“I must go and find my lovely lady.” Without bothering to wait for a response, he hurried away with the eagerness of a man in love.
Sebastian was irritated as he watched Olivia’s eyes wander all over the ballroom. He was stirred by her extraordinary beauty. At the same time, he was annoyed by her indifference to him. It was not a response he was accustomed to from a lady of marriageable age. He wondered why she was not paying her attentions to him.
“It appears we’ve been abandoned, ma’am,” he said. “Will you join me in the next waltz?”
She looked up at him in surprise, as if noticing him for the first time. “My pleasure, sir.” She took the arm he offered and allowed him to lead her onto the floor. When the music began he placed his hand on her waist, she placed hers on his shoulder, and he guided her around the perimeter of the dance floor. She entered into the spirit of the waltz, enjoying its rhythm of movement, for she loved to dance. Yet her eyes wandered as she continued to search.
Bloody hell. I’ve chosen a dimwit for a partner even though she dances well. Why does her head keep twisting every which way? Why the devil is the chit so distracted?
“Are you feeling well, ma’am?” he asked in exasperation.
Olivia looked startled. “What a silly question. Of course I’m feeling well. Why do you ask?”
“If that is the case, ma’am, I can only conclude you must think me a dead bore, since your full attention seems well out of my reach. It’s clear to me you are not enjoying our dance. Would you prefer to take a stroll on the terrace?”
“Oh, but I am enj—” She paused, much in favor of his suggestion, for it would afford her another place to search for the home secretary. “Yes. A stroll on the terrace would be lovely.” She allowed him to lead her out the terrace doors where her eyes resumed their wanderings.
Sebastian’s irritation was rapidly turning into anger. He wasn’t accustomed to receiving such a blatant rebuff. He determined to direct the lady’s attention his way, at which point he would turn the tables and snub her. It was only what she deserved. He brightened, intrigued by the challenge. He had never lost a battle in his life. With this in mind, he began to plan his campaign. Does the lady seek her pleasure elsewhere? When I get through with her, she’ll rue the day she ignored me.
“Lovely evening for a stroll, is it not?”
Olivia took little notice of the edge in his voice. Her head continued to turn, her eyes searching this way and that. “What? Oh yes. Lovely. Lovely indeed.”
He led her down a less-crowded path until he spied a small secluded bench. “Sit here and rest, ma’am, until you feel better.”
“Feel better? Why do you persist in thinking I feel ill?”
His lips quirked. “Well, ma’am,” he drawled, “your pretty head must be quite sore by now, it seems to me. You’ve been turning it every which way at such an alarmingly swift pace, I began to fear it was in danger of falling off your shoulders.”
Olivia stared at him, uncomprehending for a moment. Then she laughed. “You’re teasing me, sir.”
Sebastian smiled at her, a most agreeable smile. His eyes turned seductive. “Perhaps I am.” Without warning, he drew her to him and kissed her. She was stiff with resistance at first, but he persisted, one hand holding her chin so he could invade her luscious mouth, the other holding her firm until she ceased struggling. It didn’t take too long. To his astonishment, she pressed closer and returned his kiss with a passion of her own. Satisfied, he removed his lips and nibbled her ear.
“You smell like roses, ma’am. I like it.”
She forced herself to pull away, adopting anger as a weapon. “How dare you kiss me, sir! Why, we’ve only just met.”
“How else was I to engage your attention, ma’am? Can you not locate your lover? Is that who you have been searching for? Won’t I do in his stead? You gave me cause, you know, to believe that you enjoyed our kiss as much as I did.” His eyes held wicked amusement. “At the very least, my lady, I had the satisfaction of at last gaining your full attention. You’re far too lovely for me to resist, you know, in spite of those wandering eyes of yours.”
There was a sharp edge in his voice which maddened her enough to issue a tart rebuke. “I most certainly did not enjoy being mauled by you, sir!”
“Yes, you did.”
“No, I didn’t, Mr…. What did you say your name was?”
“Sebastian,” he said in a husky, sex-filled voice. “Call me Sebastian, dearest Livy.”
“I’ve not given you leave to address me thus, have I?”
“No, Livy.” He planted a kiss on her neck.
“You, sir, are impertinent.” But she didn’t stop him when his fingers traced the edge of her gown, causing goose bumps to raise her flesh.
In one swift motion, he pulled her to her feet and kissed her hard, his tongue bruising the inside of her mouth.
Shivers and thrills slithered through her body when he held her close enough to feel his erection. In a mindless haze, she ground into him, pressing closer, wanting more. One of his thumbs rubbed her breast through her gown and she moaned. He edged her bodice down and freed one nipple, teasing the nub between two fingers.
“Good God! What do you think you are you doing, sir?” She gasped when he bent to take the rigid nub into his mouth.
He backed her into a nearby tree, out of sight of curious onlookers. His lips returned to her nipple while one hand gathered her gown all the way up to her waist so his hand could gain access to the searing heat between her thighs.
“Don’t! Stop!” she breathed in an anguished moan.
He removed his mouth and looked into her glazed eyes, but his hand had already found what he was looking for. His fingers began to work their magic, an easy task, for she did not struggle. Amused, he said, “Which do you mean, my lady? Do you mean me to stop? Or do you mean don’t stop?”
But he already knew the answer, for she was wet with desire. His mouth crushed hers to muffle her screams when she climaxed. He waited for her spasms to end before he smoothed down the skirt of her gown and tucked her nipple back into her bodice. All the while, his lips rained little kisses on her ear, on her neck, on her eyes.
“Thank you for a lovely diversion, my lady. I can’t wait for our next encounter. What did you say your name was?”
Her voice shook with rage. “Who gave you leave to assault me thus? You’re an unspeakable cad! It may interest you to know that I don’t know your name either, Mr.—whatever your name is!” Without waiting for his answer, she wheeled away and stalked off.
She missed the sight of his lips curling with satisfaction. Bloody hell. She’s a temptress. The chit enjoyed our little tryst as much as I did. Hope she doesn’t have a designing mother waiting in the wings.
In a whisper, he said, “My name is Sir Sebastian Brooks, milady. You won’t forget me.” He watched her disappear in the direction of the ballroom, content in the knowledge that he had won the match. He hadn’t lost his touch after all.
