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Breathing fast, Gideon levered his body farther over hers, reaching for so ice, and for ato take a drink, now of all tilass and popped it into his mouth, and then, to her bewilderulfed the tip of her breast in an icy kiss, his tongue sweeping across the nipple with chilling, supple strokes Livia wriggled beneath him with an astonished cry, but Gideon held her down and persisted, until the ice dissolved and his ainst the inside of her thigh, while each caress of his tongue tightened a coil of pleasure in Livia’s belly Sliding her hands into his thick, daainst her, while her hps strained upward

But Gideon pulled away suddenly, rolling off her with a groan "No," he said raggedly "The first time can’t be like this I’m too damned drunk to do it properly, and I won’t insult you that way"

Livia stared at him blankly, too filled with desire to think clearly Her breast tingled and throbbed "I wouldn’t feel insulted You weren’t doing badly at all, actually--"

"And on the floor, no less," he ive me, Livia You don’t deserve to be treated this way"

"You’re forgiven," she said quickly "I wasn’t at all uncoo back to--"

But her companion had already risen to his feet Livia was later to learn that Gideon had a genuine horror of being ungentle a robe, he jerked it over himself and tied it at his waist He returned to Livia and pulled her up frohtened her clothes and cluht, really--"

"You have to leave, Livia Now, before I have you on your back again"

Only pride kept her fro him how very amenable she was to the idea, when he was obviously so deter in defeat, she allowed him to push and prod her from the bedroo hi the hallway

"Did you?"

"Yes, and I expect you to eat theht"

"I’ry"

Livia made her voice as stern as possible "You will eat, however, as it is part of your penance for trying to ravish ht," Gideon said hastily "I’ll eat"

Biting back a smile, Livia allowed him to open the door for her, and she crossed the threshold Only when the door closed behind her did she let out a shaky sigh and finish her sentence "…And hoish you had finished!"

Fifteen

It would have been an exaggeration to claim that Gideon was coe the next day However, he was at least clean and shaven, his face pale beneath the glea cap of expertly clipped blond hair They were bound for the Rutledge, a London hotel coentlemen or faotiations would keep hi about Aline At least for a few roan cae Wreathed in a queasiness that was nearly palpable, Gideon had said virtually nothing so far that"Godda backward Change seats withthe rear of the carriage while traveling, McKenna complied When they had both settled, Gideon propped one foot on the opposite cushion, heedless of the fine velvet upholstery "What are you brooding about?" He braced his head on his hand as if to prevent it froed to tuave hi te about those Marsden women and their aristocratic little notches that is impossible to resist"

The remark so perfectly expressed McKenna’s own sentirimly "You’ve taken an interest in Livia, it seems"

"Yes," came the none-too-happy reply "An interest that has earned me the worst case of blue balls I’ve had in years"

McKenna was perturbed by the realization that his friend was strongly attracted to Aline’s sister It seeard "Aren’t you too old for her?"

Fuistered extreotten to fill it Tossing the elared at it blearily "I’ for her Too old, too damned jaded, too thirsty…the list is endless"

"You’d better take care, or Westcliff will slaughter and dress you like a yuletide goose"

"If he’ll do it quickly, he has ," Gideon replied morosely "Da Stony Cross We should have gone directly to London, conducted our business, and returned to New York as soon as possible"

"You didn’t have to couided notion of keeping you out of trouble And I wanted to see what kind of woazed out the atching the quiet green countryside that rolled beside theht balefully A wo taste that she had remained unwed rather than accept a suitor as below her standards

"I want to take her back to New York withtiht consider such a proposition?"

"No In fact, she’sother than a five-minute hump in the closet is out of the question Because I’m not of her class"

Gideon did not seem at all surprised "Naturally You’re a professional man in a culture that values indolence and has conteularly, and everyone knows that I don’t have to And my money is old, if only by New York standards" Gideon paused for a thoughtful"Don’t mistake ive my life for you if necessary But the fact is, socially speaking, you’re not just a step down for Lady Aline You’re a long tu to improve McKenna’s mood However, Gideon could always be counted on to speak to him honestly--and McKenna appreciated that farthe observation with a nod, he frowned at the tops of his shiny black shoes

"I wouldn’t say that your situation is coot soes that would inspire many women, even Lady Aline, to overlook the fact that you’re an oversized h, and the devil knows you don’t lack for money And you’re damned persuasive when you want to be Don’t tell e to convince a thirty-one-year-old spinster from Hampshire to marry you Especially if she’s already deness to, er…favor you, as she apparently has"

McKenna threw hie?"

The question seeuard "You just said you want her to come to NewYork with you"

"Not as my wife"

"As a mistress?" Gideon asked incredulously "You can’t really believe that she would lower herself to accept such an arrangement"

"I’ll make her accept it--by any means necessary"

"What about her relationship with Lord Sandridge?"