Suddenly You Read Free Page B

He was a stranger. She was alone in the house with him, and she was more or less at his mercy. For the first time in a very long while, she was in a situation in which she had no control. And it was all of her own making.
    â€œAre you by chance trying to seduce me?” she whispered.
    â€œThere’s no reason to fear me. I would never force myself on a lady.”
    Of course there would be no need. It seemed very likely that he had never heard the word “no” from a woman.
    This was without doubt the most interesting situation that Amanda had ever found herself in. Her life had been spectacularly uneventful, in which the characters of her novels said and did all the forbidden things she herself would never have dared.
    As if he could read her thoughts, her companion smiled lazily and leaned his chin on his hand. If he was indeed trying to seduce her, he was in no great hurry. “You’re exactly as I imagined,” he murmured. “I’ve read your novels…well, the last one, at least. Not many women write as you do.”
    Amanda never liked to discuss her work. She felt uncomfortable when she received effusive praise, and she was most definitely disgruntled by critics’ opinions. However, she was keenly curious about this man’s opinion of her work. “I wouldn’t have expected a pr—a man of your…a cicisbeo,” she said, “to read novels.”
    â€œWell, we have to do something in our spare hours,” he said reasonably. “We can’t spend all our time in bed. Incidentally, that’s not how you pronounce it.”
    Draining the last of her wine, Amanda glanced at the sideboard, wishing for another glass.
    â€œNot yet,” Jack said, taking the empty glass from her hand and setting it on the small table just behind her. The movement brought him directly over her, and Amanda shrank back until she was nearly reclining on the upholstered arm of the settee. “I won’t be able to seduce you if you have too much wine,” he murmured. His warm breath touched her cheek, and although his body didn’t quite meet hers, she sensed the solid, heavy weight of him poised over her.
    â€œI w-wouldn’t have thought you’d had such scruples,” she said unsteadily.
    â€œOh, I have no scruples,” he assured her cheerfully, “it’s just that I like a bit of a challenge. And if you had any more wine, you would be too easy a conquest.”
    â€œYou arrogant, vain—” Amanda began indignantly, until she saw from the rascally twinkle in his eyes that he was provoking her deliberately. She was both relieved and sorry when he moved away from her. A reluctant smile pulled at her lips. “Did you like my novel?” she couldn’t resist asking.
    â€œYes, I did. At first I thought it would be typical silver-fork fare. But I liked the way your well-bred characters began to unravel. I liked the portrayal of decent people moved to deception, violence, betrayal…you don’t seem to shrink from anything in your writing.”
    â€œCritics say my work is lacking in decency.”
    â€œThat’s because your underlying theme—that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary things in their private lives—makes them uncomfortable.”
    â€œYou actually have read my work,” Amanda said in surprise.
    â€œAnd it made me wonder what kind of private life the proper Miss Briars might lead.”
    â€œNow you know. I’m the kind of woman who hires a cicisbeo for her own birthday.”
    A smothered laugh greeted her rueful statement. “ That’s not the way to pronounce it, either.” His shrewd blue gaze traveled over her, and when he spoke again, his voice changed. The amusement was tempered by a note that even in her inexperience, Amanda recognized as purely sexual. “Since you haven’t yet asked me to leave…take down your hair.”
    When Amanda didn’t