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

a moment to return his attention back to her words, all the while berating himself in the process. “You do?” Seb wasn’t happy that his own network had been unable to unearth such information. Information was power, and if you didn’t have power, then you perished.

“I believe so,” Livie replied. “You see, I just visited with my late friend Alice’s sister, the Countess of Chilton, who disclosed to me that Alice’s maid, Mary Applewaite, who fled the residence after Alice’s death, took Alice’s journal with her.”

“And how does that have anything to do with the note you received?”

Livie raised her brow in what was quickly becoming an expression Seb rather enjoyed seeing. “The countess received a blackmail note penned by the maid, demanding five hundred pounds in exchange for the journal she took. The writing on Lady Chilton’s note was identical to that written on mine. The maid must have sent both notes.”

“Hm,” Seb mused. The news was interesting, though didn’t really make any sense. “What does the maid have to do with the Lads gang? And why would she be party to sending you into an ambush?”

“Honestly, I don’t know,” she admitted. “But I intend to ask her tonight.”

“Tonight?” Seb rubbed at his temples. “Why do I feel a headache coming on with the thought of what you intend to get up to?”

“Who knows what goes on in that brain of yours?” She shrugged.

“Out with it,” he demanded. “What are you intending to do tonight?”

She quickly explained the blackmail demand made of Lady Chilton. “I shall go in her place and speak with Mary. I’m certain when she understands it is me and that I have no intention of calling the police or Bow Street Runners, she shall talk to me and tell me what she knows regarding Alice.”

“Are you daft, woman? You will do no such thing.” Seb crossed his arms over his chest.

Livie in turn shook her head. “You have no say over what I do. None at all.”

“But I do. I am your business partner now—”

“Silent business partner. And silent partners do not get a say in what I do or do not do.” She narrowed her eyes and stomped her right leg.

Seb couldn’t help but think of how glorious she was standing there, defiantly opposing him, her chin jutting out and her eyes sparkling with fury. No one ever really dared oppose him. He found it stimulating. “Tell me to kiss you.”

“Tell you to kiss me?” She blinked, confusion now replacing the fury.

“That’s good enough for me.” And with that his mouth swept down upon her own and his lips pressed against hers.

…

He is kissing me again?

Her fingers tightened around the top of his arms to steady herself. His mouth was hot and heavy, and so tempting she couldn’t help but press herself against him tightly, her cane dropping to the floor, forgotten.

Kissing him had been hovering at the peripherals of her awareness all day.

How could it not, when their first kiss had been so decadent and delicious, and the man himself so dangerously magnificent? A man who looked like an Adonis with the sunlight from the windows streaming in from the top level of the building shining off his dark blond hair like gold, with his shoulders and chest looking even more impressive in the charcoal tailored jacket he was wearing over a crisp white shirt.

“I can’t get enough of you,” he murmured, pulling his lips away from her own briefly. “You taste like nectar from the gods.”

And then his lips found hers again and she was lost.

Pressing her body even closer against him, she tentatively stroked her tongue along his and marveled at how delicious he tasted. He groaned in response, his hands trailing from her waist down her hips, until his palms cupped behind her bustle and pulled her even more tightly toward him.

Shock and delight coursed through her when she felt the hard length of him pushing against her and she heard the rumble of satisfaction from his chest. The sound emboldened her as nothing else could.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and opened her mouth farther to him.

A throat being cleared from behind them shattered the spell, and they both abruptly broke apart.

Looking around Sebastian, Livie saw Lance Trantor standing there with an expression of unbridled curiosity as he glanced between Seb and her before a broad grin replaced the look.

Livie felt a bright flush creep up her cheeks at being caught in such a compromising situation, and not for the second time, wholeheartedly wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole, right at the moment. She didn’t think she’d ever felt as embarrassed as she did right then to be caught kissing Sebastian.

“Sorry to interrupt.” Lance cleared his throat, looking completely unrepentant. “But we’ve caught McGinchy.”

Instantly, Seb’s whole body braced. “Good. Where is he?”

“Rowan and the men have taken him down to the basement to await your instructions,” Lance replied.

“I’ll head there now.” Seb glanced back over to Livie, his eyes capturing her own but giving nothing away. “I have to go.”

Livie nodded, holding her head high and meeting his gaze directly with her own. “Of course.”

He appeared calm and steady and completely unaffected by their kiss, unlike herself. But why was she surprised? Just because her whole body had been rocked to her core didn’t mean he had been, too. The kiss they’d shared had probably been nothing more than an amusement to him. Why, he’d probably kissed hundreds of women before, and all surely more experienced in the art of passion than Livie was.

But then a glimmer of hope bloomed within when she noticed the pulse along his jawline thrumming rapidly against his skin, and he was breathing just a little bit heavier than normal. Perhaps their kiss had more of an impact upon him than she’d thought; probably nowhere near as what it had had upon her, but he couldn’t fully disguise that he had at least felt something.

“Don’t do anything tonight without