Free A Little Bit Sinful by Robyn DeHart Page A

daughter isn’t being courted. At all. Marcus suggested that all the girl needed was one suitor and it would give other men permission to pursue her. Do you think that’s true?”
    Roe took another shot. He made a non-committal noise. “Perhaps. I can’t say that I ever take much note of what bloke is dancing with what chit.”
    “You don’t attend many balls.”
    “I attend plenty.” Roe set up the table for another game of billiards. “Two a month is about all I can stand. So are you going to do it?”
    “Unlike Vivian, I’m unconvinced that my courting her will solve her problems. It’s likely to create new ones.”
    Roe took a healthy sip of his brandy. “It sounds like a good way to bring attention to the girl, even if it merely angers people that you would dare court one of their darlings. I think Vivian’s right. You paying attention to the girl can only help her.”
    “You know I’m not going to court some girl simply to irritate the powers that be,” Justin said.
    “We should have traded places years ago,” Roe said.
    …
    Roe and Justin finished their game of billiards and were heading to the door, deciding to simply ride to Rodale’s together when Justin’s butler stepped into the room.
    “Lady Clarissa is here to see you,” he said.
    Roe waggled his eyebrows at Justin. And then Clarissa stepped into the room.
    “Justin, I needed to—” she stopped short when she caught sight of Roe. “Oh your grace, I did not realize you were here. My apologies.”
    “No need, Lady Clarissa.” Roe, in a rare show of chivalry, strode over to her and bent low over her hand for a moment before flashing her a smile. “I was on my way out. If you’ll excuse me.” He nodded to Justin with a wink, then left the room.
    “I didn’t mean to intrude,” Clarissa said after Roe was out of earshot.
    “You didn’t. That is a rather fetching gown.” The blue dress molded to her body, her décolletage was accented with fine white lace, but her cleavage was all he really noticed. He preferred looking at her rather magnificent cleavage. While far from being the only feature that contributed to her beauty—her eyes, for example, were an arresting shade of blue and her lush lips were equally enticing—her bosom was the one feature he could admire while pretending it wasn’t wholly inappropriate for him to do so. No, when he looked in her eyes—indeed anywhere in the region of her face—he couldn’t help but remember that Clarissa was not meant for the likes of him. “These visits of yours are becoming quite regular.”
    “And you find that…irritating?”
    “Quite the contrary. I rather enjoy your company.” He enjoyed it too much. That was the problem. Hiding a sigh, he crossed back to his decanter and poured himself a fresh glass of scotch.
    “I wanted to let you know that I had received the letter of employment from Ella’s father. Thank you again.”
    “You already thanked me for that.” He eyed her a moment noting the way she bit down on her bottom lip. Yes, it was much easier to simply admire her cleavage. He took a sizable gulp of the scotch. “Is there another reason why you came?”
    She exhaled slowly, clenching her gloved fingers several times before blurting out, “What do you know of the wager involving George’s, well, his marital situation?”
    He paused in the act of raising his glass to his lips again. “Who told you?”
    “Ella. She overheard her brother and some other men talking about it.” She took a few steps further into the room, placed her hands on the back of a carved mahogany chair. “Obviously, you know about it since the betting is taking place in your establishment.”
    He nodded, raised the glass the rest of the way to his mouth and downed it. “Are you angry?”
    Her chin bumped up a notch and defiance flashed in her eyes. “Of course not. I know that gentlemen are fond of many kinds of wagers.” She hesitated then, and he noticed the way her fingertips