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His hands tightened on the soft, slender body as he took one long stride towards the bed, his mouth still on hers Her tuht hand, the one around her shoulders, and it was every bit as soft and tactile as he had iined When it was all down it would reach her waist, would brush over his naked chest—

His foot hit the bedpost and jarred hi, hoainst the pillows and stepped away as though a chain had jerked him

‘I’y that rong in so in to count them What the devil was the matter with him? He wasn’t usually this clumsy

‘It was , her face flushed, her eyes wide On her cheek the ugly bruise was deepening ‘I meant to say thank you and I didn’t think I meant to kiss your cheek’

Of course she had After the day she’d had now he had taken her innocent gesture and turned it into another assault and she was bla herself ‘Tess—’

‘Thank you, , her words a clear dismissal She had known him since they had both been children and, it was quite clear, she was going to take no nonsense from him now ‘You can leave Miss Ellery to my care’

‘Goodnight, Miss Ellery,’ Alex said formally ‘Mrs Semple will look after you excellently, you may be sure’

‘I’ll be sleeping in the dressing room, my lord’ Hannah nodded towards the corner of the room ‘With the door open Then if Miss Ellery becoht I am close at hand’

With a poker at the ready for randy ed a smile for her and took himself off He needed brandy No, he needed to strip off and stand under the stable yard pu to have to settle for brandy

Back in the study he flung hilass, raised it to his lips as an indignant voice began to yowl from inside the wicker basket by the fireside

‘You took the words right out of lass untouched and went to open the basket Somehow, in a matter of moments, he had acquired a cat, a nun, and his well-ordered, pleasantly selfish life was upside down