Page 52 of A Governess' Forbidden Flame
Sebastian finally comprehended what they had been trying to tell him all along.
“You want to leave our guests all alone?” he wondered, pretending to be shocked. “Tsk, tsk, tsk, ladies. I expected better of you two.”
Anna’s lips rolled into a shocked O. “You had planned on going on your own without us, haven’t you, Uncle?” she exclaimed in mock horror and shock, which amused all three of them and sent them into a fit of laughter.
“No, no, of course not.” Sebastian shook his head fervently. “No such thing. I am an earl. I have…urgent business in the village. You ladies will stay in the house where you belong.”
“No!” Anna’s laughter exploded all around them, and Sebastian enjoyed every moment of it. “You will take us with you, Uncle! You must!”
“Hmm.” Sebastian scratched his chin playfully. “What will you give me if I take you?” He paused for a moment. “It had better be something good.”
Anna pondered for a few moments, then a victorious smile appeared on her lovely, flushed face. “A million hugs.”
“Only a million?” Sebastian frowned. “A million hugsanda million kisses, to be spread out for the remainder of my life and to be given whenever I wish to claim them.”
Sebastian offered her his hand.
“Deal,” she replied, shaking it.
“All right then,” Anna stated importantly, heading toward the door. “Let’s get ready.”
“No, no.” Sebastian shook his head. “Not so fast, ladies. Not…so…fast.”
“What do you mean?” Anna wondered, much to Amelia’s amusement.
She had not said a thing, leaving the conversation to the two of them, which he appreciated. But now, he wanted her involved as well.
“You have paid for yourself,” he reminded her. “And I see two passengers here for my carriage ride to the village.”
This time, Amelia burst into a chuckle. Sebastian approached her, standing dangerously close to her. They were with Anna now. He knew he could not act upon his desires at a moment like this. But he could tease her with what would follow when darkness enshrouded the entire house, and everyone was asleep.
“How will you pay for yourself, Miss Wycliffe?”
“The same?” Anna suggested.
Amelia’s lower lip trembled. How he longed to bite it gently, to tug at it softly, to hear her moan and ask to be his again. He felt his manhood stir, and he pulled away, not wanting to give in.
“How about we discuss that while we ride to the village?” he suggested. “If we want to escape the house unseen, we need to do it right now.”
Anna squealed in delight, clapping her hands. “Let me go get my bonnet!”
“Go quickly.” Sebastian smiled as both he and Amelia watched Anna rush out of the study, leaving the door open.
He turned to Amelia. Now, they were alone. But there was no time. Anna could come back at any moment. He was standing close to her again, dangerously close, inches away from her lips.
“So?” he asked, teasing. “How will you pay for your ride…Amelia?”
“Oh, I’m sure I’ll think of a way.” She smiled at him in a way that made his knees turn weak, and his insides immediately burst into a flame.
Never did a woman have such an effect on him, and he knew that no other woman ever would. It was only her.
“Tonight?” he asked.
“We’ll see how good the carriage ride is,” she teased him back, and he laughed at her comment.
This was exactly why he was so utterly mad about her. It wasn’t only her body, that beautiful, curvy body that he longed to hold in his arms even now. No. It was also her mind, that beautiful, creative mind that always knew what to say and what to think and how to make him smile.
His mind was rambling now. None of it seemed to make any sense separately, yet together, he knew that as long as she was here with them, everything would be all right.
