Touch Me Read Free

capture the light streaming through the window, he read: Today’s Modern Woman should not hesitate to insist upon getting what she wants, be it in the drawing room or in the bedchamber—even if she has to tie up her man to get it. Indeed, tying him up in the bedchamber will most assuredly lead to very intriguing results …
    Simon’s brows shot upward. Clearly he’d been mistaken to assume that a ladies’ guide would merely contain information about fashion and etiquette.
    “No wonder there was a scandal,” he murmured.
    An image flashed through his mind…of his hands being tied with a silken cord to a bedpost. He couldn’t see his captor’s face, but her voice was ripe with sensual promise when she whispered, “You’re going to give me everything I want.”
    He blinked and the image evaporated, leaving him feeling slightly stunned and—he winced and shifted—more than slightly aroused. Unable to stop himself, he flipped to a different page and read: Today’s Modern Woman must realize the importance of fashion in her quest for intimate fulfillment. Simon nodded. Ah, yes. This is more like what he’d expected. There are times to wear a fancy ballgown, times to wear a negligée and times to wear nothing at all …
    So much for what he’d expected.
    Another image materialized in his mind, this one of the same woman who’d tied his hands, her face still blurry and indistinguishable, shrugging her negligée from her shoulders. The satin puddled at her feet, leaving her bare to his avid gaze. Coral nipples erect, the pale curls between her legs glistening, she stepped from the pool of material and walked slowly toward him with a sinful sway of her hips. “Where have you, been?” she whispered. “I’ve been waiting for you…”
    Simon shook his head to dispel the sensuous image. Bloody hell, no wonder this book had caused such an uproar. He’d never read anything like it. Of course, he wasn’t in the habit of reading ladies’ guides. At least, he hadn’t been, until now. Even as his mind ordered himto put down the damn book and resume his search, he found himself again turning the page. Just as he peered at the words he heard the unmistakable sound of a door opening then closing.
    Bloody damn hell.
    A feminine voice softly crooned, “Hello, sweet Sophia. Did you miss me?” Sweet Sophia answered with a loud meow. “I missed you, too. We’ll play tomorrow. I’m tired and off to bed.”
    Double bloody damn hell.

2
    F URIOUS that he’d allowed himself to be so uncharacteristically distracted, Simon quickly replaced the book then glanced around the room. The only two exit possibilities were the door—not a viable option, or one of the two windows, offering at least a thirty-foot drop to the ground—not a healthy option. Besides the potentially fatal fall, he’d have to leave the window open and she’d know someone had been in her chamber. Of course, unless he moved his arse—immediately—she was going to discover that anyway.
    Bloody aggravating woman. Why couldn’t she have a nice balcony off her bedchamber? And have stayed away for several more hours?
    Ignoring the screen and the wardrobe—both of which she’d undoubtedly use in the course of readying herself for bed, he moved swiftly toward the statue in the corner. He’d no sooner secreted himself in the deep shadows behind the marble woman than the bedchamber door opened.
    Inwardly cursing the rotten luck that had brought Mrs. Ralston home so early, he remained still and prayed that she’d get into bed quickly and fall asleep immediately. From his hiding place, he watched her close the door behind her then move to the bedside table whereshe lit the oil lamp. Surrounded by a soft golden glow, she pushed back the hood on the dark cape she wore.
    Simon blinked in surprise. Mrs. Ralston was much younger than he’d imagined. Based on the meager information he’d been able to gather in the short time he’d had to investigate, he’d