Selfish jackass.
He lowered to the side of the bed, marveling at how uniquely exquisite she was, from her sweet round face to the slight unevenness of her curved brows to the lushness of her bottom lip. Her hair cascaded over her shoulders, the candlelight giving it a subtle glow, like amber.
He had never watched a woman in slumber, never desired it, but he couldn’t tear himself away. Unable to resist, he brushed a lock of hair behind her ear as she always did.
Her lashes flickered and two blue-green eyes still hazy with sleep landed on him. “Sebastian?”
“Uh…” He rubbed the back of his neck as heat scorched his face. He’d been caught gazing at her like a lovesick whelp. “You fell asleep reading. I was just leaving.”
Her fingers circled his wrist as he shifted away. “Don’t. Stay with me.”
When a lady asked a gentleman to stay, one did as the lady wanted. He allowed a sensual smile to spread across his lips. Her eyes flared and she dropped his hand as if it were a snake.
He patted the bed, his grin teasing. “It’s not a table, love.”
“You said a table was acceptable.” Her hand went for the lock of hair again, and his heart melted. Somewhere along the way her nervous habit had become endearing.
“Hmm…” He made a show of looking around the room. “It seems we are short one table, so what do you recommend?”
She closed the book and rested her hands on the cover. Her swallow was audible. “I—I didn’t have a chance to ask about your conversation with Mr. Mason,” she said in a thready voice. She cleared her throat. “How did he take the news about Pearl’s dowry?”
He sighed. “You want to talk about your sister’s dowry? Now? Helena, please don’t shy away from this again.” He wagged his finger back and forth between them to indicate the two of them as a couple. “Let me enjoy you and you me. That is how it should be between lovers. Enjoyable. Pleasurable.”
“Playful,” she murmured, perhaps speaking to herself more than him.
He smiled. “Yes, playful.” His hand slid to her waist and grabbed a fistful of her night rail.
She set the book aside with an almost imperceptible nod and covered his hand to still it. Taking a deep breath, she wiggled to an upright position in bed, the sway of her unbound breasts causing his cock to jerk.
She matched his smile. “So what did Mr. Mason say about the dowry?”
Sebastian grimaced and released her night rail. “He accepted.” There was an unintended growl to his voice.
She wet her lips and a tightness spread from his lower belly. He couldn’t force his eyes away from her mouth. He wanted to taste her again.
“Is that all?” she asked. “Didn’t he say anything else?”
He blinked, trying to concentrate on what she’d asked, but thoughts tumbled in his head, and none of them pertained to this particular conversation. He released a long exhale. “I cannot recall everything. There was a little of this and that, and a few other words.”
She pursed her lips in displeasure. “Really, Sebastian. I hope you are never called into service as a spy. I’m afraid a report like that would be considered woefully lacking.”
He surged to his feet, frustrated and impatient with her.
She raised an eyebrow. A coy smile turned up the corners of her mouth. “And your ability to hide things is a bit of a problem.” She nodded toward his trousers where his cock strained against the thin fabric as a furious blush invaded her ivory skin. “A-are you smuggling the crown jewels in there?”
Why, the vixen was toying with him. Playing, just as he’d asked. She was nervous and inexperienced in many ways, but she was trying. For him. His affection for her increased tenfold.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” he said and winked.
She smiled sweetly, her dimples showing. “Yes, please.” Moving to the side of the bed, she hooked her fingers in his waistband and unfastened the front fall of his trousers. She glanced up, practically gloating. “If you had seen your expression…”
He twined his hands in her silky hair and leaned forward to kiss her. Hard. When he pulled back, he flashed a wicked grin. “You like playing, do you?” He ripped the shirt over his head. “I know a game or two you might enjoy.”