Read One Golden Ring for Free Online Page A

I’ll make you a good wife.”
    He began to slowly peel off her glove as she sat there stunned. Once it was removed, he pressed moist lips into her palm as his hungry eyes locked with hers. Liquid heat gushed to her core. “I hope you’ll never regret your decision, my lady,” he said in a deeply seductive voice. Then he settled an arm around her shoulders and gathered her into his chest. For a long time he held her before his lips eased lower until they softly touched hers.
    The sheer delicacy of his restrained power snapped her own reserve. She opened her mouth to him as the kiss instantly transformed from sweet to potently passionate, the pressure of his lips from light to crushing. The firmer his pressure, the more intense her pleasure. Her arms circled his granite-hard back, and little murmuring sounds came from her throat. She experienced an aching, throbbing need to feel his hands stroke her in places no man had ever touched.
    It was as if he were privy to her innermost thoughts, for his hand began to cup her breast, to knead it, his thumb feathering over her now-hardened nipple. Her moans grew deeper, the motion of her own hands tracing circles on his back, firmer. Though she knew her behavior utterly brazen, she refused to alter it for she gloried in this man’s touch.
    Yes, she told herself, Nick Birmingham was infinitely preferable to bald old Lord Strayhorn.
    Then Nick Birmingham straightened up, gently cupped her face in his palms, and said, “Forgive me, my lady, for my presumptuousness.”
    When he went to get up, her cheeks grew hot. What an utter trollop he must think her! She eked out a feeble smile. “I’m afraid I was the presumptuous one, M-m- . . . Nick.”
    Her heart raced as he watched her with vivid intensity. “I think, my dearest Fiona, we may both be getting more than we bargained for—and for that I shall be exceedingly grateful.” He moved toward the door, then turned back to her. “I shall call for you at eleven tomorrow morning. Is St. George’s Hanover Square agreeable to you?”
    Unable to summon her voice, she nodded. In less than twenty-four hours she would belong to Nick Birmingham. The very thought of it arrested her breath.

Chapter 4
    He made it to the bank before it closed for the day, demanding that Adam—and not one of Adam’s employees—personally handle his sizeable withdrawal.
    â€œYou want FIFTY thousand pounds?” an incredulous Adam asked.
    â€œHalf of it to secure the release of my future brother-in-law—”
    Adam’s eyes rounded. “Then . . . you’re going to marry the lady?”
    â€œTomorrow. St. George’s Hanover. You’re invited.”
    A slow smile spread across Adam’s admiring face. “I shall be there. Felicitations and all that, dear fellow. I’m convinced you’ve made the right decision.”
    â€œWould that I were,” Nick mumbled. Of course, if Lady Fiona was half as passionate in bed as she was in the drawing room in a few minutes earlier, then he had struck a very fine bargain indeed. The very memory of her lips opening beneath his caused his breath to grow short.
    Even when he had first taken up with Diane, her kisses had not affected him as profoundly as did Lady Fiona’s. It suddenly occurred to him that bedding Diane would hold no allure after making Lady Fiona his wife. “Actually,” he added, “I’ll need ten thousand more.”
    â€œSurely you don’t mean SIXTY thousand?” Adam said.
    Nick directed an impatient glance at his brother. “Surely I do.”
    â€œBut I thought the ransom was for only twenty-five.”
    â€œMy dear brother, I wish you wouldn’t use the word only in connection with twenty-five thousand pounds!”
    â€œYou know what I mean. What’s the other thirty-five thousand for?”
    â€œTwenty-five for William to purchase francs when he travels to