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Finally, she looked up The answer hovered overhead He’d fashioned a sort of sleeping loft, accessible by a ladder Rich drapes concealed what she assumed to be his bed Above that, the stone walls spiraled into black, cavernous nothingness

Minerva decided she’d given him ample time to find a shirt and make himself presentable She cleared her throat and slowly turned “I’ve come to ask—”

He was still half naked

He had not used the time to make himself presentable He’d taken the chance to pour a drink He stood in profile, lass to assess its cleanliness

“Wine?” he asked

She shook her head Thanks to his indecent display, a ferocious blush was already burning its way over her skin Up her throat, over her cheeks, up to her hairline She hardly needed to throine on the flames

As he poured a glass for himself, she couldn’t help but stare at his leanly ht She’d been used to thinking hiod A lesser one His wasn’t the physique of a hulking, over-muscled Zeus or Poseidon, but rather a lean, athletic Apollo or Mercury A body built not to bludgeon, but to hunt Not to lu naiads where they bathed, but to

Seduce

He glanced up She looked away

“I’m sorry to wake you,” she said

“You didn’t wake me ”

“Truly?” She frowned at hi as it took

you to answer the door, you ht have put on some clothes ”

With a devilish grin, he indicated his trousers “I did ”

Well Now her cheeks all but caught fire She dropped into the ar she could disappear into its seams

For God’s sake, Minerva, take hold of yourself Diana’s future is at stake

Setting the wine on the table, he moved to some wooden shelves that seemed to serve as his wardrobe To the side, a row of hooks supported his outerwear A red officer’s coat, for the local militia he led in the Earl of Rycliff’s absence A few finely tailored, outrageously expensive-looking topcoats froray wool

He passed over all these, grabbed a simple lawn shirt, and yanked it over his head Once he’d thrust his arh the sleeves, he held them out to either side for her appraisal “Better?”

Not really The gaping collar still displayed a wide view of his chest—only with a lascivious wink instead of a frank stare If anything, he looked od and

“Here ” He took the greatcoat froht it to her “It’s dry, at least ”

Once he’d settled the coat over her lap, he pressed the glass of wine into her hand A signet ring flashed on his little finger, shooting gold through the glass’s stem

“No argu so hard, I can hear your teeth chatter The fire and coat help, but they can’t warm you inside ”

Minerva accepted the glass and took a careful sip Her fingers did tremble, but not entirely from the cold

He pulled up a stool, sat on it, and fixed her with an expectant look “So ”

“So,” she echoed, stupidly

Her ht in this respect Minerva considered herself a reasonably intelligent person, but good heavenshandsorew so flustered around them, never knehere to look or what to say The replybitter or la remark froether Only days later, while she was banging away at a cliff face with a rock ha to mind

Reer she stared at hience waning A day’s growth of whiskers only e cut of his jaw His uish wave And his eyeshe had eyes like Bristol dialea of flinty hazel enclosed cool flashes of quartz A hundred crystalline shades of aray

She squeezed her eyes shut Enough dithering “Do you mean to marry my sister?”

Seconds passed “Which one?”

“Diana,“ she exclai all of fifteen ”

He shrugged “So bride ”

“Soe entirely You told me you were one of them ”

“I told you that? When?”

“Surely you reht ”

He stared at her, obviously nonplussed “We had ‘a night’?”

“Not how you’re thinking ” Months ago now, she’d confronted hiardens about his scandalous indiscretions and his intentions toward her sister They’d clashed Then they’d so insults severed the knot

Curse her scientific nature, so relentlessly observant Minerva resented the details she’d gleaned in those moments She did not need to know that his bottom waistcoat button was exactly in line with her fifth vertebra, or that he smelled faintly of leather and cloves But even now, months later, she couldn’t seem to jettison the information

Especially not when she sat huddled in his greatcoat, embraced by borroarmth and the same spicy, masculine scent

Naturally, he’d forgotten the encounter entirely No surprise Most days, he couldn’t even remember Minerva’s name If he spoke to her at all, it was only to tease

“Last summer,” she re to Diana Or anyone But today, gossip in the village says different ”