Read Online Surrender to a Wicked Spy by Celeste Bradley - Free Book Online
Authors: Celeste Bradley
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slowly. "Using Tremayne is not the answer. What we need…" He sat up and regarded Marcus with a grim smile. "What we need is the right woman."
"What sort of woman do you need? Will I do?"
The playful question from the doorway made both men start and spin toward the voice. There, smiling brightly, stood Lady Greenleigh.
Dane blinked. Damn, he'd forgotten all about her. It was clear he'd have to get into the habit of locking his study door while he and Marcus were working. The servants never entered without invitation. It had never occurred to Dane that his new wife would traipse in unasked.
Marcus shot Dane a worried glance. Dane agreed completely with his concern. It wouldn't do to have their plans overheard. If one didn't know who they were—hell, even if one did know—their discussions would occasionally resemble darkest treason.
Dane stood smoothly and approached her. "I'm sorry, my dear. Did you need something?"
His tone must have been cooler than he'd intended, for her bright smile faded. "No." She glanced past him at Marcus, her brow beginning to knit with worry. "I apologize for the interruption. I—I only wanted to tell you good morning."
Dane hid his irritation with a smile. She'd obviously meant nothing by her intrusion. "And a good morning to you, Olivia." He waved a hand toward Marcus. "You recall my investment partner, Lord Dryden, do you not?"
She dipped a quick curtsy at Marcus, who bowed warily in return. "My lady."
Dane took her elbow and turned her gently toward the door. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have many business matters to work through this morning."
He propelled her through the door and shut it on her bemused expression. However, when he turned back to Marcus, his friend still seemed concerned.
"Shouldn't we have tried to explain away what we were talking about? She's an intelligent girl. She might begin putting bits and pieces together."
Dane shrugged casually. "If it will make you feel better." He stepped back into the hall to find Olivia still outside, regarding the study door with her brow still furrowed. Marcus had been quite correct. That intense concentration on matters that did not concern her did not bode well for any of them.
The fact that she looked completely delectable with her gray eyes so serious and her arms folded beneath her bosom—
Dane battered down his distracting libido with iron control. Still, the rising of his interest did give him an idea.
He approached her slowly, purposely reminding her of how he'd moved toward her last night. The reminder worked, for he saw her eyes begin to gleam and the tip of her tongue come out to wet her lips. She began to back up as well, until she encountered the wall at her back. Dane moved in close, reliving every moment of last night's seduction with intent. When he got through with her—
He looked both ways down the hall, but there were no servants in sight. Gazing down at her, he saw that her eyes were wide and her breath was coming fast. Dane wrapped one hand behind her neck and one about her waist and dipped his head to almost touch his lips to hers. He hovered there for a long moment. She began to quiver in his grasp. Finally, a tiny, hungry sound broke from her lips.
"Olivia," he whispered almost against her mouth. "When I come to you tonight…"
"Y—yes?" Her whisper broke with breathlessness.
"Do you know how I would like to find you?"
She made that sound once more. Dane found that he liked that sound very much.
"H-how?"
Dane slid his hand from her neck down her shoulder and traced her neckline with one finger. She quivered when his touch passed over the full hill of one breast and dipped lightly into the valley between.
"I want you entirely bare," he whispered into her parted lips. "No wrapper, no nightdress. Not even a ribbon in your hair."
Her breath left her in a gust and she sagged in his grip. "Yes…"
"Do I have your word, Olivia? Will you wait naked for me, with nothing but the candlelight touching
"What sort of woman do you need? Will I do?"
The playful question from the doorway made both men start and spin toward the voice. There, smiling brightly, stood Lady Greenleigh.
Dane blinked. Damn, he'd forgotten all about her. It was clear he'd have to get into the habit of locking his study door while he and Marcus were working. The servants never entered without invitation. It had never occurred to Dane that his new wife would traipse in unasked.
Marcus shot Dane a worried glance. Dane agreed completely with his concern. It wouldn't do to have their plans overheard. If one didn't know who they were—hell, even if one did know—their discussions would occasionally resemble darkest treason.
Dane stood smoothly and approached her. "I'm sorry, my dear. Did you need something?"
His tone must have been cooler than he'd intended, for her bright smile faded. "No." She glanced past him at Marcus, her brow beginning to knit with worry. "I apologize for the interruption. I—I only wanted to tell you good morning."
Dane hid his irritation with a smile. She'd obviously meant nothing by her intrusion. "And a good morning to you, Olivia." He waved a hand toward Marcus. "You recall my investment partner, Lord Dryden, do you not?"
She dipped a quick curtsy at Marcus, who bowed warily in return. "My lady."
Dane took her elbow and turned her gently toward the door. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have many business matters to work through this morning."
He propelled her through the door and shut it on her bemused expression. However, when he turned back to Marcus, his friend still seemed concerned.
"Shouldn't we have tried to explain away what we were talking about? She's an intelligent girl. She might begin putting bits and pieces together."
Dane shrugged casually. "If it will make you feel better." He stepped back into the hall to find Olivia still outside, regarding the study door with her brow still furrowed. Marcus had been quite correct. That intense concentration on matters that did not concern her did not bode well for any of them.
The fact that she looked completely delectable with her gray eyes so serious and her arms folded beneath her bosom—
Dane battered down his distracting libido with iron control. Still, the rising of his interest did give him an idea.
He approached her slowly, purposely reminding her of how he'd moved toward her last night. The reminder worked, for he saw her eyes begin to gleam and the tip of her tongue come out to wet her lips. She began to back up as well, until she encountered the wall at her back. Dane moved in close, reliving every moment of last night's seduction with intent. When he got through with her—
He looked both ways down the hall, but there were no servants in sight. Gazing down at her, he saw that her eyes were wide and her breath was coming fast. Dane wrapped one hand behind her neck and one about her waist and dipped his head to almost touch his lips to hers. He hovered there for a long moment. She began to quiver in his grasp. Finally, a tiny, hungry sound broke from her lips.
"Olivia," he whispered almost against her mouth. "When I come to you tonight…"
"Y—yes?" Her whisper broke with breathlessness.
"Do you know how I would like to find you?"
She made that sound once more. Dane found that he liked that sound very much.
"H-how?"
Dane slid his hand from her neck down her shoulder and traced her neckline with one finger. She quivered when his touch passed over the full hill of one breast and dipped lightly into the valley between.
"I want you entirely bare," he whispered into her parted lips. "No wrapper, no nightdress. Not even a ribbon in your hair."
Her breath left her in a gust and she sagged in his grip. "Yes…"
"Do I have your word, Olivia? Will you wait naked for me, with nothing but the candlelight touching
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