Bewitched Read Online Free PDF Page A

insisted. Lord Landon flicked a glance toward Penelope and then flas hed John a conspiratorial wink. “My niece will be in attendance. I’ll see to it the two of you are paired for cards. ”
    John cleared his throat, unsure how to respond. A variable wake of panic welled beneath his feet. So much for fifteen minutes.
    Lord Landon grinned. “So we’ll see you at eight o’clock.”
    “I—er…”
    “Uncle , that is quite enough.” Penelope strode forward, shooing her un cle from the room. “Lord John likely has other plans and will be unable to attend tonight.”
    There , she’d offered him the perfe ct out, and yet… John hesitated. Perhaps attending the party this evening would be enough to warrant him the urn. One miserably long day of courting as opposed to a week’s worth of short visits. The prospect had merit. He faced Lord Landon. “I will do my best to attend this evening.”
    “Very good. We shall do some catching up as well.”
    “Uncle,” Penelope said in a soft but firm to ne. “Your letter opener?”
    “Oh, yes, of course.” He shoved the spectacles back up his nose and turned on a heel. “ Laura! Have you found it yet?” The earl left the room, muttering on about his letter opener, and leaving John alone with Penelope.
    John glanced up at h er, at a total loss for words. It had been so blasted long since he’d paid court to a pretty girl he’d entirely forgotten how to go about it .
    Penelope met his gaze and offered a hesitant smile. “ Would you care to sit, my lord? ” She gestured invitingly to the blue upholstered loveseat .
    H e cleared his throat. Oh, dear God those eyes. He glanced between the sofa and the door. Only thirteen minutes left .
    “Lord John?” she prompted when he did not readily respond.
    “ Yes? ” He snapped his attention back to her . “Oh, of course. ” He crossed to the loveseat. Began to sit and then thought better of it . “This is for you,” he said gruffly, thrusting the silver package into her hands.
    She blushed . “H-how very kind, my lord.” She perched neatly on the chair opposite him, and slid a thumb beneath the paper edge. She sucked that delectable bottom lip between her teeth as though nervous . John knew the immediate impulse to suck her lips between his own teeth. Would those sinfully plump lips taste as sweet as they looked?
    Rather sudde nly the rattle of paper ceased. “Lord John?” Penelope asked in a rush, disrupting the progression of his fantasy about her mouth… stroking his tongue along the crease and into that little corner swirl … “Might I trouble you with… ” S he dragged that lip into her mouth again, worrying it bet ween her teeth . She shook her head. “Never mind.”
    He pulled his gaze from her mouth to her eyes and quirked a questioning brow. Really he had no ide a what to make of her behavior. The gift rested in her lap only half unwrapped . “Might you trouble me with a question?” he finished for her . “Of course.”
    She drew a breath and hesita ted before releasing it slowly. “Well,” she began, her attention shifting back to the paper surrounding the b ox, “it’s just that—Oh!” A little cry of delight escaped her as she finally opened the box. “It’s an Easter l ily.” Her eyes lifted to his and gen uine happiness sparkled within. “How beautiful and so very thoughtful.”
    He shrugged. “R oses are overdone.”
    Her gaze slid to a huge floral displa y on a table beside the window. “I couldn’t agree more.” A grin teased the tempting swirls of her lips and she leaned forward, her manner conspiratorial, her eyes twinkling. A fat curl slipped over her shoulder. “I was born on Easter Sunday, you kn ow.” Her voice dropped, low and husky, as though disclosing a secret meant only for him. He found himself leaning in to hear it. “M y mother brought me an Easter l il y every year for my birthday.” A hint of moisture misted in the lower rim of her eyes .
    Oh, Jesus. John