Read Online Sinful Seduction by Ann Christopher - Free Book Online Page B

purple, dropped his head in a hangdog gesture, and ran a hand over his nape. “I, ah—I’m seeing someone.”
    Sandro snorted. Was that all? Was her shit made of emeralds, or what? “And?”
    Tony looked up again, serious now, sporting the kind of ecstatic inner glow that could only mean one thing. Sandro felt the kick of understanding in his gut even before Tony spoke again.
    “I’m going to marry her, man.”
    “How do you know?”
    “I don’t know. You’d have to meet her. I can’t explain it.”
    “Sandro?”
    Sandro blinked and there she was, the woman who’d enthralled his brother, staring at him with concern in those incredible eyes.
    The woman who, let’s face it, enthralled him.
    Which made him a twisted SOB.
    He stood abruptly, desperate to get rid of her so he could clear his mind and, hopefully, breathe again. So what if he was being rude? Striding to the door, he opened it for her.
    “It’s time for you to go back to bed, and I need to find out how the Battle of Little Big Horn turned out,” he announced. “So don’t let me keep you.”
    Hurt flashed across her face, and he felt a responsive squeeze of pain in his chest. “You’re not subtle, are you?”
    “Subtle wouldn’t work with you, Skylar.”
    Maybe she knew she was showing too much emotion, because she looked away, nodded and made a production out of getting to her feet and balancing on the crutches. He felt the strong urge to help her, but keeping some distance between them seemed like a good idea right now. And, anyway, she would demand to do it herself. She was stubborn that way.
    A few quick strides put her right at the door, right in his face, and she’d brought all of her delicious scents with her. The apple-fresh trace of shampoo; the hint of flowers, maybe from her lotion; the indefinable fragrance that only the warmth of her skin could generate.
    She paused, looking up at him. “Thank you for taking such good care of me last night.”
    Why was she so close?
    Agonized, he stared down at her, trying to get his lungs to work, but not too well, because if he breathed her in the way he wanted to, he’d probably become an instant addict. He also tried to stay outside the radius of her body heat and tried not to contemplate how well her tender lips would fit against his.
    And then he provided them both with a badly needed reminder.
    “Tony would have wanted me to keep you safe.”
    She hesitated, a flare of annoyance making her jaw tighten. “Would Tony have wanted you to handle my naked body when you put me into my nightgown?”
    He stilled. She was goading him, but this wasn’t second grade and he should be man enough to ignore the bait.
    Should be.
    Instead, he stepped closer, his voice dropping even as his pulse spiked, fully engaged in any battle she cared to fight.
    “I didn’t think you’d complain about being made more comfortable, sweet Sky. And I didn’t think your modesty was an issue after that stunt you pulled last night.”
    Her cheeks colored, and he awarded himself check and mate.
    Prematurely, as it turned out.
    Because she tipped up that stubborn chin of hers, and one corner of her perfect, perfect mouth edged back into a knowing woman’s smile. Her eyes glittered.
    He stared, helpless to do otherwise.
    “This is what I want to know,” she said in a husky murmur that raised the hair on his arms. “Did you enjoy it?”
    He didn’t—couldn’t—answer, which was answer enough.
    Skylar left. Sandro’s tortured thoughts of her lingered, as they had ever since the night he had stumbled upon her at the party here on the estate.
    A woman was standing under the far end of the wisteria trellis.
    She was leaning, actually, as though she needed the post’s support to keep her upright and the leafy overhang to hide her from the flickering torchlight and the other guests at the party.
    Her dress was a flutter of white against her caramel skin, her legs long, bare and sexy in heels designed for the sole