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He had to stop his jaw fro at the sound of her husky tones That sultriness was at complete odds with her innocent deue The prospect of htened his interest

‘Because of the longing in your eyes’ And because of the pout of her pretty mouth

‘What do you think I’ for?’

Now there was a question One he chose not to answer, knowing his silence would speak for itself He just looked at her—feeling the awareness between them snap

‘What should I call you?’ she asked after a beat

He lifted his eyebrows ‘You don’t knoho I am?’

Her lips parted as she shook her head ‘Should I?’

He studied her for a nition in her eyes when he’d first spoken to her, and there was none norefreshing ‘No,’ he said ‘I’m no one of importance No prince, that’s for sure’

Soone before he could pick it up

‘I’ Palisades for a few days,’ he drawled ‘And I’le’

Her lips parted ‘Why do I need to know that?’

That sultry voice pulled, setting off a small ache deep in his bones He didn’t much like aches He preferred action

‘No reason’ He shrugged carelessly, but smiled

Her lips twitched, then alut, followed hard by so far hotter Pleasure It pressed him closer

‘Why are you all alone in here?’ He offered her the second glass of chane

She accepted it but took such a small sip he wasn’t sure that the liquid even hit her lips A careful wo

‘Are you hiding?’ he queried

She licked her lips and glanced down at her dress before tugging at the strap that was straining to hold her curves

Definitely nervous

‘You look beautiful,’ he added ‘You don’t need to worry about that’

That wave of colour swept her cheeks again but she lifted her head There was an assuredness in her gaze now that surprised him ‘I’m not worried about that’

Oh? So she held a touch more confidence than had first appeared Another shot of satisfaction rushed His fingers itched with the urge to tug the wig from her head and find out what colour her hair really was While this façade was beautiful, it was a fantasy he wanted to pierce so he could see the real treasure beneath

‘Then why aren’t you out there?’ he asked

‘Why aren’t you?’ Alert, she watched for his response

‘Sos is necessary rather than desired’

‘These “things”?’ she mocked his tone

‘It depends who’s here’

‘No doubt you

desire these “things” more when there are plenty of pretty women’ She was breathless beneath that rasp

But he knew she was enjoying this slight spar and parry He’d play along

‘Naturally’ Dalass as he sipped his drink, deliberately hiding his delight ‘I aed helplessly

Her gaze narrowed on hi from that i with toys A doll here, a doll there’

‘Of course,’ he followed her s pasti them’

‘I’ll bet’

He leaned forward, deliberately intruding into intimate space to whisper conspiratorially, ‘I never break ood care when I’’

‘Oh?’ Her gaze lanced straight through his veneer, striking at a weak spot he didn’t know he had ‘If you say it, it must be true’

Appreciating her little flash of spirit, he was instantly deterhtfully

‘And you?’ he asked, though he already suspected the answer ‘Do you often attend nights like this?’ Did she play with toys of her own?

She shrugged her shoulders in an echo of his

He leaned closer again, rewarded as he heard the hitch in her breathing ‘Do you work at the hospital?’

Tonight’s ball was the annual fundraiser and, while he knew huge amounts were raised, it was also the chance for hospital staff to be celebrated

‘Ido some stuff there’ Her lashes lowered

Wasn’t she just Ms Mysterious? ‘So why aren’t you with your friends?’

‘I don’t know them all that well’

Perhaps she was a new recruit who’d won an invitation for this ball in the ballot they held for the hospital staff Perhaps that hy she didn’t have any friends with her It wouldn’t take long for her to find a few Soeon would snap her up if he had any sense Then it wouldn’t be long before she lost that arousing ability to blush