Read Online WidowsWickedWish by Lynne Barron - Free Book Online Page B

Hospital, gamble until dawn, supervise my
children’s education, travel to Rome, Jerusalem, Philadelphia, any number of
places.”
    “And these are things you cannot do with a husband?” he
asked. Olivia was pleased to see a small smile hovering on his lips.
    “I could, but I choose not to. I choose to do them on my
own, or with my children, my family, my friends or my lover.”
    “Your lover?” he asked and the smile was in his eyes.
    “Last night was wonderful,” she said, bending her head to
hide her embarrassment.
    “Better than wonderful,” he assured her. “Amazing.”
    “Yes,” she agreed. “Quite amazing. And unexpected.”
    “In many ways.” He lifted his hand and laid it upon her
cheek, gently lifting her head. “There are many, many more unexpected ways I
would like to make love to you.”
    “I would not turn you away,” she whispered.
    “But you will not marry me.”
    “If I were inclined to marry again, you would be my first
choice.”
    “You are not so inclined?”
    “I am not.”
    “I would be a good husband to you, Livy,” he murmured as his
hand dropped from her cheek to her neck. He kept his eyes on her, watching her
reaction to his touch.
    “I do not doubt that.”
    “I would be a faithful husband, quite devoted to your
pleasure.”
    “Yes,” she agreed with a shiver. Jack’s fingers toyed with
the first button on her dress. She held her breath until the button popped from
its hole.
    “I would never stray from your bed,” he promised. Another
button came free. “In fact you would likely need to eject me from it as you did
this morning.”
    “I didn’t want to…my children.” The third and fourth buttons
were freed.
    “Yes. I hadn’t thought. Of course your children are your
priority.” There went the fifth.
    “Always.”
    “As it should be.” Sixth, seventh and eighth. “Your son is
asleep.”
    “And my daughter is no doubt tormenting yours.” Ninth. How
many buttons did her dress have?
    “We are quite alone.”
    “And likely to remain so for an hour or more.” Olivia
trembled as he ran one long lean finger from her navel to her neck.
    “Is that all?” he asked.
    “Does it normally take longer? Last night…” Jack released
the last button, reached up with both hands and pushed her dress from her
shoulders taking her shift with it.
    “Last night was perfect. You were perfect.”
    “I’ve never felt that…that relief.”
    “I want to give you that relief again. That release. Climax.
Orgasm. I want to make you come again.”
    His words, the dark timber in his voice, rushed over her,
heating her skin. Olivia glanced toward the door.
    “It’s locked,” he assured her.
    Olivia rose to her feet to stand before him, stepped into
the space he provided when he opened his legs. She shrugged her shoulders and
her dress and shift fell away to land at her feet. She dropped her hands to the
ribbon of her drawers, gave it a deft tug and there they went. Olivia stepped
out of her garments and kicked them aside.
    Jack pulled his jersey up and over his head and threw it on
the pile of clothing on the floor. His pants and smalls soon followed. Olivia
shivered from both his hot eyes upon her and the cold of the room.
    “Brrr.” She turned and sprinted for the bed, diving under
the covers, rolling onto her side and holding the blanket up in invitation.
“Oh, Mr. Bentley.”
    “I don’t know, Lady Palmerton,” he replied as he crossed the
room, stalking slowly toward her. “I’m beginning to think you only want the use
my body, to have your wicked way with me.”
    “Do you mind terribly?” she asked as he crawled in beside
her.
    “I’m sure that I should, but I just can’t seem to.” He
wrapped his arms around her and rolled her up onto his chest, her legs falling
on either side of his hips, his erection, hot and heavy between them.
    “If you don’t mind,” Olivia began, her chin on her crossed
hands that lay on his chest. She looked up at him through