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"It was expected," she qualified "I wouldn’t call it natural As you said, he died before his time"

"And your mother’s death? Are you confident it was an accident?"

"The only surprise about her de it took to happen," she said sharply

"Eliza…" Jasper came to sit beside her

The air around her becay

I never feel so alive as I do when I am the object of a iddy girl with her skirts held in each hand The blood sings, Eliza The heart races It is thein the world

Why did Jasper have to be the man to awaken such reactions in her? Why did he have to prove, just by breathing, that she wasn’t i someone after all? She was so disappointed to realize there were indeed some shades of pleasure that could be colored only by another hand

His dark eyes ith concern "Please understand, I only wish to be thorough Your safety is of the ut the sincerity in his tone A lock of her hair was dislodged by thefree of her hastily tied ribbon to slide over her shoulder

He stood Holding out a hand, he assisted her to her feet "Turn around"

As Eliza pivoted, she disturbed the air, allowing the pri to hiahtly at the feel of his fingers against her nape Awareness of hi across her skin like ater He lifted the curl froers

"Like fine silk," heher hair, returned the errant lock to its former place, and retied the whole aze darted around the roo was rendered in brilliant clarity, fro froli fro confusion, she grasped the first thought that caentle interest in red hair?"

"I have an unusually strong interest in you" He pressed his lips to the bare skin between her shoulder and throat

"Jasper," she whispered, shocked by the violent quiver that ? Why did you co you tomorrow?"

His hands fell to his sides "I saw the way you looked at Montague What he said made you see him in a way you haven’t before"

Eliza faced him He was more than a head taller, but his frame curved toward her in a way that ly intimate As if he was about to twirl her into a waltz