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He’d just have to be that much more complimentary when she returned, to let her kno nice she looked

Then, ain He thought about her soft mouth and how enthusiastically she’d kissed him in return

He definitely had to shower her with compliments, he decided He wanted to see her face blossom into that smile that htand that she was pleased

And he liked seeing her pleased

Griffin finished adjusting his antique familial cufflinks, then examined the way his tailcoat fell in the htly off, his otten shoddy with his appearance, and then he’d never hear the end of it No one cared about appearances more than Princess Sybilla-Louise, not even the queen He examined the tails on the tailcoat with a suin Why did etups for a party? He slung his bow tie over his neck and went to the door adjoining their rooms Robert had picked up Maylee this afternoon and she’d run errands while Griffin had met with the Bellissi He hadn’t seen her all day

And it wasstrange

He rather missed her cheery co in stride and was more of an assistant than a companion, but Maylee felt like the opposite Now that Griffin was used to Maylee’s extres, he found he s with her eyes in mind Would Maylee so for a walk tonight and visit the chocolate district? They’d passed it on the way back from his mother’s palace, and he’d stopped and purchased her a box of truffles, one of the few things that Bellissime was known for, and had them carefully packed so he could present them to her later He wanted to see Maylee’s face when she saw the expensive treat

He wouldn’ther exclai her eyes open in sensual wonder as the flavors slid across her tongue Watch her lick her lips with pleasure and turn to hiers, too

Griffin’s pants felt unco himself with a quick et control over his body When he was satisfied, he cleared his throat and ely nervous He had a small jewelry case in his hand--ancestral jewels that were attached to the Viscount Montagne Verdi title and had been since the nineteenth century He wanted Maylee to wear theht, so anyone who saw her in the her for his own

He wondered what his mother would think when she saw his A the Verdi eive a shit

Maylee touched her hair, pleased with her appearance

She lookedpretty tonight Very pretty, if she said so herself The lady at the salon had babbled in constant French, but Maylee had caught enough to hear "blow-out" and "Lord Montagne Verdi" and "makeover" So she’d sat quietly and let the woman do what she wanted to her hair A few hours later, Maylee’s frizzy corkscreere straightened into a sht hair was pulled into an elegant upsweep, a s in place Thick makeup had been applied with an airbrush--an airbrush, of all things!--and Maylee’s skin was perfect, not a freckle or a rosy spot showing Her eyes were s her own baby-blonde lashes seem dark and full

She looked rather like a princess, Maylee thought Griffin wouldn’t be able to find fault with her appearance today

She dressed in her princess gown, too The dress had been included with the other clothes that Griffin had purchased for her, and when Maylee first saw it, she’d thought it was a eous, fancy gown out to this party The lady at the boutique had told Maylee the naotten All she kneas that it was stunningly beautiful, and she got to wear it She put on her strapless bra and then the sleeveless bodice It was a deep, al taffeta The bodice itself was siht across the bustline and sleeveless The waist was nipped by a full beaded sash in a pale ivory, and from the sash, the full skirts rustled and pleated their way doard to the floor She had o with it, so she left it alone She didn’t want to be too ostentatious tonight

It took a little bit of hopping, but she was able to do up the zipper in the back of her dress--no as she going to ask Mr Griffin to do it for her She still didn’t knohat to ave her these intense, longing looksand then drove her to a hair salon so she’d look "noro one minute, and stoh, because she rather liked him He was smart, and took his duties very seriously He didn’t smile much, but when he did, it felt a bit like a present He enuinely interested in what she had to say, which was nice considering most people heard her accent and dismissed her as an idiot And he kissed divinely, like he had all the time in the world to taste and savor her

Sometimes, she really, really liked hi walk off a short pier

There was a knock on the adjoining door, and Maylee sucked in a breath, jerking up the last of her zipper "Just a sec!" She dragged on the skirted crinoline that would make her dress have a little bit of flare and act as a slip, and shi her feet into her shoes "Be there in two shakes of a lamb’s tail!"

She could have sworn she heard a snort on the other side of the door

When she was dressed, Maylee hurried to the door and pulled it open "Yes, Mr Griffin?"

He lowered his hand, clearly ready to knock again, and stared

Maylee preened a little under that stare He had to be impressed with her new look

"Maylee?"

"Who else?" She saze went there "Do you like it?"