How to Woo a Reluctant Lady by Sabrina Jeffries Read Free Book Online Page B

said, her voice deceptively sweet. “Is this the part where you sweep me into your arms and prove how you alone make my heart race and my body heat?”
    “If you insist,” he said and caught her to him.
    She didn’t resist when he covered her mouth with his. She even let him deepen the kiss. Though she didn’t throw her arms about him or melt into him as she had that night long ago, she participated actively in the kiss, letting him drive his tongue into her mouth with slowly deepening strokes. She even twined hers with his, raising his pulse to a feverish pitch and his cock high enough to be uncomfortable.
    Then she jerked back with a siren’s smile that made his confidence falter. “Well.” She tapped her chin. “That was a decent kiss, all things being equal.” She pressed her hand to her chest. “My heart is, if not quite
racing
, then heading into a quick walk. But I need a thermometer to determine if and how high my body heated. I shall just go—”
    “Don’t you dare.” He caught her by the arm as she was onthe verge of fleeing. “You know bloody well that you responded to that kiss.”
    With a suspicious glee in her eyes, she tugged her arm from his grip. “I’m not saying I didn’t respond—just that I didn’t respond to any overwhelming degree. But it was a good kiss, I suppose. Better than some, not as good as others.”
    “What the hell do you mean? How many chaps have you kissed in the last nine years, anyway?”
    “No more than you’ve kissed women, I should imagine.”
    “My God.”
    “But don’t worry—I don’t think the average woman would complain about your kissing. You’re perfectly competent.”
    Competent?
Bloody insolent chit. Even knowing that she was trying to provoke him didn’t ease his wounded pride. “Perhaps we should try it again.”
    She darted back from him. “I think not. You really ought to go, Giles—my brothers will be none too pleased to find you here alone with me. They don’t approve of you for me at all.”
    That was true. Jarret had warned him away from Minerva only a few weeks ago.
    “And Gran positively despises you,” she went on. “She thinks you’re a bad influence on Gabe. Last week, she said that the next time she saw you—”
    She halted as if struck dumb, her gaze wandering to the sheaf of papers.
    “Yes? The next time she sees me . . .”
    “Oh my word, that’s brilliant.” Her gaze swung back to him. “You’re brilliant, Giles!”
    “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you for the past half hour,” he grumbled.
    “I mean it. This is the perfect solution to all my problems with Gran.”
    His eyes narrowed. “What is?”
    “You! And me! We’ll tell Gran that I’ve accepted your marriage proposal.” Minerva began to pace, her face flushed with excitement. “She’ll never approve. Seriously, she thinks you’re a ‘conscienceless scapegrace who would as soon sell his mother as behave honorably.’”
    He scowled. “I knew she wasn’t fond of me, but that’s a bit harsh. I’ll have you know I treat my mother damned well, considering that she spends all her time trying to marry me off to women half my age. And your entire family seems to overlook the fact that I am a well-respected barrister with a practice that is—”
    “Yes, yes, you’re a pillar of virtue.” She rolled her eyes. “You’re missing the point. Gran will never let me marry you. She’s always regretted letting Mama marry Papa, and you’re practically
him.
”
    “For God’s sake,” he said irritably, “are we back to that again?”
    “It’s the perfect plan. You pretend to be betrothed to me, and once she realizes I’m serious, she’ll stop this nonsense.”
    He liked this plan of hers less and less the more he heard of it. “It didn’t work for Oliver. He took Miss Butterfield as his pretend fiancée and look what happened. Not only did your grandmother hold fast to her plans, but he’s now married to the chit.”
    Minerva shot him