The Sheik's Son(41)

With all the ladies and gentlemen in attendance everything would be perfectly respectable. But she didn’t like the way she felt when she was with him. She felt she was losing herself and knew she must keep her distance.

Her dress was of a deep garnet-colored silk with a scooped neckline and elbow-length sleeves. She had her hair pinned up and wore ruby drop earrings and a delicate ruby necklace.

She walked over to her desk and looked over the writings she had composed before Sebastian had arrived. Her thoughts had been clear and concise but now she felt muddled. Damn him! She had so enjoyed the country’s peace until he had arrived.

***

Sebastian looked over his desk filled with sheets of paper. He had translated several letters from French to English for His Grace the Duke of Dorset as he preferred certain documents to be translated into English and Sebastian complied.

He knew the Duke was due to arrive this evening and he wanted to have all of the documents ready. The duke might even have additional items for him to translate, which Sebastian would welcome. He wanted to work and have his thoughts set upon a task. Anything rather than sit in this room and brood over the delectable creature two doors down from him.

He had thought about her several times and had admittedly used Juliette while thinking only of the auburn-haired woman. That had been distasteful. He was sure that Juliette was used to men using her, but he didn’t want to be that sort of man. They had an arrangement and it should be straightforward.

Now he found himself thinking of Sophie all the time. She was always in his thoughts and it irked him. He knew that he wanted her. Not possible. He knew she was an innocent so playing games was dangerous. If he was caught, the price would be high and it wasn’t a price he wanted to pay. Not yet.

Marriage. Sebastian had never thought much about it. His parents were happy but his mother was unlike any other woman he had ever seen. His father was a very masculine Arab but he seemed to bend when it came to his English wife.

But Sebastian had never wanted to marry, nor cared about it until now. Now he worked the word over in his mind.

***

Another carriage pulled up to the great chateau after dinner carrying the duke, Etienne Pousson and Sebastian’s sister Leila.

That they all came to be in the same carriage was not so strange. The duke had been invited to the chateau and Etienne had accompanied Sebastian once to the chateau and had an open invitation to return, so he had arranged to take the duke’s carriage to the country.

But Leila was not expected. Sebastian had asked Etienne to look after his sister and he had. But what he didn’t realize was that Leila was either hell bent on ruin or badly wanted her brother’s best friend.

Her maid did indeed act as chaperone and they had attended a play and one concert. She had enjoyed everything and looked upon Paris with a foreigner’s bright eyes. It was delightful to watch her eyes light up as they walked along a Paris street or attended a concert. Leila relished it all.

But she also enjoyed tormenting Etienne. She sent her maid for a glass of refreshment for them and suddenly her hand was sliding up his thigh. When no one was looking, she had bit his ear, pretending to whisper something. She bent over to retrieve a dropped program, making certain Etienne saw her luscious globes barely restrained inside her dress. She adjusted her skirts inside the box and made sure he had a glimpse of her lovely ankles.

He was at his wit’s end. He had decided to run away to the country like a whipped boy when he heard of the duke and Sebastian’s trip. It would be just the thing. Unfortunately, Leila had also heard of the journey. She had smiled and beguiled the duke, who could never say no to a woman. He had invited her as his guest to the country as well.

The carriage ride had been a ride through hell and heaven. The duke had fallen asleep across from them and she had placed a blanket over her legs.

He knew she had many skirts and petticoats so he wasn’t even sure how she had done it, but she suddenly whispered to him, “Etienne, feel.”

Swiftly she had taken his hand and placed it under the blanket. He didn’t feel skirts or petticoats, just the silk of her stockings and the sweet texture of her upper thigh. Oh my God, he thought.

He looked into those innocent eyes and shuddered. Had they been alone he would have flung her onto her back without giving it a second thought and given her the pounding she deserved.

Sure, Sebastian would call him to a duel and he would probably die. But before that, he would feel the little witch’s legs wrap around his waist and the sweet grip of her walls around him.

“Why are you doing this, Leila? Why?” he finally muttered the question that he wanted most to know.

She looked confused and then smiled. “I like you, Etienne. Very much.”