Read Tempted for Free Online Page B

aloof chagrin. Maybe it were the devil, for Mary’s father used to swear he saw a red-capped fairy dance in her eyes. But something made her soften beneath him, made her lick her lips before saying softly, “Either someone’s dropped a sausage down your pocket or a large watch fob’s pressin’ into me leg.”

Chapter Three
    Alex thought he’d misheard her. That was the reason why it took him so long to form a retort. Certainly it couldn’t be the way his body reacted to the feel of her pressed against him.
    “I beg your pardon?” and he was abashed to hear his voice sounded rather hoarse.
    “I said—”
    “No, no.” He coughed. Frog in his throat. “I heard you,” he said, pushing himself to his feet.
    Get away from her.
    “I believe it is my watch fob, Mrs. Callahan.”
    Not giving her a chance to comment, he straightened his jacket to cover the evidence of his reaction to her, evidence that jutted out…like a sausage. Good Lord.
    He looked down, first to make sure the evidence was properly concealed. It was. Then at her. He became rooted to the floor.
    Control momentarily slipped, fascination fell into place. Lord, she was a sight with strands of her fiery hair loose around her face. Like a painting he’d once seen of a Turkish woman as she reclined amongst pillows, her face peered up at him with that damnable glow in her eyes, her lips slightly tilted as if she fought a smile. Those lips made him long to lean down, to help her up, to…
    Carry her to the bed?
    He jerked, completely taken aback by the notion. “My lord, did you find it?”
    Their gazes had to be wrenched away from each other in order to land on the butler.
    “Sarah said she was attacked by a creature. Did you see it?”
    “Indeed, I did,” Alex admitted to the man. He glanced back down at Mary.
    Buff-colored sheets, the kind that glowed in candlelight—those would look stunning against her naked flesh…
    He jerked his gaze away again, and damned if he didn’t feel his manhood bob in his breeches.
    “Unbelievable.”
    “What, sir?”
    Alex met his butler’s gaze. “The creature attacked me,” he said without missing a beat. Lord, he needed to concentrate.
    “Gracious, sir, are you all right?”
    “I am.”
    “And did it attack you, too, Mrs. Callahan?” the butler asked.
    “No,” he heard her grumble. “His lordship did.”
    “His
lordship
?”
    “She jests, Simms. We collided with each other in my attempt to escape the creature.”
    “Run away in fear is more like it.”
    “I was
not
afraid.”
    “
Get it off me,
” she mimicked softly.
    “I
beg
your pardon?”
    She slowly climbed to her feet, Alex abashed to realize he hadn’t even offered her a hand.
    “But that’s right enough, m’lord. Most men of your rank collapse under pressure.” She leaned toward him, brow lifted teasingly. “Too much inbreeding, I says.”
    Too much—
    Collapse under—
    He had to all but bite his tongue to avoid saying something rude and ungentleman-like. But then he caught the twinkle in her eyes. Lord, she was funning him. How … familiar. But he would not reciprocate. No indeed.
    Perhaps maroon satin sheets.
    Alex!
    Turning his attention to Simms, he said, “Gather the male staff. Arm them with whatever you can. We’ll find the creature if we have to tear the walls down.”
    “No, you can’t.”
    Both men looked at Mary.
    “Miss Gabriella is still hiding,” she said reasonably. “What if one of your staff finds her and mistakes her for the creature?”
    Damnation, but she had a point. And a good one, too. New respect for her filled him. She had a cool head, Mrs. Callahan did. Even if she did have an outspoken tongue. Sausage, indeed.
    “Very well, no weapons, but we’ll continue the search.”
    Did he hear her sigh? Could she be that concerned for his daughter’s well-being?
    Perhaps she was. Hmm. Perhaps hiring her had not been such a mistake, after all. Granted, he found himself damnably attracted to the lady, and