“Now that you’ve found me,” he said, a hint of teasing in his tone, “what do you have for me?”
“I have an offer,” she barely whispered.
“Go on,” he encouraged.
For family. For Margaret.
“I will be yours,” she began. “For one night. In exchange for twenty thousand pounds.”
The stranger let out a low whistle. His warm, honeyed breath grazed her skin, and Camelia fought to suppress the heat it stirred in her belly.
Have I crossed a boundary?
The stranger leaned forward, studying her closely. She longed to back away, but she was pulled towards him instead.
She released a shaky breath, and he inhaled her deeply, his eyes fluttering closed for a few seconds as if he were savoring her essence.
“You must hold your charms in high esteem, little flower, to demand a sum that could buy an estate. That’s no small price.”
“It’s worth it,” she insisted, her voice breaking slightly. “I believe that I know my worth.”
“Your dress tells a different story,” he said pointedly, staring at her heaving chest.
Camelia ignored his jab. “Will you accept my offer or not?” she asked with a hint of annoyance.
He chuckled as he eyed her with curiosity. “First, tell me your name. I will decide after.”
“My name is Ca—?” She pursed her lips.
Control your tongue, Camelia.
“Do continue,” he said darkly.
“My name is Cassandra,” she lied, her gaze averted to escape his probing stare.
The stranger stood motionless, but she felt his eyes on her. She was afraid to push this brazen charade even further.
“Do you desire me or not?”
“A bold question,” he drawled. “But I require a taste of what you offer before considering such a fortune, little flower.”
Camelia hesitated.
I must move now, lest he suspect too much.
She slowly stepped forward, closing the small distance between them with a boldness that set her blood aflame.
The stranger seemed astonished by her reaction. Taller than most ladies, Camelia reached his neck with ease. Her trembling fingers curled into his collar, and she pulled him closer.
“Let me prove myself,” she whispered, her lips brushing against his.
It’s now or never.
She held her breath and before he could form a reply, her lips claimed his in a fervent, artless kiss, its desperate heat sparking a wildfire within him.
“Oh…” she whimpered against his mouth.
The kiss, though it only lasted a moment, pulsed with a need that sent her heart racing. A low groan rumbled in the stranger’s chest as he suddenly grabbed her waist and held her away from him.
