Lady Sarah's Sinful Desires Read Online Free PDF Page B

nearly collided with Lord Spencer when he came to an abrupt halt. “Blast,” he muttered. “I think I lost him.”
    Sarah studied the ground on both sides of the path, her eyes seeking white amidst the green, or even the slightest movement that would give her a hint of Snowball’s presence. “You almost had him before, but then . . .” What was she doing? Was she seriously going to criticize his efforts, when he had agreed to help her?
    â€œThen what?” he asked, hands on hips as he turned a pair of narrowed eyes on her.
    â€œNothing,” Sarah said. Blast her quick tongue. She should learn to keep her thoughts to herself. “Let’s keep looking, shall we?”
    â€œNot until you tell me what you were about to say.”
    Lord, the man was stubborn. “I already told you it was nothing.”
    He leaned toward her, crowding her with his much larger size. “I think you were about to tell me it’s my fault your hamster ran off again.”
    â€œYou obviously frightened him,” Sarah said. She was tempted to say, again but thought better of it. Already she didn’t like the way Lord Spencer was looking at her—­as if he was considering marching her back to her parents and asking them to keep her under lock and key.
    â€œAs it happens, I am perfectly content with returning to the comfortable chair I was occupying before you woke me,” he said as he started moving away.
    Sarah couldn’t blame him. In the space of half an hour she’d been less than polite toward him, all because he made her feel uncomfortable. But that wasn’t his fault. It was hers. “I’m sorry,” she said.
    He stopped. Turned. One eyebrow rose slowly as he regarded her with his dark eyes. “I beg your pardon?”
    Apparently he wasn’t going to make this easy for her. Very well then, she deserved it. Straightening her back, she forced herself to remain unaffected by his handsomeness, focusing on a spot beyond his left shoulder. “You were just trying to help, my lord. It was unfair of me to blame you for your lack of success.” Her eyes shot to his face. Oh dear. He was going to think she was mocking him now.
    The corner of his mouth twitched. “Apology accepted,” he said, “even though I suspect it sounded better in your head than it did once you spoke it out loud.”
    â€œQuite.” Sarah dropped her gaze to the floor, hating how stupid he made her feel—­especially since she’d always prided herself on her smart rejoinders. She caught a flickering movement out of the corner of her eye. There, peeking between some fern leaves, nose twitching as he scouted the area, was Snowball.
    â€œDon’t move,” she whispered. Cautiously, she then eased her hand forward, hoping to coax her little pet from his hiding place. To her frustration, he started backing away from her, forcing her to lean forward even further, until, sensing she would lose her balance, she brought down a hand to steady herself, her fingers pressing through wet soil just as a fern leaf brushed against her cheek.
    Patience fled and so did Snowball as soon as Sarah attempted to snatch him. A moment later, she heard Lord Spencer muttering something from behind her. It was then that she became acutely aware of her unladylike position. Fighting the wave of embarrassment that threatened to overwhelm her, she applied her driest tone and said, “Perhaps when you have finished judging me (she could just imagine him rolling his eyes), you’ll be good enough to help me up?”
    A measure of discomfort filled his voice as he said, “Of course. My apologies,” and then she felt his hands on both sides of her waist, gripping her firmly as he gently pulled her back to solid ground. It was a quick endeavor really, and quite efficient, since she was now safely out of the dirt. His hands didn’t linger upon her