The Seduction of Sebastian St. James (House of Renwick #2)(25)

He actually looked…tame. Though Sebastian would never say it out loud for fear it would jinx him and he wouldn’t have another quiet moment with the boy ever again.

“What are you drawing?” he asked, taking a seat next to the small boy.

“Miss Emma.” Samuel had used red for her hair.

Of course it was Sebastian’s rotten luck that the one person he was trying to escape was the object of the boy’s affection as well.

“She’s sad,” Samuel said, blowing on the picture. “Her heart is sad.”

Sebastian felt a chill run over his body. “What’s your meaning, Samuel? Did you see Emma cry?”

Samuel grinned. “No, Miss Emma doesn’t cry.”

The ramblings of a five-year-old would never make sense to Sebastian. In his experience children were either extremely brilliant or incredibly confusing. He knew Samuel to be the first, but now it seemed he was turning out to be just like every other child in his acquaintance.

“It’s her face,” Samuel said.

“What’s her face?”

“Look!” Samuel pointed at the picture while his free hand reached up and pulled on Sebastian’s hair, bringing his head further down to the drawing.

It was what one would expect a five-year-old to draw, except the eyes were blue and the face, albeit a little unsettling, held no smile. It was as if Emma were staring right through him.

Samuel sighed loudly. “You don’t see it.”

“It’s a pretty picture,” Sebastian said politely.

Samuel looked up at Sebastian and removed his hand. “You have to make Miss Emma happy.”

“I’ll try.” His heart clenched, it felt as if he had just been given a word from God. “Make this woman happy, and don’t let Me down.” How did little children manage to squeeze under your skin so effectively?

Sebastian, still meditating on the musings of a five-year-old, didn’t even notice Samuel leave. It was probably best. Rising, he walked out of Samuel's room and down the hall to his temporary room.

His sister had arrived a few days ago, and with her a gaggle of young girls and theatrics he wanted no part of. At least he had a place where he could be away from them. And yet he wondered what was worse. His sister and her friends or the temptress named Emma Gates. Maybe the house party would be just the ticket. He needed more than Nicholas and Sara’s judging eyes, lest he forget his own room and sneak into Emma’s instead.

The more he thought about it, the better it sounded. The house party would throw a delightful twist into Sebastian’s plans. Although it would be at Rawlings’ house, which was less than ideal, it would be the rest he needed from the peering eyes of those around him. He did not want to let his grandmother down, knowing full well she expected him to marry this year. He set his mind to putting thoughts of Emma aside.

His reputation, having an heir, making his deceased parents proud...those were the things that matter. Not, he lamented, what Emma was wearing or what she would look like after he made love to her.

Shaking the lustful thoughts from his head, he readied himself for what was to come. A fake betrothal and the hunt for his future bride.





Chapter Ten


Emma awoke the morning of the ball with a feeling of dread. Just how exactly were they going to announce to the ton that she and Sebastian were engaged? And how much research would go into Emma’s background once the announcement was made?

The duchess would most likely weep with tears of joy thinking Emma had taken her advice and seduced her grandson. The opposite was actually true. She felt positively seduced by him. Curse the man for making her feel so alive. It had been only a few days, yet in all their time spent together she was growing more and more attracted to him.

The timing was horrible. For not only was the engagement to be fake, but she was supposed to be picking out Sebastian’s future wife! How in the blazes was she to do that when all she could think about was his kiss?

Yet what other choice did she have? Even if she could seduce him or put him in a compromising situation like the duchess suggested, they could never be together. Her past would destroy their future. Plain and simple.

The last thing she needed was to bring Sebastian down in flames. The mental picture of beautiful Sebastian being socially ostracized because of his attachment to her made her ill, yet he made it sound like it was an absolute foolproof plan. She had nothing to worry about as long as they each stuck to the plan and found mates for one another.

What could possibly go wrong?

Her mind flashed to their shared kisses.

Oh that.

Splendid.

It was just a kiss. So it was two kisses. Or was it three? Her lips burned with the memory as she pushed herself out of bed to ring for tea. Besides, she was a challenge to Sebastian. That had to be it. She was probably the only woman in existence who didn’t get tongue-tied in his presence or try to seduce him at every turn. In fact, Sara hadn’t even felt the need to warn her of Sebastian. When Emma asked at dinner if she should worry about his advances during their fake engagement, Sara had laughed.

Sara said although Sebastian seemed the rakish sort, he would rather perish than attach scandal to his family. Emma had lost her appetite. Mainly because her middle name was scandal. But as long as Sebastian wasn’t aware of that, they would be safe.

“Emma?” Sara knocked on the door twice before entering.