Free Too Dangerous to Desire by Cara Elliott

me.”
    “I don’t believe that,” said Sophie.
    “Ah, sorry to disillusion you, but it’s true. I’m an unrepentant rogue.” Cameron’s smile held no warmth. “But regardless of what you think about my morality, I can help you.”
    She leaned down to pick up her shawl from the ground, using the moment to compose her conflicted emotions. “That was a clever faradiddle you told to Georgiana, but even if I wished to hire your services, I couldn’t afford to pay you.” She wound the silk around her shoulders, feeling suddenly chilled despite the sunlight filtering through the trees. “Th-thank you for returning my mother’s earrings, I am grateful—truly grateful. However…”
    Sophie hesitated, telling herself she was right to have rejected him all those years ago. By his own admission, he had turned into a man unworthy of admiration. “However I think it best we leave it at that. I am returning home on the day after the morrow, and it’s highly unlikely that our paths will cross again. But I am happy to know you are alive and well.”
    “Sophie, you would be wise to reconsider my offer,” said Cameron. “I have made it not merely out of altruism,” he added quickly. “I have my own reasons for wanting to take a closer look at Dudley and his cronies.”
    She shook her head. Regardless of what sort of life he had chosen for himself, she was loath to draw him into further danger. “You have already taken enough risks for me. I couldn’t live with myself if you were suffer any consequences on my account.”
    A flash of teeth, an enigmatic smile. “I assure you, I am quite skilled at taking care of myself. If you were to ask my friends, they would tell you the same.”
    “Oh, Cameron, it would never work. We have both changed too much.” Sophie touched her kiss-swollen lips. “Furthermore, I need to keep my wits about me, and I can’t seem to think clearly around you.”
    “Perhaps you should trust your instincts.”
    Her throat tightened. It was oh-so tempting. Those broad shoulders had felt so solid, while her own were weakening.
    “No,” she whispered. “I can’t take the chance.”
    Cameron turned slightly and appeared to be contemplating the dust motes dancing in the air. A breeze ruffled his hair, the long strands falling to hide his face.
    “Good-bye then,” he murmured, and before she could answer, he was gone, a black shadow flitting through the trees.
    “Good-bye,” replied Sophie to the empty space among the swaying leaves. A tear trickled down her cheek, but she quickly blotted it away. Only a fool would try to reach out and recapture the past. The Cameron she knew from long ago was naught but a phantom memory. The man he had become was a ruthless stranger. “Good-bye.”

Chapter Five
    C ameron paused for a moment in the doorway of the well-appointed library, inhaling the rich scent of beeswax, parchment, and age-worn leather. The lamplight cast a mellow glow over the carved bookcases and gilt-stamped bindings that filled the massive room, for despite his outward show of fun-loving frivolity, Gryff was a serious book collector whose lyrical essays on landscape design were earning kudos from experts in the field.
    After another deep breath, Cameron entered the room.
    His two friends were leaning over one of the work tables, paging through a folio of botanical watercolors. At the sound of his steps on the Oriental carpet, they both looked up.
    “Are you thinking of growing roses as well as raising goats, Connor?” he drawled. “Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine the Wolfhound would become so…soft.”
    “These are Eliza’s latest watercolors,” said Gryff. “Which have been accepted for an exhibition at the Royal Academy.” His new wife was fast garnering critical acclaim in the art world for her prodigious talents. “And it’s me who is cultivating roses. The paintings show the new walled garden I’ve created next to her studio.” He smiled. “In the language of