Page 6 of The Mistletoe Temptation

“Christmas day. I come into my inheritance from Father.”

“A false engagement until Christmas.” Over six months. That was a long time.

“This is a terrible idea.” Not quite so adamant though.

“I’ll take you for rides in the mornings.”

That caught her attention, and she bit her lower lip. A perfect, rosy plump lip made for his kiss. She hesitated. She wanted to say yes, he could see it in her stance, leaning forward, eyes bright.

“You’re a stranger, even if you are my brother’s best friend. I can’t do this.”

“Then I’ll be forced to tell the ton about your little toe-treading scheme.” The words were out before he could stop them, a last hard hit in their negotiation.

“You wouldn’t…” she whispered.

“Try me.” He wouldn’t, but she didn’t know that. He was ruthless. Making money in business required going after what you wanted by any means necessary.

And he wasn’t quite sure why, beyond her quick mind, lush body and clever face, he wanted Miss Bains so much, but he did. There were plenty of women with the characteristics he’d just named, but she tugged at him like no other. And then she’d given him this opportunity.

“You’d ruin me socially.” She shook her head disbelievingly.

He shrugged. He wasn’t going to point out that her being rejected by the ton and a social pariah would suit her aims quite as well as a fake engagement to him. She must have a reason for not wanting to do that.

“I’d say tell all, and damn the consequences—”

Oh, she swore, did she? He liked that.

“But I won’t have my choices affect my cousin’s.”

“Because a cousin engaged to an Earl’s son will be detrimental to her prospects,” he said dryly.

“A cousin she lives with who has a broken engagement to an Earl’s son. She’s making her debut next season.”

“Make your choice, Miss Bains.”Pick the engagement, he willed her. Because he couldn’t go through with his threat now she’d revealed she was protecting her cousin.

She paced in agitation. “We won’t actually marry?”

“No.” Not unless they wanted to. And he rather thought they might.

“You don’t need my fortune? Are you bankrupt?”

“No,” he said with a chuckle. “Far from it.”

“Promise that you won’t change things, or try to fall in love with me, or anything ridiculous like that.”

“Things won’t change unless you want them to.” He was already half in love with her. He certainly wouldn’t try to make the affliction any worse unless she encouraged him.

“You really are atrocious,” she stopped pacing and stared at him as she mused. “It’s almost inspiring how dedicated you are to being horrible.”

“Why thank you.”

“It wasn’t a compliment.”

“And yet it was. I inspire you.”

“To murder.”

He laughed. “I will inspire you to le petite mort, you’ll see.” She clearly didn’t understand his reference to orgasm, which only amused him further. “I think you’ll find that if you want to do violence against my body, it will be a very different kind to what you might be thinking of now.”

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