Seduced by a Scoundrel - By Barbara Dawson Smith Page 0,4

if you prefer. You have only to agree to the arrangement.”

He glanced coolly at her low-cut bodice. “I can have any woman I want,” he stated. “And there might be value in making a lesson of Lord Brockway. To show others what can happen when their markers are not repaid.”

Alicia bit back a horrified gasp. “No, please. It would be a mistake to condemn my brother to prison. He’s prone to lung complaints, and you’ll never get your money if he dies. Besides, I can offer what few women of your acquaintance possess. You see, I—” Aware of a burning in her cheeks, she swallowed past the dryness in her throat. “I am untouched.”

He scanned her shoulders and breasts in a way that made the color rise in her cheeks. “The virgin sacrifice,” he said sardonically. “You would ruin yourself for the sake of your wastrel brother.”

And Mama. Dear sweet Mama. “Yes,” she whispered.

He sat silent on the edge of the desk, unmoving, and she sensed a moody darkness in him, likely because he felt cheated of his ill-gotten gains. Then his arms lashed out and pulled her closer, trapping her within the prison of his legs. He tunneled his fingers into her blond hair and dislodged a few tortoiseshell pins.

His touch was an invasion that sent chills down her spine. Only by force of will did she manage to stand quietly, aware of the fear and revulsion inside herself, along with an undeniable, shameful attraction.

Though her heart thumped madly, she lifted her chin and met his gaze. “Have we a bargain, then?”

“That depends.”

“On what?”

“On how well you please me.” His fingers commenced a slow assault on her senses, rubbing her scalp ever so lightly. “Show me you’re worth twenty thousand.”

Dear God, he expected her to seduce him.

Aware of a little catch in her throat, Alicia took a steadying breath. The challenge in his eyes mocked her limited experience. How many women had known his caresses? How many had straddled him, naked, in the throes of wantonness?

No. She didn’t want to think about that. Instead, she would entice him with a kiss. At one time, men had fought for the chance to claim that rare token of her affections.

She placed her trembling hands on his shoulders, aware of the solid muscles beneath his coat. Ever so slowly, she leaned toward him. Never before had she seen eyes that distinctive shade of dark blue. He was so close she could discern each spiky black lash. In the moment before her lips touched his, she felt the tickling warmth of his breath. Then the taste and scent of him enveloped her, and the firmness of his mouth sent a melting quiver through her limbs.

But he made no move to return the kiss. His hands rested heavily on her shoulders, his thighs exerting a subtle pressure against her legs. She was aware of the impression of strength in him … and jaded indifference.

Determined to make him want her, she slid her hands over his starched cravat and into his hair. The strands sifted through her gloved fingers like thickly spun silken threads. She touched him in light strokes as he had done to her, all the while brushing her closed lips over his. Men liked teasing caresses and quick stolen kisses that made them wild with longing. In her youth, she had lured more than one gentleman into a darkened corner for a few moments of flirtatious kissing. She would torment him until he groveled before her in adoration.

That sense of power flooded her now, though the excitement of it was somehow different, hotter, more intense than with her former suitors. Of course, they had been gentlemen. Drake Wilder was a rogue.

His lips moved slightly and her pulse leapt. He was not so impassive; he must be fighting his need to respond. Now was the time to charm him. To make him commit to a brief affair in exchange for canceling the debt.

Lifting her head, Alicia opened her eyes. And blinked.

A grin deepened the dimples on either side of his mouth. Sardonic humor danced in his eyes. “If that’s your best effort,” he said, “my money would be ill spent.”

He was laughing at her! She stiffened. But fear overshadowed all else. “Teach me, then,” she forced out. “I’m willing to learn.”

“No. I prefer an experienced woman in my bed.”

So that was that. He would let her brother be sent to prison. He would condemn her mother to an even more hideous fate. Alicia