Beautiful Distraction by Jess Michaels Read Free Book Online Page A

beautiful hallway that led to no-doubt ridiculously well-appointed chambers. Her heart pounded nearly out of her chest as she tried to control herself, remember herself and not make any mistakes in front of Mal, especially since she wasn’t yet certain how he felt about her being here.
    But as if he had read her mind, he smiled at her. “I’m so glad you came with Violet,” he said softly, “I have been thinking of you since we last met.”
    “You have?”
    He smiled as his answer and Olivia realized in that moment that he did truly like her. In her world, that wasn’t always true or even wanted. And yet, here it was, clear on his face. More to the point, she liked that he liked her.
    She was less keen on the fact that he seemed so very loyal. She’d been witness to that fact outside when he met Violet. Obviously, in his mind, his duty was to protect his friend.
    And if he ever found out Violet’s true reason for being here, if he ever uncovered that she was a spy, he would be angry.
    But perhaps that would never come to be. Violet seemed truly attracted to Lord Windbury, beyond any duty she was sworn to uphold. If their affair was brief and purely physical then there could be no harm to come of that.
    “You are very quiet,” he said, stopping in the hallway to look at her.
    She shook her head. She didn’t often indulge in spiraling thoughts when in her role with a man. How it had happened in this moment was a mystery.
    “I am simply thinking of how very pretty the earl’s home is,” she lied. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a finer estate.”
    “Then I’m sure you’ll like your room.”
    He opened the door closest to him and motioned for her to enter. She did so and caught her breath. It was a lovely chamber, done in tasteful, muted grays and bright whites. The furniture was dark cherry.
    It was elegant enough to have welcomed a queen or a duchess.
    Immediately, she stepped back into the hall. “Certainly I don’t need something so large,” she said, anxiety rising in her chest.
    His brow wrinkled at her refusal of the room. “If you don’t like it—”
    She cut him off by spinning on him. “Oh no, it isn’t that I’m ungrateful. It’s beautiful. But…” She hesitated and heat flooded her cheeks. “Malcolm, you understand I am a courtesan, don’t you?”
    He nodded slowly. “Yes. Our first conversation made that clear.”
    She held up her hands and motioned to the room. The reminder had to make him see.
    “And?” he said when it was clear she wouldn’t speak.
    She huffed out her breath. So he would force her to speak her humiliation. “This room is for someone above my station, Mal. If I stay here…”
    She trailed off and her blush grew even hotter.
    Slowly Malcolm reached out, took her hand and guided her into the room. “If you stay here, nothing will happen except that you will have a good time.” His gaze stole to the bed. “A very, very good time, I hope. A room is a room, Olivia. It has no station.”
    “Of course it does,” she whispered.
    He tilted his head and leaned in closer, close enough that his breath stirred against her lips and suddenly the issue of the chamber felt far less important.
    “This one doesn’t,” he said, then touched his lips to hers.
    She was shocked by how gentle his touch was. She had certainly expected—and hoped—to be kissed, but she had assumed it would be like before: heated, claiming. This was…this was comfort. And no man had ever offered her that before.
    She drew back in surprise and Mal stepped away. For a moment only silence hung between them, then he took her hand again and drew her closer.
    “Stay in this room, Olivia. Because it’s pretty and the bed is comfortable. Stay because my chamber is just down the hall. Please.”
    She found herself nodding. “Of course.”
    He grinned, the expression lighting up his face and making him impossibly more handsome. She expected him to kiss her again, to tug her into that bed and show