Free More Than Willing by Laura Landon

know several of whom I speak.”
    “I think I know exactly of whom you speak, Miss Bradford.” He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned one hip against the corner of the floral sofa in the middle of the room. “Do you doubt that I would have stopped had I had you in such a tentative position?”
    Maggie lifted her chin in a defiant pose. “You tell me, sir. Do you usually stop your pursuit of a female when you realize the woman upon whom you are showering your attentions isn’t a willing partner?”
    “I can’t honestly say. I’ve never met a woman who wasn’t a willing partner. Either before…or after I kissed her.”
    The grin on his face deepened the two crevices on either side of his mouth and his midnight blue eyes brimmed with devilment. Maggie felt a red hot heat rush to her cheeks. “Either you have an exaggerated opinion of your effect on women, or the world is filled with more female fools than I imagined.” She struggled to keep a look of disgust on her face.
    “Ah, I hear some doubt in your voice. Is that a challenge, Miss Bradford?”
    His smile broadened and a jolt knocked against Maggie’s ribs. “I’m not at all interested in being another of your conquests.”
    Somehow she’d put herself on the defensive and felt the need to turn the conversation onto firmer ground. She couldn’t allow Grayson Delaney an advantage, no matter how slight. She lifted her chin in the most authoritative pose she could manage and faced him squarely. “Why did you come here?”
    He shrugged. “The fire in the stable interrupted our conversation the other day. Our topic was much too important to leave unfinished.” His voice almost contained a hint of hesitation. Almost.
    Delaney was more determined than she’d imagined he’d be. This was totally out of character for someone as irresponsible as the Earl of Camden’s younger son was reported to be. “Are you afraid I still intend to fire you?”
    “That was the impression you gave.”
    She should. This was the perfect opportunity to rid herself of his overpowering presence, the perfect chance to protect her emotions from the chaos he caused. And yet…
    “No, I’m not going to dismiss you.”
    His relief was almost visible. Maggie thought she heard a soft sigh escape his mouth.
    “Good, then perhaps I can ask for a minute of your time.”
    “Why?”
    “There’s something I’d like to discuss with you. Please, sit down.”
    Delaney indicated a place on the end of the sofa. Maggie’s first instinct was to sit in the single padded chair beside the fireplace where she’d be a safer distance from him.
    “I won’t bite,” he said, his wide-open grin as dangerously enticing as a wolf licking his chops.
    Maggie looked at the chair with a longing sense of self-preservation, then realized avoiding him would be a show of cowardice she couldn’t afford. She swished her skirts to the side and walked toward him.
    He stepped back to allow her to pass then instead of sitting beside her like she was afraid he intended, he pulled up one of the heavy sitting c hairs as if it weighed little or nothing and sat in front of her.
    Maggie took a deep breath and tightened her fingers in her lap. Having him sit across from her was even more disconcerting than if he’d sat next to her. At least then she could have stared straight ahead to avoid looking into his mesmerizing blue eyes. Now she’d have to lower her gaze to avoid being caught in his gaze.
    “What is it you needed to speak with me about?” She straightened her spine until she was afraid her back would break and lifted her chin with as much regal fortitude as she could muster.
    He relaxed against his chair and placed the ankle of his right foot atop his left knee. She felt oddly uncomfortable while he looked infuriatingly at ease.
    “How financially stable do you consider Bradford Brewery?”
    His question caught her totally off guard. “I’m not sure that’s any of your business.”
    “It’s not.