Page 77 of What a Lord Wants

Ifshe ever gave it.

“Try turning your head just slightly to the right, but keep your eyes on me.”

She did as instructed, but instead of portraying the shyness he wanted, she looked pained.

Blowing out a hard breath, he wiped off his hands on the towel thrown over his shoulder and approached her. Frustration burned inside him, and he was certain she could feel it. Certainly Jacopo did as he watched Dom from his spot in the corner, having spent enough time in the studio to know when to keep silent. This was certainly one of those days. Dom’s patience already hung by a thread, and each day that came and went without any significant progress only wore that thread thinner.

“Turn back just a bit—right there. Hold still exactly like that.”

His gaze narrowed on her. Maybe he could make her lashes longer and create a look of innocence that way. After all, he’d already called upon other illusions in his painter’s bag of tricks to make her more alluring. Unlike with Eve, who possessed an inherent softness, he’d had to make Sally appear soft by draping gauzy fabric over one of her thighs and placing rose petals alongside her body on the velvet chaise. During the past fortnight, he’d even attempted to paint her by the glow of lamplight, thinking it might soften her lines.Thathadn’t worked at all. Instead of moving away from the image of a harlot and back toward a goddess, he’d still had a harlot, and one with shadows in all the wrong places.

So he’d put that painting aside and went back to a previous version. He had to make this one work. The exhibition was only a month away. There wasn’t time to start over again.

He knelt beside her, balancing on the balls of his feet as he brought his face level with hers. “I’m attempting to capture an expression of demureness.”

She gave a faint laugh. “I’m naked as a bobbin’ robin!” A teasing lilt colored her Cockney accent. “No good wood gained wi’demure.” She drew out the word, reminding him of those society ladies with their useless drawing room French, then she wiggled to make her breasts jiggle. “Maybe some ol’ lusty busty, eh?”

Summoning all his patience, he explained, “I want you to look shy but unashamed to be caught like this, with a curiosity about the man who’s gazing into the painting at you. As if you’re wondering if he’s going to be a gentleman and leave, or if he’s going to stay and approach you, perhaps to make love to you, if you decide to let him.”

She blinked. “Why wouldn’t I?”

He bit down an impatient sigh. “Because in this painting you’re still an innocent. Can you do that for me?”

“I’ll do anythin’ for you, Maestro,” she purred out the sexual innuendo.

Dom’s jaw clenched in irritation.Thiswas why he’d requested that Jacopo be present at all times when he was with Sally. Not that he was tempted to stray from Eve, but to prevent any kind of uncomfortable situation should Sally attempt to seducehim.

“Then try to look innocent.”

She gave him a flirtatious smile. “But you know I’m not.”

He muttered as he stood to move away, “More than you—”

A figure caught the corner of his eye as he turned back toward his easel.Eve.She stood in the open wicket gate, her eyes fixed on Sally.

His heart stopped. She’d overheard the woman’s offer, and a look of betrayal darkened her pale face.

“Eve, what are you doing here?”

“I need to speak to you.” Her voice was soft but surprisingly calm, given the scene she’d accidentally walked into. But her eyes never left Sally.

Dread instantly replaced his frustration. “Is something wrong at home, or with your family?”

“No. Nothing like that.”

He eased out a relieved breath. Thank God. Yet an interruption was the last thing he needed. “Can we talk later, then?” He glared at Jacopo for not having the sense to hand Sally her robe and bit back a curse. “Coprire la ragazza.” He inhaled a deep breath as Jacopo scrambled to put Sally into her robe. “I’m in the middle of things here.”

“So I see,” she drawled quietly when Sally waved away both Jacopo and the robe.

“Put it on,” he ordered through clenched teeth. “And take a few minutes’ rest.”

With a piqued sniff, Sally pushed herself off the chaise, then paused for a moment as she stood there naked, in a posture that was purely territorial. She took the robe from Jacopo’s hand and slipped it on but didn’t bother to close it. Not at all embarrassed, she sashayed forward to greet Eve.

“I’m Sally.” She proudly waved a hand toward the painting. “I’m the model. Maestro has promised to make me beautiful.”

“He has, has he?” Eve smiled tightly. “I’m sure he will. He’s very good at that.”

Thatwas not a compliment.