“I hope you don’t mind the intrusion,” she said. “I thought we’d air out your chambers while you weredownstairs at breakfast.”“We?” he repeated ominously, wondering just how many witnesses there were going to be to hermurder.”

“Of course not! I knew you would protect me. You swore that you were strong enough to protect Vivienne, didn’t you? How can you promise to protect my sister, but not trust yourself to keep me safe?” The music swelled to a crescendo. Although Adrian kept her imprisoned against the muscular length of his body, he gave up all pretense of dancing. “Because I don’t lose my wits every time Vivienne walks into a room. I don’t toss and turn in my bed every night dreaming of making love to her. She doesn’t drive me to distraction with her endless questions, her incessant snooping, her harebrained schemes.” His voice rose. “I can trust myself to protect your sister because I’m not in love with her!”

“Perhaps the two of us simply got off on the wrong foot, my lord.You seem to have received the mistaken impression that I came to Fairchild Park to make your life moredifficult.”“The words ’a living hell’ have come to mind more than once since your arrival.”She blew out a gusty sigh. “Contrary to what you may believe, I took this position so I could bring moreease to your life.”“Just when were you planning to start?”

“I don’t want to marry you. I don’t want to want you,” he added fiercely, taking one measured step toward her, then another. “And I sure as hell don’t want to love you. But, God help me, I just can’t stop myself.” Closing the rest of the distance between them in a single stride, he snatched her up by the shoulders, his burning gaze searching her face as if to sear her features into his memory. “I don’t want to marry you because I love you too much to ask you to spend the rest of your life hiding in the shadows.”

“Since you're probably going to die, you might as well know- I love you nearly as much as I hate you."His eyes fluttured just once as he murmured, "Me too.”

“You removed my spectacles!”A disbelieving snort of laughter escaped him. “The way you’re taking on, you’d have thought I removedyour clothing!”Samantha clutched at the high-necked bodice of her homely bottle-green day dress. “How do I knowyou didn’t?”Silence hung between them, thicker than the heated air. Then his smoky voice dipped into low anddangerous territory. “If I had removed your clothing, Miss Wickersham, I can assure you it would havebeen worth waking up for.”

“His lips nuzzled her ear. “Whether you go or stay, I will love you until I die,” he whispered.”