and drove her fist into his midsection. And damn, but it hurt. His stomach muscles knotted, and he sucked in a breath, telling himself she had not just knocked the wind out of him. But she had, and she drew her arm back to do it again. This time he deflected the blow, his hand locking around her wrist.
"Enough!" he said, still struggling to catch his breath. "Why can't you be a slapper like an ordinary female?"
She slapped him then. It smarted like the very devil, and he said a prayer of thanks that her nails were trimmed. She raised her hand back to deliver another blow, but he caught it mid-air. She twisted and squirmed as he pulled her to his chest, holding her securely.
A choked noise sounding suspiciously like laughter came from Cameron, and Robert's scowl only appeared to increase his friend's mirth.
"Don't you have anything better to do?" Robert snarled.
Cameron gave a lopsided grin. "Not really. Unless you need assistance."
Georgie tried to kick him, but she didn't have enough room to maneuver. "I'll manage," Robert said, squeezing her wrists until she cried out and stilled. "Go find accommodations. At a different inn. I don't think our host would take kindly to our staying."
"I would," Cameron said, laughter in his voice, "but you're in my way."
Robert stepped away from the door, pulling the fuming female with him. Cameron sauntered toward them, arching one eyebrow suggestively as he reached the door. "Two rooms or three?"
Georgie tried to elbow him. Robert wrenched her arm away at the last moment, realizing that if she were more imaginative she could do serious damage. "Three will do."
Cameron quit the room, leaving Robert with one less source of mockery but no closer to a resolution. Perhaps an ultimatum would do the trick. "When Cameron comes back, we're leaving this place. You can do it in a dignified manner, or you can do it draped over my shoulder with your arse in the air. Which shall it be?"
A string of curses flowed from her mouth, so foul that Robert was taken by surprise. Involuntarily, he loosened his grip. Twisting, she managed to elbow him in the gut.
He let her go then. His stomach ached and his cheek burned, and he was afraid he'd do her harm if he didn't. "Go, then," he barked, pointing at the door.
Her wide gaze followed his hand. Her chest heaved, and she looked as if she'd walked through a hurricane.
"You can obviously take care of yourself," he went on, unable to keep the bite from his voice. "In the dark. All alone, with, I assume, only a bit of pin money. Hundreds of miles away from home. I do hope you have some means of protection besides those competent fists of yours, though. They will not do against anyone truly intending to do you injury."
Georgie deflated. All her anger, righteous though it was, dissolved. Gone was the need to lash out, to hurt, to scream until her voice went hoarse. It left her tired and numb and grudgingly resigned to follow his command.
She stumbled toward a chair and dropped into it. Closing her eyes, she prayed that when she opened them, she'd be someplace else. Be someone else.
She gaped. "
Thank
you?"
"You're quite welcome," he said with a smile. Her eyes glazed over and her lips thinned. Just one more nudge… "What say you, Cameron? A measure of gratitude would be welcome, wouldn't it?"
Cameron merely arched a brow.
"Perhaps if you had actually shot the fellow," Robert continued, "she would be more inclined to—"
Georgie jerked on the door and, catching him off guard, managed to pull it open. She gave it another yank, and pain exploded as the hard oak smashed into the back of Robert's head, pushing him forward. Momentarily dazed, he got his bearings just as she made a dive for freedom. He threw himself at the door and shut it, literally, in her face.
She launched herself at him with a growl and drove her fist into his midsection. And damn, but it hurt. His stomach muscles knotted, and he sucked in a breath, telling himself she had not just knocked the wind out of him. But she had, and she drew her arm back to do it again. This time he deflected the blow, his hand locking around her wrist.
"Enough!" he said, still struggling to catch his breath. "Why can't you be a slapper like an ordinary female?"
She slapped him then. It smarted like the very devil, and he said a prayer of thanks that her nails were trimmed. She raised her hand back to deliver another blow, but he caught it mid-air. She twisted and squirmed as he pulled her to his chest, holding her securely.
A choked noise sounding suspiciously like laughter came from Cameron, and Robert's scowl only appeared to increase his friend's mirth.
"Don't you have anything better to do?" Robert snarled.
Cameron gave a lopsided grin. "Not really. Unless you need assistance."
Georgie tried to kick him, but she didn't have enough room to maneuver. "I'll manage," Robert said, squeezing her wrists until she cried out and stilled. "Go find accommodations. At a different inn. I don't think our host would take kindly to our staying."
"I would," Cameron said, laughter in his voice, "but you're in my way."
Robert stepped away from the door, pulling the fuming female with him. Cameron sauntered toward them, arching one eyebrow suggestively as he reached the door. "Two rooms or three?"
Georgie tried to elbow him. Robert wrenched her arm away at the last moment, realizing that if she were more imaginative she could do serious damage. "Three will do."
Cameron quit the room, leaving Robert with one less source of mockery but no closer to a resolution. Perhaps an ultimatum would do the trick. "When Cameron comes back, we're leaving this place. You can do it in a dignified manner, or you can do it draped over my shoulder with your arse in the air. Which shall it be?"
A string of curses flowed from her mouth, so foul that Robert was taken by surprise. Involuntarily, he loosened his grip. Twisting, she managed to elbow him in the gut.
He let her go then. His stomach ached and his cheek burned, and he was afraid he'd do her harm if he didn't. "Go, then," he barked, pointing at the door.
Her wide gaze followed his hand. Her chest heaved, and she looked as if she'd walked through a hurricane.
"You can obviously take care of yourself," he went on, unable to keep the bite from his voice. "In the dark. All alone, with, I assume, only a bit of pin money. Hundreds of miles away from home. I do hope you have some means of protection besides those competent fists of yours, though. They will not do against anyone truly intending to do you injury."
Georgie deflated. All her anger, righteous though it was, dissolved. Gone was the need to lash out, to hurt, to scream until her voice went hoarse. It left her tired and numb and grudgingly resigned to follow his command.
She stumbled toward a chair and dropped into it. Closing her eyes, she prayed that when she opened them, she'd be someplace else. Be someone else.
Similar Books
