Read Tempting Bella (Entangled Scandalous) for Free Online

wife.”
    “You are a most entertaining lover,” she said with a languid blink. “I will always welcome your attentions.”
    His body’s natural inclinations hummed in response. Blood rushed to his nether regions, eager for a lusty bout of tupping, even as the thinking part of him dashed all hope of it. “You honor me.” Forcing a stiff bow, he turned to go. “I regret I must depart.”
    “As I recall, you were well pleased by my skills.” Her silky voice followed him down the hall as he rounded a corner. “A vigorous man like you cannot go without forever.”
    He quickened his pace, eager to be away from her.
    “Are you running away?”
    “What?” He caught sight of her—the mystery woman—in an alcove off the large hallway. He pulled aside the curtain that hid most of the cozy space. “Are you hiding?”
    Her wicked smile singed his already sensitive loins. “Yes, I most assuredly am.”
    “Why?” he asked with sincere curiosity. “Are you in need of rescue?”
    “But I asked you first. Why are you running from Lady Hawke?” She tilted her adorable chin downward as she assessed him. “I met her earlier this evening. I understand her charms are most sought after.”
    He savored the sight of her, allowing her vivacious energy to drift over him. “Not by me.”
    “A discriminating man. How refreshing.” Her eyes sparkled. “Most will do anything for a beautiful woman.”
    She should know. He guessed most men would be willing to do anything for her. And she seemed well aware of her own staggering appeal. What a dangerous combination.
    “Darling?” Jacintha’s voice drifted from around the corner.
    Without thinking, he stepped into the alcove and pulled the curtain closed behind him, casting her a sheepish look as they listened to Jacintha wander past the alcove. Once the danger had passed, the woman laughed. Not a practiced, quiet laugh of a lady, but a throaty, unabashed sound. He frowned momentarily and then saw himself through her eyes. The absurdity of a grown man hiding from a woman prompted him to smile. They both enjoyed the private joke for a moment.
    Her delicate scent—this time of lavender instead of jasmine—reached him. Longing surged. He wanted her. Not just to bed her, but to talk and laugh with her, to know her thoughts and to feel her warmth as she slept next to him. Seeming to sense the change in him, the laughter left her eyes. The obvious magnetism between them surged, swelling the air. “Neither of us should be here.” Her words were almost a whisper.
    He took her hand, reveling in its petal-like softness, admiring the delicate lines and tapered fingers. He pressed a light kiss near the base of her thumb, his lips lingering a beat longer than they should, before letting her slip away. “You have the right of it, of course. Dishonor is not an option. For either of us.”
    He heard her sharp intake of breath at his tacit acknowledgment of the sensual lure between them. They quieted for a moment—gazes meshed—listening to the buzz of conversation from the nearby public rooms and the occasional spates of laughter, muted by distance. A languorous heat stretched between them. The color in her face grew more radiant. Her luxuriant lips parted slightly, her breathing became more apparent. Every part of his body pulsed.
    “Darling?” Jacintha’s voice again. “Come and have a drink with an old friend.”
    The moment splintered and he had the despairing sense he wouldn’t know another like it.
    Bold amusement crossed his mystery lady’s face. “Tell me,” she whispered, “do ladies often try to run you to ground?”
    “Lady Hawke is most persistent.”
    “It seems you are the one in need of rescuing.” Before he knew what she was about, she stepped through the curtain and pulled it closed behind her. “Lady Hawke, what a delightful surprise,” he heard her say, her voice drifting away as they moved down the corridor. “I am quite lost. Could you direct me back to