Page 7 of The Secret of My Seduction
“If I knew what was best suited to a seduction, we wouldn’t be here,” she pointed out. “What ought I to have worn?”
One corner of his mouth curled, and she instinctively braced herself. Liam looked like a devil when he smiled that way, and often she thought that was his true nature, allowed to shine through for a moment. “As little as possible under the cloak. Ideally, nothing at all. But never mind that now.” He turned and strode into the parlor, waving one arm for her to follow.
Grimly she went. “Nothing at all. Surely that’s more appropriate when two people are already lovers, assured that the assignation will occur.”
“The only reason we are not already lovers,” he replied, pouring two glasses of wine, “is that this is our first assignation.” He handed her a glass. “Or was that your way of saying you’ve reconsidered, and might not, upon further reflection, wish to proceed?”
No. The wine in her glass rippled as her hand shook. Even if she had had doubts, seeing him this way would have trampled them into dust. She had covertly admired Liam when he was at the newspaper office, his cravat pulled askew and his jacket unbuttoned as he snapped and barked at other employees. Now he wore neither jacket nor waistcoat, his neckcloth was simply knotted around his throat, and his attention was fixed on her as it never had been before.
Well—excepting that day she had made her indecent business proposal, when he agreed to make love to her.
She gulped some wine for courage. “If I didn’t wish to proceed, I wouldn’t have come all the way out here.”
“I am gratified to hear that.” His gaze raked over once again. “Now take off that appalling dress.”
She drew breath to scold him for insulting her clothing, then realized exactly what he’d said, and almost forgot to let out her breath. Very well. Right to the point; highly admirable. She set down her glass and reached for the fastenings.
“Just the gown, mind,” Liam said. “And not in any great rush. We have all night.” He seated himself in the middle of the sofa and began tugging his cravat loose.
Bathsheba cast a hateful glare on the lamps, burning brightly. The draperies were closed, but the door stood wide open. Defiantly she went and closed it.
Liam laughed as he flung aside his neckcloth, letting his shirt fall open at the collar. “There’s no one else in the house. I do have some idea how to conduct an illicit affair.”
“There was a draught,” she lied. She put down her reticule and took out her notebook.
“What’s that?”
“So I can record anything noteworthy.”
Liam laughed again. “If you feel the need to take any notes tonight, I will have failed abysmally. Leave it.”
She hesitated, but decided not to argue. She reached behind her back and pulled loose one of the tapes holding the dress closed.
“Where did you get that dress?” Liam slouched lower on the sofa, his arms spread wide of the back of it and his eyes glittering as he watched her.
“I made it. The velvet was a great indulgence.” She untied the second tape.
“Why brown?”
Her fingers paused. His tone made his distaste clear. “What color should I have chosen?”
“Blue,” he said softly. “Green. Even rose. You chose brown because it’s unobtrusive, didn’t you? Unremarkable. Not a color to seize anyone’s attention and command their interest.”
Bathsheba plucked at a sleeve before drawing it down her arm. “It cost less than those colors.”
“Hmm.” He watched as she struggled out of the gown, and that made her proceed all the slower. “Do you give no thought to how others perceive you?”
She huffed. “I know exactly how they do.”
“And it pleases you, that everyone sees a plain quiet mouse of a woman?”
Bathsheba paused as he echoed the very words she had been thinking. Were her thoughts more apparent than she knew? Danny never seemed to guess, and he had known her far longer than Liam had. “I cannot control what people think, so it hardly matters to me.” She finished stripping off the sleeves of her gown and untied the remaining tapes, so she could slide it down over her hips. Even though she was completely covered by her corset and petticoats, an unaccountable blush warmed her face as she stepped out of the gown and laid it aside.
“You can control what people think, far more than you believe,” he said thoughtfully. “Come here.”
She headed for the opposite end of the sofa, but he caught her hand and pulled her close. “Sit here,” he said, gently but firmly, and spread his knees. Bathsheba flushed as she realized he meant for her to sit between his legs.
Idiot, she told herself bracingly.You asked him to make love to you and you’re as skittish as a cat to think of sitting on his knee?She turned around and sat on the very edge of the sofa between his legs, hoping she hadn’t made a big mistake.
