Mistletoe Menage Read Online Free PDF Page A

gaze.
    “Pray forgive me for being unable
to come sooner. I had…pressing matters to attend to.”
    “You owe me no apology, sir.”
Anne stared at her hand where he had kissed it. Her skin was on fire now as if
the chill on his lips had created some strange chemical reaction that set her
aflame, and she could have sworn that the heat was seeping into the rest of her
body. Warming. Tingling. Rousing. Her breaths came fast and shallow and she wondered
if she might actually faint.
    “You are… I hope you will pardon
me for saying so…absolutely beautiful, Mrs. Blackburn. You look so well. The
country air must agree with you. It is every artist’s dream to paint such a
vision of loveliness.”
    Anne smiled, knowing that the
gentleman no doubt spoke in a similar manner to all of his models. She really
needed to rein in her emotions and unusual reactions. The gentleman would think
she was a veritable wanton for being so aroused by his presence.
    “Would you like some tea, Mr.
Harper? Or something stronger to warm you, perhaps?” That was better. Her manners had returned. Normality had been her savior many a
time since the passing of her husband. Would it save her now from her own
desires?
    “That would be wonderful, thank
you, Mrs. Blackburn. A brandy would be perfect right now to take the edge off
the chill.”
    “Of course.” Anne rang for the butler and told him to fetch the decanter and glasses. She
did not usually partake of strong liquor herself but felt that it might steady
her nerves if she did so. More than anything, she feared falling into a faint
and embarrassing herself completely, so she would rather take a drink and
return to a sensible state of awareness.
    When the brandy had been brought
to the library and poured, and the butler had left, Anne perched upon the sofa.
She expected Mr. Harper to take one of the chairs but he sat next to her
instead, his leg just inches away from hers. During one of her long discussions
with Lady Jane, the older woman had told her not to be shocked at Mr. Harper’s
behavior. He might, she had informed her, seem forward for a gentleman but that
was not to be frowned upon. As an artist, he had license to go where others did
not. As long as that was what Anne wanted, of course.
    And Anne knew that even though
she was as anxious as a bride on her wedding night, she did want this. She
longed to know what she was already convinced of deep down, if the heated
dreams that caused her to wake tangled in the sheets and with her hands between
her thighs were possible.
    And, she hoped Mr. Harper would
be the man to show her how pleasurable things could be.
    ****
    As the brandy warmed her inside,
and the fire warmed her skin, Anne began to relax. Mr. Harper made her laugh
with tales of his travels around England and she found that, try as she might,
she could find nothing about the young gentleman to dislike. Perhaps it was
because he was an accomplished charmer but even if that was the truth, she
found that she didn’t care. She had been a long time alone and she was well
aware that time waited for no man or woman. She longed to feel alive before it
was too late, and Mr. Harper was already lifting her spirits and slowly, but
surely, making her long for more than just his smiles or the gentle touch of
his hand upon her arm as he laughed.
    Mr. Harper drained his glass then
placed it upon the small table to his right.
    “Now, my dear
Mrs. Blackburn. Are we ready to commence?”
    Anne blinked. The brandy had left
her feeling bold and adventurous.
    “Yes, Mr. Harper. But might we…as
we…I mean…as we are to be spending some time together over the next few weeks,
do you think that we might dispense with formalities and use our first names?”
She bit her lower lip as she waited for his reaction. What she was asking could
be considered scandalous but as they were both adults and she’d been married
and no one else was to know, she saw no harm in it.
    Mr. Harper leaned forward and
took