Bait for a Gentleman novel Chapter 140

Audrina buried her face entirely into the throw pillow. She was incredibly tense at first, but slowly, the deep, radiating heat from his hand melted the fight right out of her.

Sebastian's palm had drifted from the small of her back to her side, his thumb grazing dangerously close to her ribs. He was drifting off-target.

She bit hard into the corner of the pillow.

He was supposed to be giving her a medical rubdown.

But somehow, his hands had the uncanny ability to turn something completely innocent into something painfully distracting.

"Are you done yet?" she asked, her voice muffled by the fabric.

"No."

He pressed his entire palm flat against her lower back. The crook of his thumb hooked securely around her waist, and his fingers flexed slightly, gripping her.

Audrina buried her face deeper into the pillow.

It wasn't until a soft, involuntary gasp slipped from her lips that he finally pulled back.

After washing his hands again, Sebastian sat at the opposite end of the sofa. He wrapped his hand firmly around her ankle, his thumb pressing rhythmically into the bone, massaging it with a firm but gentle pressure.

"What are you doing now?" Her voice was still muffled.

"Helping you relax."

He didn't stop, and Audrina felt every ounce of strength drain from her body.

"Sebastian," she called out, her voice actually trembling.

"Yeah?"

"Are you going to..."

He leaned over her, planting one hand heavily on the cushion beside her waist. The tip of his nose brushed against the shell of her ear, his hot breath spilling over the sensitive skin of her neck. She tilted her head to escape the sensation but ended up turning her face directly into his chest instead.

His lips hovered practically against her earlobe while his other hand continued its slow, tormenting massage down her leg.

She clutched the pillow to her chest, her entire body pulled as tight as a bowstring.

Then he asked, "Are you ever going to follow him back to the Sutton Estate again?"

Audrina squeezed her eyes shut, her eyelashes fluttering wildly.

She wanted to answer, but the moment she opened her mouth, all that came out was a quiet, breathless whimper.

She reached out blindly and grabbed his wrist. She honestly didn't know if she was trying to push him away or pull him closer. His wrist felt incredibly solid in her grip, the bone heavy, and his pulse was racing just as fast and violently as hers.

He was barely holding it together, too.

"I asked you a question."

...Where exactly would he move? Into Willow's apartment? Were the three of them going to play house?

Audrina was completely speechless. She pushed both hands against his chest to put some distance between them.

He didn't budge an inch.

Instead, he caught her wrist, raised her hand to his mouth, and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to her knuckles.

Audrina frowned, entirely confused by the sudden demand.

"No," she refused.

What would moving in with him even make her? His kept woman?

Sebastian's arms tightened involuntarily, practically caging her against his body.

Audrina didn't have to explain it. He knew exactly what would have happened in that bedroom tonight if he hadn't dragged her out of there.

His deep, shadowed eyes traced the lines of her face, but his voice was absolutely uncompromising.

"I will not let what happened today happen a second time."

"If you aren't where I can see you, I can't protect you."

"Move in with me. I'm not asking."