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His gaze narrowed, his eyes sweeping down her neck.
His gaze felt like a touch and her skin prickled with awareness.
This was exactly what wasn’t supposed to happen. She was not supposed to respond to him like this at the dinner table in front of her brother. Was she? She knew so little about how a woman won a man’s affection. It had been that inexperience which had propelled her toward him in the first place. But she wished she’d learned more as his heated stare held hers.
She finally looked away, staring down the length of the room to avoid his gaze.
Blessedly, the quail was taken away and the next course served.
She needed to escape this room. Needed to escape his presence.
She paused, her chest tightening in regret. Once she did escape, she might never see Ace again. They had no more cause to be together. Her eyes darted back to his, his still fixed on her.
Did he realize that too? Did he care about not seeing her again?
A wild idea crept into her thoughts. He’d been clear they had no future and she knew she’d be unlikely to change his mind no matter what she did or said, she didn’t want their relationship to end.
Not that she usually got what she wished. But while he was here tonight, couldn’t she just have one small touch to remember this night? Or perhaps, dare she hope, to propel them forward?
Ignoring the roasted vegetables in front of her as she attempted to think of way to catch him alone. Surely, she could think of something…
When the last course was served, Emily left, retiring to the music room, and leaving him and Boxby to converse.
This was why he’d come. This conversation. And yet, he hated to see her go.
Her brother had been right.
She’d barely touched her meal, picking at her food all night. But he’d also seen her features tighten at Boxby’s words. She was feeling henpecked by her brother. And her issues with speaking her mind became clearer.
Her brother loved her.
But Boxby smothered her with that affection. Emily needed a bit more room to find herself and her voice.
Not that Ace would bring up any of that. He had his agenda and that was the reason he was here but part of him wished he could advocate for her. She’d helped Ace so much, he’d like to return the favor.
Boxby’s voice pulled him out of his reverie. “So, you’d like to discuss the club again.”
“That’s right.” He forced his attention back to the conversation.
“And you used my sister’s affection for you to gain this meeting?”
Damn. He should have seen that barb coming. “Your sister has an affection for me?”
Boxby’s jaw tightened. “Tell me more about your plans.”
He drew in a breath. “They’re simple really. The Den of Sins is popular because of its connection with wealth and power. And it amplifies that connection by having lush furniture, posh alcohol, attractive dealers.”
Boxby’s eyes lit with understanding and he sat up straighter in his chair. “Of course.”
“I want to reproduce those results but I need money and better connections to do that.”
“And the numbers?”
Ace grimaced. “So far I’ve not been successful on that front.”
Boxby frowned. “Too bad.”
Ace rattled off several of the profit margins he knew from being in the club and helping with the count. He could only hope they were enough.
