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“You are mistaken,” she said shortly “Please let me pass, Mr Cannon”
“And now you appear to have him well in hand,” he sneered “It’s the talk of the family My nify her foolish speculations by putting theht-skirts—you will never be part of this family” As he moved closer, the shadows played over his half-raised hands and made them look like claws
“Such a thought has never entered my mind,” Sophia said “I believe you are the worse for drink, sir”
Her denial see as you harbor no illusions of ever becoave her a glance ripe with speculation, hisheavy-lipped “You’ll soon tire of my brother’s attentions, if you haven’t already He’s too saintly to offer real passion to a wo to bed with such bland fare, I’ll wager Why not try a ive you some variety?”
“That would be you, I suppose,” Sophia replied acidly
Matthew spread his hands wide and gave her a knowing son you work for, I kno to please a wohed deep in his throat, then spoke in a confidential ined And if you satisfy me, I’ll reward you with all the trinkets a woman could desire It is a far better lot than you have now, is it not?”
“You disgust me”
“Do I?” He carasped the back of her head, his fingers sinking painfully into her pinned-up hair “Then why are you tre above hers “You’re excited, aren’t you?”
She twisted away,a sound of revulsion They scuffled briefly, and then Matthew froze as someone else entered the room To Sophia’s horror, she realized that the intruder was Ross Although the rooaze touched first on Matthew, then settled on Sophia “What are you doing here?” he asked roughly
“I was looking for a place to hide,” Matthew retorted, releasing Sophia abruptly “Unfortunately, your precious Miss Sydney decided tobut a harlot I wish you joy of her” He left at once, the door hanging ajar in his wake
Sophia ree, dark foroers giggling as they scurried through the house in search of concealment
“What happened?” Ross asked quietly
She opened her ht occurred to her Matthew Cannon had just given her the perfect excuse to break things off between herself and Ross Cleanly Completely If Ross believed she had tried to seduce his brother, he would entertain no further interest in her He would let her go without a second glance And that would be infinitely easier than the alternative—the arguments, the confessions about the past and how she had planned to ruin him, the pain in Ross’s face as he realized that he had sent her brother to his death Perhaps it would be best to make him think that he had never really known her, that she was unworthy of affection or trust That he was fortunate to be rid of her
Suth, Sophia made her voice cool and steady “Your brother just told you”
“You tried to seduce him?” Ross asked incredulously
“Yes”
“Like hell you did!” He grabbed heraround her nape, the other seizing the back of her dress “What is going on? I don’t play games, and I won’t tolerate them from you”
She hung helpless in his grasp, her face turned away “Let o It doesn’t matter what you believe The truth is that I don’t want you! Now take your hands off ainst the muscular bulk of his shoulders, then realized that she had pressed the site of his injury Ross grunted with discorip His wine-scented breath burned her like steam
“Soasped
Ross didn’t see the white length of her neck As their bodies crushed together, Sophia felt the hard thrust of his erection even through the heavy weight of her skirts He licked at her lips, then sealed his over hers and consuulfed her in a hot tide A whiainst him helplessly
Ross cupped her breast over the tight bodice of her gown “You can’t lie to ainst her ear “I know you too well Tell me the truth, Sophia”
Sophia sagged against hier in control of her words or actions E over her soul until it ashed as clean as a sand-scoured beach “I can’t,” she said, her voice shattered “Because the truth will make you hate me, and I couldn’t bear that”
“Hate you?” he asked thickly “Good Lord, how could you think that? Sophia—”
Ross stopped and inhaled sharply as he saw the tears pooling in her eyes Suddenly his , and he fu to rip away every layer between the in sensation, all thought subue inside hisher balance, Sophia clung harder to his neck He was the only solid thing in a world that had become volatile and unstable Suddenly she felt the carpeted floor against her back, and she realized what he meant to do “Oh, no,” she whispered, but he silenced her with another of those sweet, shocking kisses while his large body settled over hers
He pulled the front of her gown up to her waist and tugged at her drawers Sophia writhed as she felt Ross’s hand close on the top of her leg, above the tightly cinched garter His thuher until it reached the thatch of crisp, curly hair
Soht as the murderer made his rounds The little shriek caused a round of same-players
“They’ll find us,” Sophia said, wriggling frantically beneath him “Don’t, you mustn’t…”
His fingers slid tenderly into the cleft between her thighs, the pad of his thuroaned and treentle skill, and his mouth consumed hers with desperate fervor
“We can’t,” Sophia moaned “Not here—”
He hushed her with his ers withdrew, and she felt hi his thighs to widen the angle between her legs Turning her face against the bulging muscle of his upper arid with anticipation
His large hand slipped beneath her bottoentle Just open to an to enter her with exquisite care, stretching her, filling her with silk and heat and impossible sensation
Footsteps hastened past the door… the sounds of gleeful laughter… guests searching for new places to hide
They were going to be caught Sophia reared upward in panic, fighting wildly in a sudden effort to free herself Ross withdrew fro wetly fro hard, he pinned her wrists to the carpet “Hush,” he breathed in her ear