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"You are being absurd"

"Indeed?" She regarded hi You havechildren, o, who is never charly his aently remove the blouse frorasp her shoulders

"Jocelyn, I can assure you that I aret darkening his eyes "In truth, there are any number of my acquaintances ould assure you that I have more than my fair share of faults"

She frowned, unable to accept his words Surely all who met Lucien tumbled into love with hiers briefly tightened, his lips twisting in a rueful fashion

"You should I can be irresponsible, frivolous, and inclined to infuriate others with my peculiar sense of hu a vulnerability that she would never have expected beneath his smooth assurance It pierced her heart in a manner that she had never experienced before

Barely aware of what she did, Jocelyn raised her hand to lay it against the satin softness of his cheek in a co motion

"I enjoy your sense of huolden eyes abruptly shiers still pressed to his countenance

"Oh, my dove, you do know best how to touch ile, wondrous moment

The sensations that filled her were not those she had experienced with Lord Patten This had nothing to do with vanity or a need for adventure or even the desire for physical pleasure

What she felt noas deeper, more profound Her heart, even her very soul, knew the truth

It was perhaps the most important moment in her entire life

"Do I?" she whispered

"Can you doubt it?" he demanded in hoarse tones

"Lucien "

Her lips parted in an open invitation for his kiss, but even as his head began to lower, an unreadable e back

"Jocelyn, we must speak," he abruptly insisted

A chill inched down her spine She reluctantly recalled hisher feelings She had wanted him to know that he had found a place within her heart But even as the words had treain, he was holding her at length

There was clearly so," she said in a failed attempt at humor to cover her fear

His features became unreadable as he drew in a deep breath "There are secrets you do not know of me, Jocelyn Secrets that are not easy to confess"

She stiffened, feeling as if her heart were being squeezed with a ruthless force

"Are you married?"

He appeared ave a sharp shake of his head

"No I have never desired to bind myself to another" His hand ly hid a sigh Surely anything could be overco as he was free to offer her his heart

"Then, what is it?"

Surprisingly she felt his fingers tre to control his inner emotions The chill within her became more pronounced

"You said that I was different I fear that you were quite right I aentleether in a puzzled frown "That does not entlemen I have encountered, I can only be relieved that you are different"

He gave a sigh, his fingers co down her cheek to stroke the line of her jaw

"That is because you do not yet co any sense I know you There is nothing--"

Her ardent words were unti rooasp of dis’s speculative gaze

"Meg" She ridiculously ran her hands over her gown, realizing that the servant was bound to have noticed the intimate familiarity between her and Lucien There would no doubt be a stern lecture on theoccurred?"

The housekeeper flashed Lucien a jaundiced glare before returning her attention to the flustered Jocelyn

"That gent is here again"

"Gent?"

"That one who ruined led by Lucien, it took a while before Jocelyn at last realized Megto the Bow Street Runner who had called before