Free Lady Rogue by Suzanne Enoch

knock-knees and hunched backs of several esteemed and vain members of the peerage.”
    “Mr. Lewis.” She nodded, her gaze still shifting uncertainly between them.
    “Mr. Riley.” The tailor bowed, then looked at the earl questioningly.
    “Proceed,” Alex said, motioning the small man forward.
    “Just a moment,” Kit protested, raising one hand to stop the tailor’s advance. “What’s going on?”
    “I thought if you intended to be here for a time, you should have more than one set of clothes,” Alex said offhandedly, stepping over to sit in her windowsill. she would need a chaperon, and though he was admittedly a poor choice, he had no intention of missing this.
    Kit stopped and stared at him, surprise warring with the suspicion on her face. “But—”
    “He knows about your…singular condition, cousin.Humor me.” Alex pulled the Times from under his arm and leaned back in the deep sill. He snapped the paper open and began reading. Or rather, pretending to read. With his elbow he pushed the window open just a little more, so he could see a reflection of the proceedings.
    “I can’t pay for this,” Kit muttered, still looking at him.
    It was the first time he’d heard anything like regret or embarrassment in her lilting voice. He lowered the paper and gave a brief smile. “My gift, then,” he replied, and returned to his feigned reading.
    Kit took a slow breath, blew it out, then shrugged and nodded at Mr. Lewis. The tailor pulled a measuring tape from his pocket and indicated that she should lift one arm. It was a graceful arm, her long, slender fingers curling just a little as she watched Mr. Lewis. Alex watched closely, as well, though his attention was not on the tailor. Unlike nearly every female he’d ever known, there was no artifice about her, no concern over finding the perfect pose, or turning just so to show off her slim waist to best advantage.
    The measuring of her wrist and elbow followed, and Alex continued to watch, amused but increasingly mesmerized. There were unsuspected advantages to being a tailor. It would almost make it worth the disgrace of taking up a trade, to be the one circling her slender wrists with his fingers, and running his palms along her arms. As Mr. Lewis lifted Kit’s short tail of hair to slide his measuring tape about her collar, the smile slowly left Alex’s face. Delicate tendrils of blond hair curled at the nape of her neck, its gentle curve beckoning his caress, the touch of his lips. He shifted forward and banged the window hard with his elbow, sending her reflection swinging out over the garden.
    “Don’t fall out the window,” Kit advised him, tilting her head to eye him as he settled himself up straighter and, with as much composure as he could muster, returned the window to its former position.
    “Just reading about the Bank of London considering American investments,” he muttered, lifting the paperagain. “Loyalty goes behind commerce, apparently.”
    As she smiled at the newspaper, the measuring began again. Kit turned sideways while the tailor ran the tape down the length of her spine, and then shoulder to shoulder. Alex relaxed, and even managed a slight grin at her contortions as she sought to keep an eye on Mr. Lewis. Then the tailor motioned her to lift both arms, and stepped forward to wrap the tape about her chest.
    Alex licked abruptly dry lips at the faint slither of the tape across the thin cotton of her shirt. Kit shifted uneasily and turned her head toward him again. “Might I have a new hat, as well?” she ventured, with a nonchalance that poorly hid her embarrassment.
    “I suppose we can manage a visit to the haberdasher without having to swear him to secrecy,” Alex agreed, shifting uncomfortably. Jaded as he considered himself to be he was dismayed to note that he was becoming rather painfully aroused. It was completely unlike him to be feeling so stirred at such a tame sight. After all, he’d seen women in far more