Read Something Reckless for Free Online

because she was drawn to him.
    “May I take you somewhere tonight?” he asked quietly.
    She started at the question. “What?”
    “I think I can better explain my meaning by showing you, rather than explaining.” He moved closer. Just a fraction. “Allow me to take you somewhere, and I think everything will come clear to you.”
    Penelope shook her head. This was a game, but she couldn’t understand the rules, or even the goal. What was he trying to gain?
    “If this is some way to get near me—” she began.
    He stared at her in shock, like he’d never even considered such a thing, and yet again she blushed.
    “Please,” he said softly.
    Penelope stared at her hands, fisting them together reflexively. Her mind spun both with all the reasons she should refuse and the reasons she should accept his offer. Of all the dangers and all the benefits.
    And most of all, it spun with the fact that she wanted to take his offer. To see whatever he would show her. To be alone with him, if only for a little while. Perhaps if she did, he would reveal himself to be the cad she knew him to be, despite his grand claims of change. Then this silly spell of desire would be broken and she could return her attention to matters at hand.
    At the very least, doing as he asked would appease him, and perhaps she could convince him to stop trying to play her for a fool, especially in the inconvenient presence of others. She couldn’t afford any scandal or misunderstanding his sudden interest in her could cause.
    “Very well,” she finally murmured, letting her gaze come back up to his face.
    He smiled, this time something more genuine. “Very good. I shall send a carriage for you at eight tonight.”
    She nodded wordlessly. “And now you should go. Your presence is of some upset to my guests, I think. Until I’m certain of your true intentions, perhaps we should keep our association a secret.”
    He tilted his head. “Very well. Then I shall see you later tonight. Until then, Penelope.”
    With a little salute, he backed from the room. It was only when he was gone that Penelope realized her breath was short and her hands were shaking.

Four
    Jeremy leaned back against the plush leather seat of his carriage as it pulled to a smooth stop in the darkened shadows behind Penelope’s London estate. He peeled back the curtain and watched as she slipped from the servant entrance and hurried across the lawn to the vehicle. His footman bowed quickly, then opened the unmarked carriage door to allow her entry.
    Jeremy leaned forward, offering her a hand in. Penelope looked up at him from below, her eyes wide as she stared at the offering. But finally, after a very long moment of hesitation, she took it. When he touched her soft fingers, sparks of awareness ricocheted through him, taking him off guard.
    They seemed to take her off guard, as well, for she released his hand as if it burned her the instant she settled into the seat across from him. The door shut behind her, and the carriage jolted into motion.
    He took in the sight of her. Though her gown was not as revealing as those she would see tonight, it was still quite lovely. A deep blue with a plunging neckline that showed him the tempting upper curve of her lovely breasts. He wondered if she was aware of just how provocative that fine, firm curve was. Did she show herself on purpose, proving her heated nature?
    Or was she so innocent that she couldn’t fathom how utterly charming she was?
    Another mystery to ferret out.
    “Good evening,” Jeremy drawled. “I actually thought you might not come after all, so I’m pleased to see you.”
    She was quiet for a moment, but then she shrugged. “I considered it. But I assumed you would come to my window and throw pebbles until you made the entire neighborhood aware of your presence, so I thought coming with you was the lesser evil.”
    “You would rather do something naughty than have people believe you were doing something naughty?” he