Free Sinful Liaisons by Samantha Holt Page B

as well get your money’s worth from me.”
    “And here I thought you did not wish to serve me.”
    Evelyn withdrew her hand, suddenly uncomfortable with the sense of closeness budding between them. She couldn’t depend on this man. He was a gambler after all and he’d be leaving as soon as her son returned. Not to mention she wouldn’t let herself be that vulnerable again. Losing a husband and a son was enough pain for one woman to deal with.
    Pierce jabbed a slice of bacon with his fork and stuffed it into his mouth. He paused to take a sip of tea as he finished and shook his head at her. “If we’re to spend three months in each other’s company, secrets won’t do. Nor will being simply lovers. I’m fairly certain you and I can rub along nicely as friends too, but not if you insist on putting on this haughty act.”
    She opened her mouth and closed it. Haughty? Was that how she was behaving? No, it was merely common sense not to depend on a man like Pierce. Or anyone for that matter. Evelyn had looked after herself for a long time now and that was how she intended to keep it. However, the idea of friendship appealed. She didn’t have that many friends and those she did have led lives as busy as hers.
    Curling her fingers around a teacup, she traced the ornate handle and lifted her gaze to his. “I apologise if I seem...haughty. That’s not my intention. But I have functioned on my own for a long time now and I have a certain way of doing things. I can’t promise I’m going to involve you in all my affairs, but I shall try not to behave so...so...”
    “Cold? Unfeeling?” He grinned when she narrowed her gaze at him. “No, proud. Have no fear, Evelyn. You’re speaking with a man who can hardly remember how he ended up naked on the side of the road. You need not hold onto your pride so fiercely.” Pierce leaned over to look at the letter again. “So what are we to do about this George fellow?”
    We. How odd that sounded. How pleasant. She hadn’t been part of a we for so long.
    “I’ll go to London.”
    “ We’ll go to London.”
    “Your creditors shall be there,” Evelyn pointed out.
    He lifted a shoulder. “I can manage them.”
    Evelyn was tempted to argue with that description of himself. Foolish perhaps, but not feckless. Pierce was one of the most intelligent men she’d met in a long time. He had the ability to read her perfectly and converse with such quick wit. Few could match her with words, not even Rupert. He’d merely conceded defeat and used to lift his newspaper when he’d had enough. At first it had aggravated her but eventually it became a long-standing joke between them.
    “I need to meet with my lawyer too, to finalise our agreement, which we still have not done.”
    “Have you been distracted, Evelyn?”
    She pursed her lips to suppress a smile. “Not at all.”
    “What an interesting meeting that will be,” he drawled. “Do lawyers frequently draw up contracts pertaining to taking a lover?”
    “To men taking mistresses, yes.”
    “But to duchesses taking lovers?
    “Likely no.”
    “I’ll need to sign the contract.” He leaned forward and pressed a curl behind her ear. “Face it, Evelyn. You need me.”
    A shiver ran through her. Oh dear Lord, she did. She really, really did.

Chapter Nine
    Pierce was perhaps beginning to regret his arrangement with this woman. He eyed her pointed chin and the hands on her hips and swallowed a groan. He’d never met a woman so bloody determined to do everything alone.
    Especially when all he wanted to do was take her up to bed and do many, many things together.
    Honestly, what was the point in becoming a rich woman’s lover if you didn’t spend time together in bed?
    “Evelyn, you cannot very well trek around London at this time of day anyway? Dusk shall be upon us in—” he drew out his pocket watch and cradled the weight of one of his few remaining belongings “—two hours. In London traffic, you’ll not get