AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Come on, now.”
“I think you’re attractive. It doesn’t mean I like you as a person.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
ELLIE
Truth or Dare
His mouth tugged up at the corners. “Now we’re getting somewhere.”
My cheeks burnt. “Are we? It feels as though I’m standing here solely to feed your ego.”
Max held up his hands before he pushed off the sofa to his feet and walked over to me. “I let you say your bit; may I?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Good.” His nostrils flared. “I am annoyingly attracted to you, Ellie. I find myself even more annoyed that you’re attracted to me, because it means I can’t pretend it’s all in my mind.”
Oh.
“I’m quite flattered that you’d think to immortalise me in your novels and even more offended at the suggestion you’d change things about the hero.”
“I like to fix a few flaws,” I teased him, fighting a smile.
“Certainly not the penis size, from what I read.”
“Perhaps that was the unrealistic part.”
“Let’s not act in haste.” His eyes flashed with something captivating. “I think I might have a proposal we can both benefit from.”
I tilted my head to the side. “Is that so?”
“Indeed.” Max paused. “You’re in need of inspiration for your books, and I’m willing to provide you with it.”
My eyebrows shot up. “You’re what?”
“I can show you the inside of Greygarth House. You can take all the time you need in both public and private areas for research purposes.”
Hmm.
“I know Windermere like the back of my hand, and I have knowledge of the aristocratic class that you’ll not find anywhere else this easily.”
That was true.
“So what’s in it for you?” I asked. “You’ll be my research assistant for all intents and purposes, and you’ll allow me to write my book knowing you and your estate are the muse. What do you get from this?”
He dropped his gaze to the floor. “You have a running narrative in your novel regarding the duke’s marital status.”
“As is standard for romance novels. I prefer my characters to be unattached.”
“This one is prevalent given the fact the duke is based on me.” His blue gaze held mine with a ferocity I’d never felt. “I’m single. This is by choice. I do not intend to change that at any point in my life, and I’m aware of the implications of that.”
I bit the inside of my cheek.
“Do not delve deeper into that,” Max warned. “My personal life will remain private.”
“So you get nothing from it,” I said after a second.
