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Daht! Her first social event after three years of ht her out within hours of her ree these last years for exactly this moment She ell aware that that had not been the case at all While she had been crepe-clad and sequestered inhis scandalous reputation in many a lady’s bedroom

After the callous way he’d broken her heart, Elizabeth would have discounted hiht especially Enjoyment of the festivities was not her aied covertly to ht she would dedicate herself to the memory of her husband She would find justice for Hawthorne and see it served

The crowd parted reluctantly before Marcus and then regrouped in his wake, the ress toward her And then Westfield was there, directly before her He smiled and her pulse raced The tereat, but the moment when she could reasonably have done so passed far too swiftly

Squaring her shoulders, Elizabeth took a deep breath The glass in her hand began to tremble and she quickly sed the whole of its contents to avoid spilling on her dress She passed the eht her hand before she could retrieve it

Bowing loith a charaze never broke contact with hers "Lady Hawthorne Ravishing, as ever" His voice was rich and war her of crushed velvet "Would it be folly to hope you still have a dance available, and that you would be willing to dance it withto discover a way to refuse His wickedly virile energy, potent even across the roo in close proximity

"I aentlemen around us"

"I’ve no wish to dance with thehts on the an to object when she perceived the challenge in his eyes He s her to proceed, and Elizabeth paused She would not give hi she was afraid to dance with him "You may claim this next set, Lord Westfield, if you insist"

He bowed gracefully, his gaze approving He offered his aran to play and h the rooan

Turning, Marcus extended his arrateful for the gloves that separated their skin The ballrooht and brought to her attention the strength of his shoulder as it flexed Lashes lowered, she appraised hie

Marcus had always been an intensely physicalin a variety of sports and activities Ier, more formidable He was power personified and Elizabethshe could taer so foolish

His one softness was his luxuriously rich brown hair It shone like sable and was tied at the nape with a si with a fierce intelligence He had a clever areat cost to her heart and pride

She had half expected to find the signs of dissipation so coent life and yet his handsome face bore no such witness Instead he wore the sun-kissed appearance of a ht and aquiline over lips that were full and sensuous At the moment those lips were turned up on one side in a half s He reeous from the top of his head to the soles of his feet He atching her studying him, fully aware that she could not help but admire his handsomeness She lowered her eyes and stared resolutely at his jabot

The scent that clung to him enveloped her senses It was a wonderfully manly scent of sandalwood, citrus, and Marcus’s own unique essence The flush of her skin seeped into her insides, hts, Marcus tilted his head toward her His voice, when it ca-awaited pleasure to be in your coain"

"The pleasure, Lord Westfield, is entirely yours"

"You once called er be appropriate for me to address you so inforrin "I give you leave to be inappropriate with me at any time you choose In fact, I have always relished your moments of inappropriateness"

"You have had a nu women who suited you just as well"

"Never, my love You have always been separate and apart from every other female"

Elizabeth had ues but always their slick confidence and overtly intimatewoed the appearance of utter sincerity She’d once believed every declaration of adoration and devotion that had fallen from his lips Even now, the way he looked at her with such fierce longing seeenuine she alet what kind of man he was--a heartless seducer But her body would not let her forget She felt feverish and faintly dizzy

"Three years of ," he said, with a faint note of bitterness "I aed your beauty In fact, you are even ether You do recall that occasion, do you not?"

"Vaguely," she lied "I have not thought of it inif he suspected her deception, she studied hied partners Marcus radiated an aura of sexual netism that was innate to him The way he moved, the way he talked, the way he sies and appetites She sensed the barely leashed power he hid below the polished surface and she recollected how dangerous he was

His voice poured over her with liquid heat as the steps of the minuet returned her to him "I am wounded you are not more pleased to see me, especially when I braved this miserable event solely to be with you"

"Ridiculous," she scoffed "You had no notion I would be here this evening Whatever your purpose, please go about it and leave ly soft "My purpose is you, Elizabeth"

She stared a htened unease "If ether he will be furious"

The flare of Marcus’s nostrils made her wince Once he and Williaeht about the deretted, that was paramount

"What do you want?" she asked when he said nothing more

"The fulfillment of your proainstin between"

"You’reThen her eyes narrowed "Don’t toy with raced your sheets since we parted I did you a good turn by releasing you to--"

Elizabeth gasped as his gloved hand spun about beneath hers and his fingers squeezed with crushing force

With darkened gaze, he bit out, "You did a great ood turn is not one of theht back "You kne I felt about fidelity, how strongly I desired it You could never have been the type of husband I wanted"

"I was exactly what you wanted, Elizabeth You wanted me so badly it scared you away"

"That’s not true! I am not afraid of you!"

"If you had any sense, you would be," he muttered