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He set his chin atop her head "I want him ruined I cannot allow hi interest is required to glean the information I need to thwart him, it’s a small price to pay"

His tone was so vitriolic, it didn’t sound like Jasper at all Eliza leaned back to study his features "Why?"

"Retribution for a…friend"

Jealousy stung her "A lover?"

"No" His hands stroked the length of her spine "Before you there was sex You have been htened his already immaculate cravat "Will I always be?"

"Are you asking if I’ll be steadfast? Of course"

"You answer so easily"

His beautiful mouth curved with amusement "As if I practiced ht we’d established I have yet to tell you a falsehood"

Eliza looked up at hiht of another wo"

"Vexing," he repeated, grinning

"Intolerable," she amended

"We certainly cannot have you vexed Therefore, I must be faithful"

Unsatisfied by his response, she goaded him "I shall follow your lead in this aspect of our association, as I have in everything else"

"Why, Miss Martin," he drawled "I do believe that was a threat"

Her gaze dropped to where her fingers lay against white linen "Only if you stray"

He laughed Picking her up, he spun her around

"Jasper!" Wide-eyed, she looked into his face So in his expression flushed her skin

"You delight htly husky

"You confound me And charm me"

"And arouse you"

"Too easily" She ran her hands through his hair, unable to resist its thick silky texture

"I want you even e’re not together Can you say the sainto a situation with my eyes closed"

Jasper set her down and touched her falling hair with reverent fingers "Your mind wants to make sense of what you feel I’ve forsaken any effort to understand it, but you will not It’s one of the s I admire about you Just promise me that when you have doubts or concerns, you’ll come to me as you did today Tell ive it to you"