Sam snorted. “I’m not sure what that monstrosity is. What are you doing later?”
What did he mean? She would be sleeping like every other normal person. Well, unless you were Sam Kincaide, then you would be in some lady’s room. She felt her cheeks heat at the thought. The heat traveled down her neck, and she pulled her hands to her collarbone, embarrassed by her reaction.
He chuckled. “What type of lecherous thoughts are you having?”
A low growl escaped from her throat. He scooted closer to her, still staring at the painting.
“Watch it, Ice Princess. You’re starting to thaw.”
“My thoughts are not like yours. I don’t spend my days imagining people naked,” she whispered.
Did she really say that? Clara was horrified her thoughts had been driven in that direction. It was his fault!
She glanced at him sideways again, and he seemed to be holding his breath to prevent himself from laughing.
“Don’t you dare laugh,” she said.
He was silent for a moment, taking the time to compose himself then he said, “I thought we could meet and play some games. Strictly platonic games without any nudity.”
She flushed again, slightly embarrassed she had said such things to him. “Where would we meet to play these games?”
“Meet me in the library at the same time as the first night we met.”
Clara couldn’t do that. If they were found together, even if their activities were platonic, it would be scandalous. She was tempted, awfully tempted. She bit her lip, torn between the fun dangled before her and all the properness that had been instilled in her.
“Trust me, Clara,” he murmured.
She glanced at him and realized she did, although she didn't know why. Clara did the unexpected and nodded, accepting his invitation.
Chapter 4
Sam stood in Adderly’s library drinking brandy. He ran his fingers through his hair, nervous. What was he doing meeting an innocent like Clara in the middle of the night? He was courting trouble even if their meeting was innocent fun. Sam stared out the window and pondered what it was about Clara’s company he enjoyed so much. At first, he had been amused that she dared to scurry around Adderly’s house in her night clothes but today during the scavenger hunt and in the exhibit room, he had enjoyed talking to her. There was an unexpected camaraderie between them. Would it be the same if he were introduced to her at a ball? He wasn’t sure, but he was glad they met the way they had. Somehow it forced them beyond formalities and properness.
He heard the door open and turned to see Clara enter the room. For some reason he expected the same Clara he encountered the first night in a nightgown, wrap, and with her hair falling at her shoulders. She was far from that. She was dressed in a proper day dress and her blonde hair was piled atop her head. Still, she seemed different from Clara at the ball tonight, much more relaxed. He wondered how many people really knew this Clara?
Sam smiled at her, and she frowned back at him, clearly thinking meeting him in the library was a horrible lapse in judgement. She bit her rosebud lip before frowning even more intensely. Her brows furrowed, and she took a step back as if she wanted to flee the room.
Sam chuckled. “Come now, you aren’t thinking about leaving already? You just got here.”
Her pale blue eyes sparked, and she stomped her foot in frustration. God, he loved to rile up this woman. He wasn’t sure why. Maybe because for so long when he saw her across any random ballroom, she seemed unshakable, frozen into the perfect representation of a lady.
“This seems reckless. What if someone decides to visit the library?” she said.
Practical, Sam thought. Still, he was delighted she took the risk to meet him. “I have a secret,”
She tilted her head questioningly at him. Sam held out his tan weathered hand and said, “Come.”
She scoffed at his demand. “Where?”
“Clara, I promise you are safe with me. I mean that. Now come.”
She bit her lip again and something in Sam stirred at the temptation those lips presented. Temptation, what was he thinking? He pushed the thought away. Clara wasn’t his type, far from it. She was his mate. Finally, she took his hand, and he guided her to a bookcase. They stopped, and she stared at him perplexed.
“Is your idea to stand in the corner of the library? How will that protect us if someone comes in?”
She stood in front of the bookcase, still puzzled. He leaned in, a breath from her. They were so close, his scruff grazed her smooth cheek. She gasped at the closeness. For a brief insane moment Sam was tempted to brush his lips across her enticing mouth, but he pushed the thoughts from his mind. Clara wasn’t for him. He pushed a hand against the bookcase and the wall of books swung backwards opening into a new room hidden in the darkness. Clara’s eyes widened in surprise. “What is this?”
Sam couldn’t resist. He lifted an eyebrow lecherously and said, “Well, of course, it is my den of debauchery.”
