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CHAPTER ONE

‘WHY did you let him do that to you?’

The smile that had curved Eve’s lips faded, as she turned to face the owner of that intrusive voice, and was replaced by a puzzled frown She didn’t know the man who stood in front of her; in fact, she was sure she had never even seen hiedly perfect features on any man He didn’t have that pretty-pretty type of male looks that such a lot of woily starand ‘all man’ But still, Eve was sure she had never seen him before

‘I’ly

Dark brown eyes snapped with impatience as the ht in her three-inch-high sandals, theshirt ‘Why the hell did you take such a load of chauvinistic bull fro his head, as if her behaviour utterly amazed him

Eve gave an exasperated s on her conversation with Paul in the first place? The fact that he was an A to her in this way, even if this was a party

‘I’ him the opportunity to introduce himself to her at least

An opportunity he didn’t feel it necessary to take ‘So you keep saying,’ he rasped in that husky drawl that had annoyed her the first time she’d heard it—and done little to endear itself to her since! ‘But it’s ti for being alive’

Enough was enough, even fro, his dark gaze raking over her with impatient demand ‘Obviously no one could ever accuse you of that’ Sarcashty disdain—her ‘Little Miss Aloof look’, as her grandmother called it

Huaze ‘You can bet your sweet——No, no one ever has yet,’ he ae he had been about to use ‘And I don’t intend they ever should, either!’ he added grimly

Eve gave a quizzical smile This really was too ridiculous, aher in this way, and so personally too ‘I’ll bear your advice in mind, Mr …?’

‘You’ll have to do ain’ He sipped the alcohol—probably whisky—fro across the rooroup of other guests, againfor hidoormat!’

This conversation had been far fro! ‘Since I didn’t ask for your advice—or your opinion—I’ll thank you to keep them both to yourself’ Blue eyes flashed her irritation

The rin ‘I see the aze openly challenging

‘This uy” across the room!’ she informed him caustically

She stood stiffly, deeply resentful of his personal reot an invitation to one of Lady Daphne Graves’s parties? Heaven knew, Daphne was far fro a snob, but Eve just couldn’t believe the other woiven an invitation to such a socially destructive man

His grin had faded the ave a pained wince at the idea ‘Why?’ His eyes narrowed

Eve’s own triu momentarily disconcerted him instantly disappeared at his bluntly put question ‘Why?’ she echoed exasperatedly ‘You ask the strangest questions’ She shook her head ‘Questions that obviously need no answer’

‘This one sure does,’ the man scorned ‘Why would you want to tie yourself for life to a man who orders you to wait for him here—and obviously expects you to obey hiuests, enjoying himself?’

‘Paul didn’t order er

‘No?’ the ly ‘It sounded like it to me’

‘It wasn’t like that at all,’ she denied defensively ‘He simply asked me to wait for him here while he——’