Read In the Devil's Bed (Sins of the Duke Book 1) for Free Online Page B

advanced towards the settee, the heat of the fire dancing on his legs. She shimmied into the corner of the settee, her eyes wide, the blue irises, though wary, sparkled with determination.
    He dropped the bundle of clothes into her lap, then grabbed her small hands and yanked off her gloves. As he rubbed their icy, pale smoothness, he was startled by how delicate her fingers were. His hands swallowed up their whiteness.
    Jack looked up and met her eyes. “Lady Regan, I know it is unorthodox, but I really think ‘twould be best for you if you changed. The screen will suffice. For propriety sake.” He tilted his lips into a smile, hoping to reassure her. “Even I am known to be a gentleman on occasion.”
    As hoped, a shaky smile accompanied the warm blush tinging her pale cheeks. “Thank you.”
    Gently, she pulled her hands from his and rubbed them along her arms. “I am rather cold.”
    Jack offered her his hand and she placed her fingers into his. The softness of her skin slipped over his roughened palm. Pulling her up, the wet fabric of her gown hit his legs, sticking to the wool of his pants.
    Jack stepped back, trying to ignore how her gown clung to the curves of her full breasts and gentle hips. The last thing he wanted was to frighten her, but the closeness of her body was too damned tempting. She was an intriguing woman. “I’ll wait here by the fire.”
    She nodded, her blue eyes dark in the firelight. “Thank you.”
    Jack held on to her a moment longer then slid his fingers from her palm.
    Lingering for a moment by the screen, Jack inhaled the ever so slight scent of lavender. He blew out a breath and shoved his hand through his hair.
    “I’ll be over by the fire,” he repeated striding back to the crackling flames.
    “Captain Hazard, I fear your shirt is too large.” She laughed softly. “Far too large. Do you have a sash or a belt?”
    Jack blinked as her laugh washed over him. The warmth of it heated him and drew an image of her pale body swimming in his linen shirt. Which wasn’t good.
    “I could always remove my own belt, but that would leave us in a bit of a quandary, wouldn’t it?” he drawled.
    Silence stretched between them and, for a moment, Jack wondered if she was considering it. He dropped his hands from the mantel and folded his arms across his chest, digging his fingers into his biceps.
    “That will not be necessary,” she finally answered. “I think you have more to keep up than I do.”
    A gruff sound escaped his lips. “I think I have something else for you .“
    He paused then lifted his hand to his throat. He yanked off the cravat and strode towards the screen. He dangled it over the edge, thanking God that she was already in his shirt, not standing naked. “Will this do?”
    Her fingers brushed against his, as she pulled the long, narrow fabric from his grasp. “Anything will do, I assure you.”
    Jack backed away from the screen, needing a good several feet of distance. For he suddenly realized something. The desire humming through his body could be used to his advantage. Pleasure and revenge could easily be blended. But tonight, she’d already had enough. Unlike the women he’d involved himself with, she was naught but an innocent. He could see it in her eyes. How they caressed him without calculation.
    She emerged from behind the screen. Her slender arms were purposely folded about her midsection, a hand grasping at the neck of the shirt. Glancing down at the shirt swathing her, she smiled wryly. “It appears I am much smaller than you.”
    Jack looked down at her and his body hardened. She virtually swam in his clothes. The wide “v” of his shirt hung over her shoulders, exposing the flesh of her neck and the pale fabric draped over the thin sheath of her chemise. His cravat bound the material about her waist and the tails of the shirt hung over his pants. But he couldn’t mistake that the pants hung on her hips, looking as if they were about to fall at any