Page 87 of Her Beast

“You mean your first emporium?”

“No, I meant shipping.”

“Oh, like my father?”

“Yes, exactly like him.”

“What happened to change that?”

Somebody in your family set my home and business on fire and killed my wife.

“I saw the error of my ways and decided I should stay with what I knew: buying and selling goods. My first emporium was far less grand than the name would suggest, but it was a smashing success and profitable enough that I could afford to build this store.”

“And how many others?”

“There will soon to be eight.”

Malcolm couldn’t resist preening a little at her openly admiring gaze. After all, what man wouldn’t allow himself to bask in such a glow? At least for one night.

“My turn,” he said.

“But I’m not done.”

“I already allowed you more than one question. Don’t be greedy,” he chided.

She gave a gurgle of laughter that was more intoxicating than whiskey.

“Tell me about your first kiss.”

Her eyes widened and she glanced around the empty dining room as if somebody—her stepmother? Father?—might pop out of nowhere.

“Nobody else can hear us, Julia.”

She swallowed, her slender white throat tightening in a way that fed his filthy thoughts.

“It’s—well, it’s a bit naughty,” she admitted, her flush doing the impossible and making her even more lovely.

“My favorite sort of story,” he said lightly, his response earning him another delightful laugh.

“Promise me that you won’t be disgusted?”

“There is nothing you could do that would disgust me.”

She looked a little surprised by his emphatic response but was obviously too concerned with what she was about to divulge to pursue the matter.

“It was with my schoolfriend… Lily.”

“Ah,” he murmured. “The best sort of schoolmate.”

Her eyes widened. “You’re not shocked? Or disgusted?”

“I’m not. And I already told you I wouldn’t be disgusted.”

“Yes, but that was before you knew what I’d say.” Her cheeks went from pink to dark rose. “A woman kissing a woman is… scandalous.”

“I’ve paid thousands of pounds over the years to watch women do a great deal more than kiss each other.”

Her jaw dropped open. “What?” she squeaked.

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