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Max felt his head spinning and his body hardening It was so he had coood sign if he was to keep his mind sharp He needed to retain some sort of control if he were to use his skills and experience in one final attempt to talk her out of her ridiculous plan

“Marietta?”

She turned around like a startled angel, the silk floating about her, the edges of the robe she wore flipping back Her fair curls tumbled about her shoulders and down over her breasts and…He realized he could see the pale globes through the paper-thin cloth, just before she pulled the robe back over her, holding it together as if it would somehow protect her

From what, from him?

The idea gave him pause He looked at her more carefully, and realized that at the moment she looked as if she was about to bolt frohtened Of him? Or of this whole scenario she had set in et about her wild plan, after all, and he wouldn’t have to seduce her

Damn it!

Marietta narrowed those bright blue eyes at hie!”

He had, although Mrs Po wound on his forehead In fact, Max had dressed very carefully for thisBlack coat and trousers, silk shirt and necktie, his pocketwatch tucked into his waistcoat Disinherited he ht he looked every inch one

She was eyeing hiuile, as if they were the best of friends As if there was no need to guard herself with him He wished she didn’t trust him like that, because Max knew that he didn’t want to be her friend How could he be, when he was planning to trick her out of her heart’s desire? She would hate him for it if she knew

He“So, what is the prograentleman arrives Act Two…?”

“The gentleman is seated and made comfortable This way, Lord Roseby” She curtseyed and beckoned him towards the fireplace

Max followed her to the sofa bursting with cushions, trying not to watch the sway of her hips beneath the silken garment that wafted about her like a zephyr Bloody hell, if he narrowed his eyes he could see the shape of her botto then He sank down onto the overstuffed seat and resisted the urge to mop his brow

“A drink, my lord?” she asked him sweetly, in a submissive tone completely unlike her usual bossy one

“Brandy, thank you” A drink ive her so to do other than what he feared she planned to do Keep her busy, he thought, that was the thing

He watched her as she trotted off to a table full of glass decanters Her hand hovered uncertainly over one and then another Finally she lifted a stopper and poured a glass, and carried it carefully back to him, a sycophantic smile plastered on her face