Free An Invitation to Sin by Suzanne Enoch

what she would do if he said he liked the gaudy purple hat in the corner.
    For a moment he considered it, but there seemed to be enough mischief brewing already. Instead he indicated the pretty pale blue bonnet and then had to duck backward when three of the sisters reached for it at the same time.
    "I was looking at them first," the one with the lightest hair said, holding it over her head.
    One of the twin girls sniffed. "Fine. I'm here for silk to make a gown, anyway." She faced him. "Lady Gladys said your favorite color is green. Is that true?"
    He had no idea. "Yes, I suppose it is," he said, then watched the stampede to the green-colored silks and muslin.
    "Fishing?" a soft voice said to his left.
    The smile he couldn't seem to suppress touched his mouth again as he faced Caroline Witfeld. She was so obviously trying to be serious about her painting that he couldn't resist teasing her away from it. If she hadn't been skilled at her drawing he wouldn't have done it, so thank God she was. A sense of humor amid the swarm of high-pitched nonsense at least gave him a little space for what remained of his sanity. "I don't suppose you'd like to go fishing as well? I'd let you sketch my trout."
    Her lips twitched. "I have better things to do, thank you very much."
    "You'd be surprised, Miss Witfeld, how relaxing a day of fishing can be. It might do you some good."
    One fine eyebrow arched. "Are you suggesting I need to relax?"
    He took a slow step closer, very aware of the glances they were getting from the rest of the store's occupants. "You're the one who apparently never comes into town, doesn't need any new ball gowns, doesn't wish to get married, and hides in her conservatory all day."
    "I do not hide," she stated, putting her hands on her slender hips and now obviously annoyed. "Make fun if you like, but at least I have a purpose in life."
    He and his siblings had made annoying one another into an art. Not the same kind of art that she dabbled in, but he had a fair amount of expertise in the other. "Painting things other than fish?"
    "Very amusing. You wouldn't understand." She flipped a hand at him. "You should go help Susan and Julia choose their gloves."
    "If you don't like me at all," he whispered, leaning in to smell the lemon scent of her copper-colored hair, "then you probably shouldn't keep making excuses to talk to me."
    "If I—" She took a deep breath. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go purchase some modeling clay for my father." Caroline turned on her heel and vanished out the front door.
    Damn. With a glance at the girls crowded around the mounds of fabric bolts, Zachary edged out the door to follow her.
    "Miss Witfeld," he called, trotting to catch up.
    She stopped, facing him. "Now who's going out of their way to speak with whom?"
    He sighed. The chit obviously had no idea how to flirt. None of them did. Their strategy, if that even described it, seemed closer to a cattle stampede than a seduction. It was a miracle he'd managed a pair of kisses with her. "I wanted to apologize if I said something to offend you."
    "Ah. You're being gentlemanly. I thought perhaps you've been paying attention to me simply because I'm the one sister whose name you can remember," she said smartly.
    "It would be easier if all of you wore your names on your sleeves," he admitted with a grin. After all, it was the truth. "I thought portraitists were quiet and refined."
    She flushed scarlet. "I—you—I am ," she stated. "You are very trying."
    "And you are quite unique," he returned, realizing he'd stumbled on the perfect word to describe this talented, odd, outspoken chit.
    " 'Unique,'" she repeated.
    "Yes. And where I come from, uniqueness is—"
    "Unique?"
    Zachary chuckled. "I was going to say 'unusual,' which isn't much better. I hope my interest doesn't offend you, but I truly would like to know which artists' studio you've applied to. If you won't tell me which one, might you at least give me a clue about where it's located?