The Man's Outrageous Demands by Elizabeth Lennox Read Free Book Online Page A

wanted to dance with you,” he said.
    “Why? This isn’t a night for dancing,” she said, looking around worriedly, keeping her fingers carefully away from his hair and neck. “You should be rounding up your supporters and convincing your opponents. This is the ideal scenario and you were doing so well.”
    “And I wanted to dance with you. I was tired of talking with boring old men who think it is their right to tell everyone what to do. And you look beautiful.”
    She followed his lead but wished she could escape. The hand holding hers was warm and strong and the one resting against her waist was creating havoc with her mind. “You should…”
    “Stop,” he interrupted. “Just relax and dance with me. The arguments will wait a few more minutes. And I don’t think anyone would fault me for dancing with one of the loveliest women in the room,” he said and pulled her closer to his large frame.
    Marabeth felt his legs brush against hers and she liked it too much. “I’m sure there are several women in the room who would like to dance with you. Perhaps you’d like to ask them,” she said, starting to pull out of his arms.
    But he wouldn’t let her. His grip tightened and he only pulled her closer. “Why are you afraid of me?” he asked, looking down into her worried green eyes.
     
    Marabeth quickly looked away. “I’m not afraid of you,” she said defensively. “I just don’t want to dance. You’re right, it has been a long evening and I’m a little tired.”
    Sam twirled her to the edge of the floor, then quickly tucked her hand into his arm, escorting her off the dance floor and then out the door onto the dimly lit patio. There were candles placed around the edges of the patio but they didn’t penetrate too deeply into the night. Sam led her off the stone steps and into a pretty veranda that offered them a little more privacy from the guests at the party.
    “What are you doing?” she asked nervously.
     
    “I’m giving you a break, just as you asked,” he said and moved closer to her.
     
    She couldn’t see his eyes in the darkness but she suspected that he might be laughing at her again.
     
    “I didn’t mean that you needed to be with me,” she said and started moving towards the light again.
    He laughed softly as his arm reached out and wrapped around her waist, pulling her against his body. “Relax. I promise I won’t bite,” he said. “At least not where it will show tomorrow,” he continued.
    Marabeth instantly pushed against his rock hard chest but she was unable to put even an inch between the two of them. “This isn’t proper,” she said breathlessly, not because of her exertions but because of the feelings his body was creating within her.
    “I know. But you’ll run away if I let you go. Besides, you feel very nice.”
     
    “Minister…”
     
    “Don’t even think about calling me anything but Sam,” he said softly. “And stop fluttering your hands around.”
     
    Marabeth was too flustered. “What do you want me to do with them?” she demanded.
     
    Sam laughed. “That’s a very provocative question but in deference to your nervousness, I’ll just reply that you can put them anywhere you’d like.”
    “I’m not nervous,” she reiterated but finally settled her hands on his chest. It was where she wanted them to be anyway so she enjoyed having permission to leave them there.
    “That’s better,” he said when she’d settled slightly. “Now, about your lips,” he started.
    “We weren’t talking about my lips,” she said, her hands instantly pushing against his chest again in an effort to put more space between the two of them. “Please, we need to get back inside before people start noticing that we’re not in the ballroom.”
    Sam didn’t bring up the fact that just about everyone in the ballroom had either watched them leave or had been told that the two of them had left together by now. The speculation had started the moment he’d entered