Read Online The Seduction of Miss Amelia Bell by Paula Quinn - Free Book Online Page B

asking me if I approve of yer being friends with a servant, I find no fault
     in it. Where I live we don’t have servants. We are all equal, save fer our chief.”
    Amelia stared up at him. She meant to say something to him about his kindness, but
     the sun began to break over the horizon and bathed the rugged angles of his face in
     its warm light and tempted her to promise her life to him, if only she could. Aye,
     she knew it was madness and had she opened her mouth she likely would not have pledged
     herself, but God help her, everything about him was so beautiful, so kind, and where
     in blazes did he live? No servants? She wanted to go there.
    “I will say nothing to yer parents,” he promised, thinking her afraid that he would.
     “Ye have nothing to fear from me, Amelia.”
    His eyes drew her closer. They were intense, warm blue embers mirroring her thoughts,
     devouring her, as she did him. He wanted to kiss her, and if she remained still but
     a moment longer, he was going to—and she was going to let him.
    “I should go.”
    “Aye,” he agreed roughly. He took her hand in his and brought it to his mouth. “But
     don’t.”
    His breath felt warm against her knuckles, his finely carved lips, firm yet tender.
     She cursed her station in this life and the duty that bound her. She wanted to explore
     all the feelings Edmund ignited in her. She wanted to feel what his mouth was like,
     if his kiss would be indecent or chaste, like Walter’s. He didn’t want her to go,
     but how could she stay? If they were discovered out here, alone…
    He didn’t seem to care about consequences when, still holding on to her hand, he pulled
     her in close enough to cover her with his size, his honeyed breath. “Grant me just
     a few more stolen moments, Amelia.”
    Her name falling from his mouth sounded rich and so very warm. She wanted to grant
     him whatever he wished. But another scandal would end her father. So she pulled away,
     trembling with an unfamiliar ache she didn’t think she could resist another moment
     in his company.
    “I must go,” she said again and broke free of him.
    She didn’t go far when she turned and looked at him standing there next to David . Her first error. She would never forget her night with him. She didn’t want it to
     end. Not yet. No one would discover them. Just one more stolen moment and she would
     be satisfied. Hiking up her nightdress, she ran to him, into his arms.
    He met her halfway and cradled her face in his hands. His kiss was open, hungry, and
     raw with need, sending fire straight to her belly and below. He played with her mouth,
     tasting her lips, devouring her tongue to taste her more fully. As their kiss deepened,
     he cupped her nape in one palm and her back in the other and hauled her closer to
     his hard, supple angles.
    Her heart beat furiously at the scandalous passion of his embrace. He enveloped her
     like smoke, molded her limp, yielding body to all the tight, hard planes of his own.
     She groaned against him, certain that no man, especially not the chancellor, would
     ever kiss her like this again.
    Finally, and with languorous reluctance, he withdrew. Amelia watched his eyes drift
     open, the residue of passion still smoldering within their depths. It made her head
     spin. Oh, she couldn’t marry Walter. Not after that!
    “Come away with me,” he whispered, not letting her go.
    “Away?” She giggled against his mouth. “Where would we go at this hour?”
    “Ye’ll see.”
    “All right then, I…” She didn’t remember much after that, only a cloth coming over
     her face, Edmund’s cool blue eyes looking down at her, and a single thought.
    She knew something terrible would happen for behaving so recklessly with him. She
     was right. He was kidnapping her! The lying, scoundrel bastard.
      
    Edmund lowered an unconscious Amelia into Darach’s arms. Just for a moment, he let
     his gaze linger on her face, the smudge of her lashes resting on her