Free Tempting a Sinner by Kate Pearce Page A

me.”
    “Only to remind you of why we wouldn’t suit.”
    His gaze dropped to her breasts and became heavy. “We suit very well.”
    “Only in bed.” She drew her knees up to conceal her chest. “Once I’m over this inconvenient . . . lust for you, we’ll have nothing more to say to each other.”
    “I doubt that.” He expertly fixed her a plate of food and brought it over to the bed. “Don’t throw it at me, or I’ll be forced to lick you clean.”
    She snatched the plate from him and balanced it on her lap. “You forget, I’m not quite such a hoyden anymore.”
    “Only in bed.”
    “Will you stop? ”
    “But you make it so easy.” He cut into his lamb. “Did you really ask Madame Helene to find you a male prostitute?”
    “No, I made it all up.”
    “For my benefit?”
    She shrugged. “You were the one who lost your memory. I merely wanted to see if you were faking.”
    “By telling me you’d bought my sexual services and that my name was Ben?”
    “I thought it might shock you into regaining your memory.”
    “Liar, you enjoyed it immensely.”
    “It was rather fun.” She sighed. “I wish I’d had a few more nights to use you as I wished, though.”
    “You can have as many nights as you want. Consider me entirely at your disposal.”
    “What about your wife? Won’t she object? You do have one now, don’t you?”
    He regarded her steadily. “How could I have a wife when you are still alive?”
    She waved away his reply. “We’ve already discussed that.”
    “Then why haven’t you married again?”
    “Because—” She returned her attention to her food. “This lamb smells excellent.”
    For a while there was a blessed silence as they both concentrated on their food. Malinda found her appetite lagging and soon set the plate to one side. She was not getting out of bed and displaying herself to the man again.
    He seemed oblivious to her regard, but she knew differently. He was as aware of her as she was of him. It was rather infuriating. She’d hoped that when she saw him again, all the inconvenient lust she’d felt for him as a young girl would dissipate in disgust at what he and his family had done to hers. The strange thing was, they’d also slipped back into their old combative friendship without a second thought. But she needed his compliance if her schemes were to come to fruition.
    “Don’t sigh like that.”
    He really did know her far too well. She met his gaze. “I’m tired.”
    “No, you’re thinking too hard. Would you like to share your concerns with me?”
    “The man who’s forcing me to accompany him to London?”
    “I’m not forcing you.” His gaze swept over her. “I haven’t chained you to the bed.”
    “Coerced, then.”
    He put his plate back on the tray. “Malinda, don’t treat me like a fool. We both know that if you hadn’t wanted to come with me, I’d have had the devil’s own job making you.”
    There was a hardness to him now that made her doubt that statement was true. Even though he smiled and appeared to be at ease, she sensed the tension vibrating through him like a fine wire. What would happen if he did lose his temper? She didn’t think she wanted to find out. When it became inevitable, she would have to make sure she was as far away from him as possible.
    “What do you expect me to do in London, anyway?”
    “Identify those who threaten you and let me deal with them.”
    “I can deal with them myself.”
    He stretched out his legs. “That’s obviously not true, as you’ve asked for my help. Is it my father?”
    She froze. “Why would you think that?”
    “Because he is a manipulative old bastard and has no cause to love you. You openly challenged him and he never forgets an insult.” He paused. “I don’t see much of him myself these days.”
    “Why is that?”
    “Because for one thing, he doesn’t approve of me working for the government. He considers it beneath a Keyes to work for anyone.”
    “Which is why he