Page 45 of An Unexpected Earl

“A compromise. You tell me everything you know about your brother and his blackmailer.”

When he didn’t continue with the second half of his terms, she prompted, “How is that a compromise?”

“I didn’t say it was a compromise forme.”

She folded her arms across her bosom and coolly arched a brow.

“But it will work to keep you safe.” His eyes twinkled in amusement. “And out from behind screens.”

Oh, that devil! Before she could give him the setdown he deserved, he shoved himself away from the table, took her upper arms in his hands, and placed a kiss to her forehead, very effectively silencing her in surprise.

“Wouldn’t it be so much better if we were working together rather than at odds?” he murmured against her temple before returning to his perch on the table, in that same raffish pose as before. “Think of all the war widows we could help then.”

With a capitulating sigh, she dropped her hands to her sides. The rascal knew exactly how to attack her defenses to get what he wanted. Always had. Apparently, some things never changed.

“All right,” she agreed cautiously. “We’ll work together. I’ll tell you everything I know about the blackmail and what Freddie’s been doing with those appointments.” She wagged a finger at him. “But in return, you promise not to agree to anything else regarding the turnpike until you talk to me first.” She had no choice but to add, “And you’ll understand that other parts of my life are out of bounds, that you won’t try to pry if I don’t tell you everything about them.”

“And how is that working together if you keep secrets from me?”

She tossed his words back at him. “I didn’t say it was a compromise forme.”

A slow grin crossed his face at her cheekiness, one that stole her breath away. “All right, I agree. You?”

An excited tingle began to lick at her toes. “Agreed.”

When his eyes gleamed into hers with a look that told her that he had completely different ideas oftogetherandcompromisethan she did, the tingle turned into a jolt of electricity that shot straight out through the top of her head. Dear heavens, what had she just gotten herself into?

“So all terms have been agreed to and business concluded for the evening, then?” he asked.

“I suppose so. Freddie thinks you’ll—”

“Good. Then we can skip from business to pleasure.”

She laughed nervously. “I don’t believe that was mentioned in any of our negotiations, do you?”

Ignoring her question, he murmured instead, “You are simply stunning.”

“Stop that,” she scolded. But she also couldn’t help the ribbon of pleasure that wrapped around her at his compliment. “We should return to business, then. What you said about the trust—”

“You were beautiful the night of the masquerade. But tonight…” His gaze slowly drifted over her black dress, lingering in places that simmered heat low in her belly. He mused in a tempting purr, “Tonight, you’re glowing.”

“Stop that,” she repeated. This time the scolding emerged as a throaty rasp, lacking all bite. She was certain that she did glow then—with a scarlet flush.

When his gaze slid over her bosom, she could almost feel the solidity of his hand caressing her flesh. “I saw it in you at your shop, how special you’ve become. Every inch of you confident, strong…glorious.”

This time, she couldn’t find the breath to say anything at all.

“It’s true.” He pushed himself away from the table and stalked toward her. “I always thought you were pretty, always knew that you’d grow up to be beautiful.” He reached up to stroke her cheek. “But I had no idea exactly how exquisite you would become.”

Cupping her face against his palm, he leaned down to kiss her—

“And I had no idea how much of a silver-tongued devilyou’dbecome.”

He paused, his mouth barely a hairsbreadth from hers and so close that she could feel the heat of his lips tickling hers as they curled into a grin.

“I can show you exactly how much.” He followed that wanton challenge with a gentle lick across her bottom lip, a light and teasing caress that elicited a shiver from her. “Would you like that?”

Whatever logical thought had been left inside her scattered like petals on the wind. She made one last, desperate attempt to reclaim them, only for them to fall through her grasp when she curled her fingers into the diamond pattern of his brocade waistcoat. A waistcoat that should have been pure black.