Bronwyn Scott's Sexy Regency Bundle (192 page)

Scott

to sit this one out." Her tone was gracious, but something in her eyes did not match the politeness of her rejection. Those sharp green eyes were not the eyes of a delicate princess. They were a hoyden's eyes, and right now they were dancing with mischief, challenging him. He would answer that challenge with one of his own.

"Perhaps you were just waiting for the right partner. Please, the music awaits." How fortuitous. This dance was empty, the only dance not spoken for, although it

him as odd that

she would sit out the waltz. Julian offered her his reissuing his challenge. This time, she took it.

Julian swung them on the floor, marveling at the way she felt in his

His hand fit smoothly

at the small of her back and she let him draw her to him as if they weren't strangers. He liked the Viennese style of waltzing better than the version danced in England. Holding a woman so close, feeling her reactions as they moved contrachecks to fleckerls, he could tell if she was worth bedding. This one definitely would be, Julian reflected, guiding them through a passing change at high speeds.

6

Libertine Lord, Pickpocket Miss

She laughed up at him, enjoying the moment.

"You dance very well, Julian Burke."

Ah, so she knew him. "My reputation precedes me. I fear you have me at a grave disadvantage, miss."

She laughed again; if sunlight had a sound, it would be this. "Of course I have you at a disadvantage.

woman's reputation should never

precede her."

Julian smiled at her sharp rejoinder. She was
and
witty. It was definitely too bad he didn't have time to seduce her. His body wanted to argue that point. His eyes kept straying to the sweep of her decolletage and the high, breasts it put on display to their best advantage. In the dance, those breasts were just two tempting inches

his chest. In his mind, he could imagine the weight of them in his palms with accuracy. His hand at her waist could feel the feminine indentation and the soft flare of her hip beneath her layers of clothing. The of an arousal were starting to stir, and he knew

long years of experience they

would be

together.

"You can put aside whatever lascivious thoughts you may be entertaining behind that

Scott

smile, Mr. Burke," his light-footed angel said bluntly. "You cannot seduce me. I will not be another of your conquests."

"Are you certain?" Julian saw no reason to apologize or to lie, although he was stunned she'd found him to be so transparent in his thoughts. His partner was clearly up to the task of managing him, which in itself was a novelty. He pulled her even closer, until her body was flush with his, and whispered in her ear,

don't you let me try

and we'll see if you're right?"

An English debutante would have slapped him across the face and stalked off the dance floor, but the woman in his

merely laughed

as if he'd said something humorous.

"HOW, precisely, would you go about it then, Mr. Burke?"

The cheeky vixen! It was all Julian could do not to throw back his head and laugh in the most conspicuous way. Julian could not remember when he'd been so utterly enchanted with a woman. He wanted to flirt with her simply to see what she'd do next. And she wanted him to. In spite of her claims to the contrary, she was intrigued by him.

8

Libertine Lord, Pickpocket Miss

Julian still held her close. He took advantage of that proximity now. "I would start with strawberries and champagne beneath a spring moon on a clear night," he whispered huskily. "I would slide this gown of yours off your arms and down to your waist. I would lay you on a blanket of softest wool and let you revel in the sensation of the wool at your back and the light spring breeze playing across your naked breasts before taking them in my warm palms, in my mouth."

When he paused, waiting to gauge her reaction to his boldness, part of him expected her to be scandalized at such

No part of him had

expected her to simply look up at him and say,

"And? Surely there is more than that to your seduction, Mr. Burke."

Julian gave her a dark look. "My dear, this is but a sample. Anticipation, not expectation, is the essence of any sensual encounter. To tell you everything would give you nothing to look to."

She was about to respond when the dance came to an end and with it, the end to the magic they'd woven between them. It was time to go to work, but Julian pushed aside thoughts of the task.

The diamonds were in a safe. They could wait a