table, noting that Conner’s stack was the still
the highest, with Colin and Rory’s only slightly shorter. With that last
win, Gavin was close behind, while Alec clearly had the shortest stack.
Sliding her chair back from the table, she motioned for the
men to remain seated. “I believe I’ll pour myself another glass of sherry
before retiring,” she told them.
“Here, let me get it for you.”
“No, no,” she insisted as Colin made to rise from his
chair. “I’m perfectly capable of pouring my own drink. You all keep
playing.”
Moving toward the sideboard, Scarlett unhurriedly poured
herself another sherry as the men returned their attention to the game. A
moment later, with her fingers firmly clasped around the stem of a fragile
crystal goblet, she moved to a more comfortable position on the nearby settee,
strategically placing herself so that she had an unimpeded view of Alec and he
of her.
Taking a small sip of the sherry, Scarlett eyed Alec over the
rim of the glass, willing him to look up. Almost as though he could feel
the heat of her gaze upon him, he complied, lifting his eyes from his
cards. Deliberately, she lowered her glass and then slowly licked the
moisture from her lips, boldly meeting his gaze.
Alec clenched his jaw in sheer frustration. If he
wasn’t mistaken, the little minx was doing her best to seduce him, and had been
all evening. He knew the signs all too well. With every look, and
each subtle movement of her body, Scarlett was offering herself to him, and as
much as he tried, the telltale signals were getting harder and harder to
ignore. Thankfully, her bothers were well into their cups and too
fixated on the game to notice their sister’s telling behavior, for which he was
immensely grateful. Nevertheless, he
knew that he had to put a stop to the situation before it went any further.
“Are you in or out Alec?” Colin queried, breaking Alec
from his silent musing. Colin had raised the pot and he hadn’t even
noticed. He looked toward Colin, studying his longtime friend’s
imperturbable expression. He had been playing cards with Colin long enough
to get a good read on him, and he suspected that he had a strong hand. He
seriously doubted he could beat Colin’s cards, but he pushed all of his chips
forward anyway. He did his best to appear disappointed when Colin laid
down the winning hand.
“I think it’s time for me to stretch my legs,” he told the
group, after receiving a hearty dose of good-natured ribbing about the loss of
his money. The brothers, being more competitive with each other than they
were with anyone else, seemed content to continue the game without him.
“Do you still have that book you were telling me about?” he asked Colin, rising
from the table.
“It’s on the desk in my study,” Colin replied. “Help
yourself.”
Scarlett waited several minutes after Alec’s departure,
before she started to yawn. Fortunately, it wasn’t long before Conner
noticed. “You look tired, Scarlett.”
Colin turned at Conner’s comment and regarded Scarlett with a
look of brotherly affection. “As much as we enjoy your company, you need
not stay up on our account, Minx.”
“It is getting
rather late,” she said, with a glance toward the mantle clock. “Perhaps I
should turn in.”
As her brothers wished her a good night, Scarlett crossed the
room to the large double doors, nonchalantly pulling them shut behind her.
She stood in the hall for several moments, suddenly beset
with nervousness. She took several deep steadying breaths, and then
forced her feet to move in the direction of Colin’s study.
The doors were closed, and for a moment she hesitated.
She shut her eyes tightly and summoned her courage. Her hand trembled as
she slowly reached out to turn the handle. When she opened the door she
found Alec leaning casually against Colin’s large desk, a fresh tumbler of
whiskey in
the highest, with Colin and Rory’s only slightly shorter. With that last
win, Gavin was close behind, while Alec clearly had the shortest stack.
Sliding her chair back from the table, she motioned for the
men to remain seated. “I believe I’ll pour myself another glass of sherry
before retiring,” she told them.
“Here, let me get it for you.”
“No, no,” she insisted as Colin made to rise from his
chair. “I’m perfectly capable of pouring my own drink. You all keep
playing.”
Moving toward the sideboard, Scarlett unhurriedly poured
herself another sherry as the men returned their attention to the game. A
moment later, with her fingers firmly clasped around the stem of a fragile
crystal goblet, she moved to a more comfortable position on the nearby settee,
strategically placing herself so that she had an unimpeded view of Alec and he
of her.
Taking a small sip of the sherry, Scarlett eyed Alec over the
rim of the glass, willing him to look up. Almost as though he could feel
the heat of her gaze upon him, he complied, lifting his eyes from his
cards. Deliberately, she lowered her glass and then slowly licked the
moisture from her lips, boldly meeting his gaze.
Alec clenched his jaw in sheer frustration. If he
wasn’t mistaken, the little minx was doing her best to seduce him, and had been
all evening. He knew the signs all too well. With every look, and
each subtle movement of her body, Scarlett was offering herself to him, and as
much as he tried, the telltale signals were getting harder and harder to
ignore. Thankfully, her bothers were well into their cups and too
fixated on the game to notice their sister’s telling behavior, for which he was
immensely grateful. Nevertheless, he
knew that he had to put a stop to the situation before it went any further.
“Are you in or out Alec?” Colin queried, breaking Alec
from his silent musing. Colin had raised the pot and he hadn’t even
noticed. He looked toward Colin, studying his longtime friend’s
imperturbable expression. He had been playing cards with Colin long enough
to get a good read on him, and he suspected that he had a strong hand. He
seriously doubted he could beat Colin’s cards, but he pushed all of his chips
forward anyway. He did his best to appear disappointed when Colin laid
down the winning hand.
“I think it’s time for me to stretch my legs,” he told the
group, after receiving a hearty dose of good-natured ribbing about the loss of
his money. The brothers, being more competitive with each other than they
were with anyone else, seemed content to continue the game without him.
“Do you still have that book you were telling me about?” he asked Colin, rising
from the table.
“It’s on the desk in my study,” Colin replied. “Help
yourself.”
Scarlett waited several minutes after Alec’s departure,
before she started to yawn. Fortunately, it wasn’t long before Conner
noticed. “You look tired, Scarlett.”
Colin turned at Conner’s comment and regarded Scarlett with a
look of brotherly affection. “As much as we enjoy your company, you need
not stay up on our account, Minx.”
“It is getting
rather late,” she said, with a glance toward the mantle clock. “Perhaps I
should turn in.”
As her brothers wished her a good night, Scarlett crossed the
room to the large double doors, nonchalantly pulling them shut behind her.
She stood in the hall for several moments, suddenly beset
with nervousness. She took several deep steadying breaths, and then
forced her feet to move in the direction of Colin’s study.
The doors were closed, and for a moment she hesitated.
She shut her eyes tightly and summoned her courage. Her hand trembled as
she slowly reached out to turn the handle. When she opened the door she
found Alec leaning casually against Colin’s large desk, a fresh tumbler of
whiskey in
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