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

“I suppose that is roughly the truth of it,” Livie grudgingly conceded. “It might just work.”

“Good.” She was finally listening to him, albeit reluctantly. “Charlotte, why don’t you go into the sitting room and write your father a letter to let him know what is going on and to reassure him you’ll be fine.”

“Yes, that is a good idea, for he’ll be worried, I’m certain.” Charlotte dashed out of the room, presumably toward the sitting room and the writing table within.

“One thing you are not taking into account is that Aunt Demelza will never agree to travel to the country without her retinue of servants. Not in a million years.” Livie said, folding her arms across her chest. “I’d put a wager on it.”

Sebastian grinned, returning his attention back to her. “You know I’m a betting man. What are you willing to wager?”

Livie shrugged. “I don’t know? What does one wager? Fifty pounds?”

“How about another kiss?” Seb knew he was playing with fire suggesting such a thing, but she looked so attractive standing there staring at him with ire, there was little else he could think of.

“And if I win?” she asked.

“Then you won’t go to the country, will you.”

“That confident my aunt will agree?”

“I never make a bet I am not certain I will win.” Seb winked at her.

“Then why not just kiss me now?” There was fire in the woman’s eyes as she stared defiantly at him.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” she challenged him. “Kiss me, then, if you’re so confident you will win this wager of ours.”

“You’re a bloody bossy female,” Seb grumbled a moment before he whisked her into his arms and his lips slammed down upon hers. Rather than offer any resistance, Livie grabbed his arms and pulled him against her, her cane clattering to the floor with a thud. It was just the encouragement he needed, and he opened his mouth against hers. She tasted sublime.

He’d been wanting to kiss her ever since scooping her up and nestling her against his chest back at the warehouse. But he’d restrained himself. Just. Knowing that while he’d been in such a high state of emotions, having just fought others and confronted death, that if he’d given in to tasting Livie and touching her then and there as he’d wanted to, he probably wouldn’t have been able to stop, not once he’d started. It had been safer to restrain himself.

But now he couldn’t help himself, and she was returning his kiss with fervor.

“God, I want you,” he murmured as he pulled his mouth slightly away from her, his hand sliding around the nape of her neck, with his thumb brushing against her cheek. “So bloody much, it scares me.”

She was breathing heavily, her lashes half closed over her befuddled eyes as she tried to focus them on him. “I never knew I could feel such things…”

A slow smile grew across his own face. “That’s just kissing, Livie, and wonderful though it is, wait until I show you what pleasure really is. You wanted me in your bed. You shall have me. Then you will feel things you’ve never felt before. That I can promise you.”

“Show me, Seb.” Her words were a breathless little whisper and sent a shaft of desire straight to his solar plexus. “Show me what it’s like to feel pleasure with you, and you alone.” She leaned up and her lips found his again. Opening to him, her tongue tentatively flicked against his.

He groaned, low and deep, as an ache settled in his soul for this woman. Wrapping his arms around her, he intensified their kiss, hungrily feasting on her softness like a man unfed for months.

Then his lips trailed down the column of her throat, tasting every single inch of her soft skin that he could. She moaned in response, a breathless little sound that filled him with satisfaction. His lips got to the edge of the collar of her jacket, the fabric teasing him with a tantalizing swell of her breasts underneath, but with tiny little buttons lined along the center, blocking his path.

He raised one hand and flicked open the top button, and then the next. He kept going, slowly exposing inch upon inch of her chest, until he gently pulled open her jacket to reveal her chemise and corset underneath. She took in a quivering breath as his eyes hungrily feasted on the top part of her bosoms, which were being cupped by her corset and creating the most enticing cleavage he’d seen.

His finger traced along the edge of the material where it met her skin, and Livie’s whole body shuddered. “So soft,” he murmured, before he lowered his head and started trailing a series of featherlight kisses against the edge of the garment.

With one hand, he cupped her breast through the corset, tenderly squeezing it in his palm while the fingers of his other hand swept in under the fabric, pushing her breast away from its confines.

Livie moaned when Seb lowered his lips down onto her breast and stroked his tongue across the hard peak of her nipple. She arched her back, pushing more of her breast into his mouth, which Seb happily began to feast on. He sucked upon her nipple, teasing it with a flick of his tongue and marveling at how responsive she was to his touch. Her hands twined in his hair and she pressed his head firmly against her bosom. He pulled back from her, and satisfaction filled him to see she was breathing heavily.

She also looked delightfully dazed.

“How is it that I am panting like a race horse in a derby, yet you are entirely composed?” she managed to mumble between breaths.

He took her hand in his own and placed it against the hard length of him that was straining mightily against his trousers to be free.

Livie’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped. “Oh…”

“Oh, indeed.” He winked at her before scooping her up into his arms and carrying her across to