Page 19 (1/2)

"Picking out the perfect gown to highlight your eyes"

The voice belonged to a woed froistered that it was a stranger, a woman, and so stink

"Can I help you?" My voice was frosty,

She had short, sainst creaht Her dress was in a loose, foreign style, with a flowing skirt and a fitted bodice, the entire garh One hand held folded blue cloth, and the other one stroked suggestively down her collarbone as she closed the door and leaned back against it

"You’re lovely, you know," she murmured in a cultured London accent "I couldn’t keep ht"

I didn’t knohat to say, so I said nothing, just glared

"You could make a lot of money I could teach you"

"Not interested"

"It’s not all bad I canand painted lips quirked up on one side

The only thing I needed less than a half-dressed snack in my room was a prostitute in my bed I drew a deep breath and opened h

"Oh, don’t fuss I’ll stop"

"Where’s Casper?"

"Playing harpsichord at breakfast, albeit very softly"

"Why are you really here?"

She grinned and winked, holding up a shi you soht this ht suit"

I raised an eyebrow and reached for the dress It would be a welcoain I could already i as I walked But she yanked it back, her eyes glazing over with hunger

"That’s cheating, lovely Off with the nightdress first"

"Get out Now"

She held up the dress, letting the skirt tumble from her bare hands to dance in the air I crossed

"You truly are a beauty," she said with a sigh "Are you still a virgin? Miss May would set a price that would keep you in silks for life, you know"

"I’o"

"You’ve got to pay the price first, little pretty," she purred "And everything on the Maybuck has a price"

She draped the dress over the foot of the bed, the light blue silk shining against the plush velvet With a confident smile, she leaned close and placed one soft, white hand to my cheek as if to pullcurtain of red overlay everything I saw, and I lunged for her bare white throat

My teeth ular, her hands on either side of hed "Not today, sweetheart," she said

Soft bare fingers held th she should not have had Her pulse hadn’t even gone up Before she could say anything else, I whipped rasp and crawled hastily off the bed I wouldn’t underesti it a stateered on the low neck ofit aroundit over my chest "I don’t knohat you mean"

She jerked her chin toward my hands, and I realized they had been bare the whole tiuise, and thatthe other wants"