The Bachelor Bargain (Secrets, Scandals, and Spies) by Michaels, Maddison (short books to read TXT) 📕

succeed, and for it to do so, it must become the publication Society will be clamoring to line up for. You’ll need more money to advertise it properly and get the word about for it to do so.”

“But two thousand is a great amount of money,” she all but stammered, the enormity of the sum still swimming in her head.

“You’ll use it wisely, of that I’m sure.” Sebastian shrugged. “Tell me though, how do you intend to circulate the teaser pamphlets?”

“We have a network of runners ready to distribute them to various informants around London,” Livie said. “These informants are placed in some of Societies most affluent families and will ensure the lady of the house is given a copy. When the ladies pay their visits, it will be all any of them can talk about.”

“Clever,” Seb murmured. “Have your runners send some pamphlets to Club Tartus, too. I shall have them placed in the lounge areas. By nightfall the future publication of the gazette will be all everyone in Society can talk of.”

“Oh that’s brilliant,” Livie enthused.

“I have my moments.” Sebastian smiled at her. “Now you’d best hurry inside and do try to get a few hours’ sleep before the excitement of the day starts.” He picked up her hand and placed a chaste kiss upon her gloved knuckle. “Sweet dreams, my lady.”

His very touch reminded her of the feel of his lips against her own. The gentle roughness of the stubble along his jaw rubbing against her cheeks as his lips pressed down upon hers. Heat spread through her, remembering how it felt. Would he kiss her again? She was rather hoping he would. But then he released her hand and turned on his heel away from her.

“Will you be safe getting home?” she asked.

He paused and glanced back at her, appearing highly amused in the process. “No one has ever asked me that before.”

No, of course they hadn’t. One glance at the man would scare away any would-be attacker. “I was just checking. You are not from this area…”

A slow grin spread across his face. “This night, or rather morning, keeps getting more and more novel by the minute. Are you concerned for my safety, Livie? I’ve never had a duke’s daughter worry about me before, though I imagine it’s safe enough navigating the streets of Mayfair. I’m sure I shall be fine.”

He thought her an imbecile, clearly. “Well, of course I’m concerned for your safety, Sebastian. I haven’t got the funds from you yet, have I?”

Rather than take offense, a light chuckle drifted from his lips along the cool morning breeze. “I should have guessed as much.” He bowed to her. “A woman after my own heart, it would seem. Protect one’s investments at all costs.”

And with a brief nod, he twisted on his heels and strode down the laneway before he was shortly out of sight.

Livie released a pent-up sigh she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. The man made her feel things no other man ever had. Desire, passion, and a wantonness that was quite foreign to her, but that she was beginning to crave. Could he really find her attractive? Even with her limp?

It was a question she imagined would run around in her head while she lay in bed restlessly trying to get some sleep, after of course she snuck back in the house. Which reminded her, she had to hurry.

And as she pushed through the back gate and hobbled through the gardens toward the kitchen door, her cane her ever-present companion, she suspected that Sebastian Colver had to be amusing himself with her.

Well, she was just going to have to steel herself against him. Even if the thought of kissing him again was enough to nearly make her swoon. Because she feared the more she let him take liberties with her, the more she may forget what he was about and encourage him to. Then she really would be in trouble.

Chapter Twelve

A few hours later, after a very restless sleep, with images of Lady Olivia drifting in and out of his dreams, Seb awoke with a scowl on his face. A scowl he maintained all through his morning ritual of dressing and having breakfast, right up until he arrived at his office, as he couldn’t stop thinking about the darn lady, no matter how hard he tried to focus on business as usual.

What the devil was wrong with him? Why he was so fascinated by a duke’s spinster daughter, of all things, was starting to irritate the hell out of him. Just because she’d shown some concern over his safety and intriguingly carried a bladed cane with her, he was turning into some sort of merry cock-a-hoop?

It was pathetic, is what it was.

Especially as Lady Olivia, or Livie as she’d told him to call her, had been concerned about him only because she wanted him to fund her bloody gazette. It didn’t take a scientist to figure that one out. Though it had amused him when she’d essentially thrown his own words back at him about being concerned only because of the investment.

The woman had spine, he’d give her that.

Until he’d mocked her over it. Then annoyance had flashed in those damn glorious eyes of hers, obliterating any concern she may have had for him in an instant.

But who was he fooling? She didn’t care about him, and more to the point, he didn’t want her to.

Caring about anyone and having them return those emotions was dangerous and would only ever result in hurt and loss. He knew that personally.

Though why he had to remind himself about a creed he’d well lived by since his mother’s death twelve years ago made little sense. He’d ingrained that philosophy into his life much like any of his daily habits. To the point where he’d never had to warn himself about the perils of caring for someone since.

Except for now.

For some reason, Lady Olivia was making him forget everything he held