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He was ten types of fool for bringing her into his life And selfish So very selfish for doing it when he knew full well there was no hope for hiic was desire’s bitch It never stood a chance And fro Daoud had been certain that the ring had the answer to his cure Find the ring and then he would claihed "I hate being afraid, Archer"
Carefully, he smoothed her hair and tried to reer, because of him made him want to scream "I do too" He kissed the top of her head and closed his eyes against the rush of helplessness and rage "Sleep, Miranda Fair I’et rid of this person, hly unfashionable time for callers, which was confirmed by the set pinch of Gilroy’s nose Furtherentle nostrils
The tip of Miranda’s finger pressed into the edge of the caller’s card The name upon it ht be put a bitter taste in her mouth
"No" She smoothed her skirts with an unsteady hand "I shall see hiht, she knew She had awakened alone and re her She knew it in her bones, and itOr perhaps someone
She put the card down As her husband was et Besides, she needed answers Billy had sent word through one of his urchins Not even a whisper of West Moon Club, or any variant thereof existed on the streets Given the way inforh the veins of London’s street rats, this was odd
The gentleman’s back was to the door as he stood in the salon with his top hat tucked under his ar a detailed study of the room’s objects He turned at her entrance, and his vivid blue eyes sparkled with mischief "Ah, Lady Archer Time only enhances your beauty"
"It is rather late for a call, sir," she said as Gilroy shut the door
The corners of Mckinnon’s eyes crinkled "Would you rather I called when Lord Archer was in residence?"
She moved to stand by the mantel, with its close proximity to handy weapons such as andirons and scuttles "Been watching the house, have you?"
He s so sinister as that" The crisp line of his frock coat broke as he seated himself co down Shaftsbury He causes quite a stir, you know" Mckinnon let out a relaxed sigh and put an ar the seat-back "I do believe one lady actually swooned"
Pea-brained nitwits She studied the ormolu clock upon thehumor "Co down?"
There was no use standing like an uncommunicative statue; Mckinnon would never leave that way Stiffly, she moved to the chair closest to her, but Mckinnon frowned "And leavein his voice worked upon her nerves like nails on slate She leveled hirace over to the settee
"There," he said when she plopped down on the far end of the couch "Much better"
He angled hie of her thigh She twitched as the gentle brush of his fingertipsdress
"Understandeyes "My patience only stretches so far I agreed tofurther As I said before, no entice you touch h feeling the spot she’d slapped the other night "And as I said, I’d no intention of taking what isn’t freely offered But what of the little question of your secret, Lady Archer?"
"Will remain so if you’re a pile of ash on hter left his lips "Touché" The self-satisfied s returned "Fortunately for me, we both know that won’t happen" He leaned in, his hot breath wafting across her neck "How about we coement? I shall answer a question fro I want"
She wrenched away, ready to flee, and he held up his hands "Hold! Hold! I believe you suffer under a , Lady Archer" Sharp teeth flashed beneath his tri a woman into bed It offends my pride"
"Despite all evidence to the contrary," she snapped Her skin craith the desire to move away fro at the low edge of her bodice "You keep ju to conclusions and I’ll wonder if you like the chase"
When she glared, he smiled "Oh, I want you, to be sure But I’d rather you see the error of your ways You’ve aligned yourself with the wrong et you hurt"
"Do tellover the other "Is that your first question?"
"No It was rhetorical, you boor What is West Moon Club? And I will not accept one-word answers"
His teeth flashed "Very well They were a society of scholars, nobleoal--use science and medicine to discover ways to enhance men, to cure theh it was distasteful to him "And ultimately, find a way to end death itself"
She could see how Archer, who drea It would bring hi?
"What precisely were they trying to discover?"
"That is, you realize, another question But as I arew utterly impassive "Immortality"