Page 32 of A Promising Little Scandal (Sensual Scandals)

Calliope snorted. “You don’t waste any time, do you?”

He paused and gave her a tolerant look. “I thought we might take advantage of an evening swim.”

She could feel her face warm slightly. “Oh.”

He laughed, but kicked off his trousers, leaving him clad in his small clothes. His shirt was next and as he lifted it over his head, Calliope’s gaze was riveted on the sight of the rippling muscles in his chest and arms, sprinkled with a golden dusting of hair.

“Like what you see?” he murmured huskily.

She blinked and crossed her arms. “It’s tolerable, I suppose.”

“Minx,” he growled, and then stalked toward her.

She didn’t trust the devilish gleam in his eyes and took a wary step backward. “What are you doing?”

“You’re wearing entirely too many clothes.” He reached out and pulled on one of the ribbons of her bonnet. A gust of wind from the sea blew it off her head, but it landed softly on the ground at her feet. Sebastian made quick work of her pelisse, and then the rest of her clothes fell away just as swiftly until she was standing in nothing but her shift, stockings, and shoes.

“You seem as though you’ve had some practice at this,” she noted.

He only grinned, and then bent down on one knee. He lifted one of her feet and slowly rolled down her stockings and slippers. He tossed them both to the side, completely forgotten.

He got back to his feet and held out a hand to her. “There’s no turning back now,” he said softly, and she thought he was still teasing her, but something in his gaze was abruptly serious.

She laid her palm in his.

He exhaled, as if he had been holding his breath waiting for her acceptance. “So, it begins.”

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