Read The Seduction of Sophie Seacrest for Free Online Page B

a man for that, now can we?”
    “If Mr. Thurston intends to purchase a fleet
of ships, why is he not building with the Langfords?”
    “Hmmm.” This question gave her father pause.
“What did you tell me, Thurston?” He scrunched his thin nose and
said, “Oh, yes, I remember. Word abounds our ships are superior to
Langford’s. No surprise there, is it?”
    “And there is the rash of recent fires at
Langford Shipping,” Gregory Thurston added. “I would not like to
see my purchases in flames.”
    Her father coughed and emptied his glass.
“Yes, well, there you have it.”

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter 5
     
    Three short days after Gregory Thurston’s
introduction to Seacrest Shipping, Sophie grew certain the man from
the gamekeeper’s cottage had been a mere figment of her overactive
imagination. The Gregory Thurston seated in the carriage across
from her and her father looked and dressed like the man from the
cottage, but this one proved a study of exemplary manners and
grace. Gone were the predatory looks so similar to a wild animal
stalking a delicacy. Gone also were the hot gazes that could strip
a woman of her clothes and her inhibitions in an instant and
promise pleasures which could not even be imagined.
    Even the man’s voice had lost its seductive
timbre, replaced with a brisk business tone. And the ruby medallion
might still be resting against his massive chest, but how would one
know with such a buttoned-up, acceptable shirt and jacket? What
had happened? And why on earth did it bother her so much?
    Sophie mulled over this strange occurrence,
growing more perplexed and agitated as the days passed. The man was too polite. Of course he had asked several relevant shipping
questions and even appeared interested in her answers, but aside
from that, he’d ignored her. So much for mutual attraction. That
certainly had not lasted over long, at least on his part, Sophie
grudgingly admitted.
    Smoothing her royal blue gown, she refolded
her hands in her lap and gazed out the window, pretending interest
in the city streets. Dear Lord, the very sight and smell of the man
proved too overwhelming for her to concentrate on anything else.
She snuck a peek at him; he did indeed strike a compelling figure
even with a buttoned lawn shirt. There was no cravat, a
direct cut to society's dictates, which Sophie secretly applauded.
His black mane was still much too long and tied at the nape to
expose the gold hoop in his left ear which no well-bred lady should
find appealing. Drat, she rather liked it. Double drat . . .
    From the corner of his eye, Holt watched the
play of emotions cross Sophie Seacrest’s face. The longer he
studied her, the more urgent his desire grew to touch her again.
But she would want more than he could give. For the briefest of
moments, he wondered what it would be like to settle down, in one
place, with one woman.
    For the past few days, he’d tried to be
polite but distant and though appearances might prove deceiving, he
was failing miserably. The very sight of her snapped the tight
control he held over his emotions. She was the most exasperating,
annoying, contrary, bewitching, electrifying woman he had ever met.
Blast it all! The whole situation confused and angered him for he
prided himself on being a man of decision. It was time to take
control and execute his plan. Sophie Seacrest was but a beautiful
pawn in his carefully orchestrated scheme to ruin Seacrest Shipping
and he would do well to remember that.
    ***
    The woman watched the couple emerge from the
carriage.
    He was so tall, so devastatingly male.
    She wondered if he still slept on his belly.
Naked. Visions of thick, black hair and brilliant blue eyes swarmed
her brain.
    She had waited so long.
    She missed him so.
    Finally, he would be hers again.
    Soon.
    ***
    The gas lamps burned low signaling the
lateness of the hour. Shadows flickered across the room but Sophie
remained unaware as she pulled the ivory-handled brush