Deliciously Wicked Read Free

fabrication. In an hour or less, she’d be longing for her bed.
    â€œWhat do you need help with?” he asked.
    â€œI cannot get out of my dress without assistance.” She turned her back to him, but looked over her shoulder to see him. “Too many buttons. You’ll need to unbutton them quickly, then turn the other way.”
    He took a step toward her and smiled.
    The white of his teeth looked even more so against his tanned skin. Warnings should have sounded in her head. When a man looked at a woman in such a manner, the woman should be concerned for the security of her virtue. But Meg felt no concern, only curiosity and perhaps a tad of hopefulness as to whether he would kiss her again.
    Her body reacted to the memory of his lips. She swallowed.
    â€œI’ve never had a lady ask me to undress her quickly,” he said.
    She put her hand to her throat. “Well, this isn’t that sort of request.” Her voice was weak.
    He chuckled.
    The sound caressed her ears, and she found herself eager to hear it again regardless of the current situation.
    She closed her eyes because, while she might have enjoyed the stolen kiss and might fancy a harmless threat to her virtue, she wasn’t actually prepared for him to steal anything else. She felt his warm breath behind her, and shivers scattered across her body. While she did not feel his fingers, she knew he was working the buttons as her dress was loosening.
    Gracious. She felt her face flame. She’d never before had anyone, save her maid, undress her. It was intensely intimate, and she didn’t know what to feel or think about the matter. She suspected she should be horrified, but she knew that was not the feeling coursing through her at the moment.
    â€œThere,” he said. He stepped away from her. Without his body standing that close to her, she could now feel a slight breeze brush over her neck and across her back.
    She faced him, then twirled her finger around to tell him to turn away, but he did not catch her hint. “Do you mind?”
    He crossed his arms over his chest and smiled. “Not at all. I might fancy a show, actually.”
    Her face burned. She’d heard of such shows, and she certainly would not perform one now. “That’s not what I meant,” she said hotly. “Please avert your eyes.”
    He turned away from her, but clearly found the situation far more amusing than was necessary.
    â€œI’ll have you know that I do not find any humor in this situation.”
    He angled to look at her from over his shoulder. “Duly noted.”
    She quickly slipped the dress from her shoulders and then held it up in front of her to block his view. “I’m finished,” she said.
    He turned, then cleared his throat. He stood a moment longer simply watching her before closing the distance between them. Perhaps he would kiss her again. She should move away from him. Instead of a second kiss, Gareth reached over and snatched the dress from her hands. “To ensure you come back and let me out.”
    She swallowed a scream. No need to be overly dramatic. Standing in front of him in nothing more than her combination garment and petticoat was enough to cover her body in the heat of a blush. More than likely it already had, but she dared not look down to see if pink shaded her skin. Meg took a deep breath and tried to relax. Aside from the lack of sleeves and the fabric difference, it was not too different from a swimming costume. He could not see all that much flesh. She was a grown woman; she could take this situation in stride. To prove that to him, and to herself, she tilted her chin up a notch, then walked over to stand beneath the window.
    â€œShall I fly up to that window, or are you going to give me a boost?” She gave him a mocking smile.
    He dropped her dress on a table, then came to stand behind her. Without a word, he wrapped his hands around her waist and hoisted her up. She