The Wager by Raven McAllan Read Free Book Online

her
agreement, Brook walked to the side of the room and opened the door to the
corridor. Punctilious as ever, he waited until she passed through the opening
and followed her.
    "To the left, the door
across the corridor."
    Catherine inclined her head to show she had
heard him. She dared not trust herself to speak lest she show her excitement.
Her body was tense; a myriad of sensations coursed through it. Even the hairs
on her arms stood on end with anticipation.
    I am
sunk. My conscience will not let me try to lose, but oh how I wished he wanted
me for me, and not for revenge. However, she reasoned there was no use wishing for what was not feasible.
Straightening her shoulders, she opened the study door, no longer caring about
the niceties of waiting for him to do the honors.
    She fell in love with the room at that instant.
    It was masculine, but not overtly so. Mahogany
fittings, a graceful Chippendale desk and chair, and an
Adams
fireplace dominated the room. A deep, ruby, velvet curtain, shrouded the windows,
which was so thick no draught escaped into the room. The wall-coverings were a
swirl of exotic burgundy and creams. It could have been dark and gloomy, however the comfortable-looking chaise covered in a
pretty lemon silk, with its grouping of cream cushions, and the elegant side
table holding a perfectly arranged display of flowers and foliage gave lie to
that impression. It was warm, welcoming and charming. Probably not what a man
wished to hear, but true nevertheless.
    The heat from Brook's hand on her back as he
guided her toward a round table set with a dice board, and two chairs pulled up
to it, brought back feelings Catherine had ruthlessly concealed. She shivered,
as awareness made her body tense with anticipation.
    "Cold?" he asked. His tone showed he
thought nothing of the sort.
    "Not at all my lord, a
goose over my grave perhaps. So this is it?"
    He pulled a chair out for her, and she allowed
him to seat her. Then Brook walked to the sideboard and looked back over his
shoulder.
    "Port?"
    Why
not, I have a feeling I may well need a drink before all this is over.
    "Thank you."
    He nodded.
    "Well?" She waited until he was seated
before she spoke. His eyes twinkled as he touched his glass to hers.
    "Your health of course,
my dear. And may the best man, or indeed woman, win. Shall we throw for
leader?"
    He of course won.
    "Then we are agreed, best of three, three
rolls each per round to be taken alternately?"
    Catherine took a deep breath. It was as if she
was standing on the edge of a precipice and one false move would send her
tumbling over the edge. Except she had no idea what the move
was, and had no way of forestalling it.
    "Best of three, as you said."
    It was all she could do not to bite her lip, or
chew her nails as he rolled the five dice in his hands. She could not take her
eyes off his fingers, fingers that had once… stop
it, do not remember, do not wish for the moon,
concentrate.
    He threw the dice with an elegant flick and she
brought her thoughts back to the present. They rolled and stopped.
    "Two pairs, sixes and threes," he
announced correctly but unnecessarily. He picked up the unmatched die and cast
it. It landed on a four. Catherine hoped her expression was poker faced. Surely
she could best that? She willed his final throw to be a dud.
    He seemed to roll the dice in his hands for so
long, she began to fidget. His fingers caressed the cube slowly, as he rolled
it this way and that. Her nipples puckered as she watched his sensuous
movements. If she hadn't told herself she would never wager again, Catherine
would have bet her next months dressmaker's money he knew exactly what effect
his movements had on her.
    "Throw the damn thing."
    He laughed, a deep,
dark, sensuous sound that did all sorts of illicit things to her body.
    "Impatient, Catherine? What for?"
    "For this farce to be over, so I can go to
bed." She snapped. Oh lord did I say
that? "Alone," she added hastily.
    He inclined his head