Read Naughty Little Gift -- A Temptation Court Novella (Temptation Court, Book 1) for Free Online Page A

speak,” she persists with the same steely calm. “So if I am to help with salvaging the damage,”—a glance in my direction gives chilling clarity about her definition of damage —“I must visualize it again. He said he was ‘unable’ to commit to the agreement ‘as is’?”
    “Yes,” Father bites out.
    “Not that he refused the terms outright?”
    “He said what he said, Selyna. I did not have time to dally with semantics.”
    Mother waves a hand like his snarl is a persistent fly. “But he took the time to issue the last of it? It was issued in the parlor, not tossed over his shoulder in the front drive, on his way out?”
    Father expels a breath. Finally mutters, “Yes. In the parlor. After he turned down cigars, had one bite of the trifle, and excused himself to take a discreet shit.”
    Mother cocks her head. “And you are certain that was it?”
    “Certain what was what?”
    “The shit. That was what he excused himself for?”
    Exhaustion. Shock. Not the best combination for containing frantic laughter. A tight choke helps me at the last minute. Is there any ground forbidden in the path of their ambition?
    Father’s loose shrug confirms the answer. “I gathered so,” he mutters. “I very well did not listen at the door, though he was gone long enough, so I assumed…”
    He trails off with a tense scowl—though it has nothing to do with spying on Cassian’s bathroom business. Assumed . The word alone implies one of their cardinal sins, as bad as laziness or murder. In this case, it brings just as heinous an outcome—if I correctly interpret the messages beneath their extended, silent exchange…
    What if he wasn’t spending the time on that private matter? What if he went to the bathroom for other reasons—such as the chance for second thoughts? Why has he backed out of signing the contract so suddenly ?
    No answers of logic or comfort come forth.
    The only thing that has changed in the last four months, since Father and Cassian first communicated about this deal, has been—
    Me.
    I can peg the millisecond my parents reach the same conclusion. My head jerks down as theirs swing around, though that helps not in battling the weight of their scrutiny.
    I want to cease breathing. Not an exaggeration. Every breath I take is a sharp slice between my ribs; like the air itself is contaminated by their disappointment—and disgust.
    They know.
    I have been circling the ugly words, unwilling to accept them, but now they sting as sharply as the cold on my feet, and throb as hard as the pain behind my eyes. I drop my gaze to the floor. Wish for a way of lasering an escape hole through the polished wood.
    Am I supposed to say something now? What on Earth do they expect?
    But I know the answer to that already.
    It is me. I am the one who derailed it all. Who ruined any respect he had for our family by flirting with him, making stupid eyes at him. Letting him into my bedroom…and letting him do other things there.
    And Creator help me, I liked it.
    A lot.
    And I made him like it.
    At least I think I did.
    Sweet Creator …did he like it? And why am I stopping to even wonder about it? Or to care?
    But I do. If hell takes me for it, then so be it. My virginity is still pristine, and I shall never again see the man who tempted me to change that, so I cling to the memories of the feelings…all the passionate, exquisite perfection of those moments with him. It is shameless and selfish and for one sublime moment, I do not care . For a collection of perfect breaths, I am again simply a woman letting a man climb up her balcony then kiss her senseless…render her breathless…arouse her to that perfect place called mindless …
    All too soon, it is over.
    With the stiffness in Father’s shoulders, as he abruptly turns away.
    With Mother’s censuring glance, before she rises like an empress. “What happened after that? When Court returned from the tuvalette ?”
    A blush attacks. The Arcadian word makes the