An Impossible Attraction by Brenda Joyce

Author:Brenda Joyce
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: HQN
Published: 2010-09-25T04:00:00+00:00

HE WAS RUTHLESSLY determined to finalize his architectural drawings. Nothing would stop him—no one would stop him. In fact, he had stayed up the entire night, redrawing them three times.

“You look like a wastrel,” Alexi de Warenne said.

Stephen looked up, startled, as Guillermo said, frowning, “Captain de Warenne has called, sir, and, as usual, refused to await your convenience.”

Alexi sauntered into the study, smiling, but his blue gaze was sharp. “What is wrong with you?” he asked bluntly.

“Can you bring coffee, Guillermo?” Stephen asked, ignoring the question as he stood up. He realized he had yet to change his clothes from the day before, and he was so wrinkled, there was no point in unrolling his shirtsleeves.

He could not get that lying bitch out of his mind.

And what was even worse than recalling her tears—which had been pure theatrics—was that every time he looked up from his desk, he saw old Tom standing there, mocking him for his feelings of rage and betrayal.

As Guillermo vanished to do his bidding, Alexi walked past him and looked at the drawings on the desk. Then he turned. “Well? Have you been carousing?”

She had lied, she was exceptionally clever, but he had been played, and that made him the ultimate fool.

Tom said, as clear as day, “You are Clarewood. She is nothing. She means nothing. Your duty means everything.”

His inner tension seemed unbearable now. And had the old man been alive, had he really spoken, he would have been right. Stephen would never marry her, not ever, because he never gave his enemies the satisfaction of defeating him. “I was working on those plans last night.”

“How boring,” Alexi drawled. “Why do you look like hell warmed over?”

Stephen folded his arms and stared. “I have been played, Alexi.”

Alexi raised his eyebrows. An amused smile began. “Uh-oh. I can’t wait to hear the gory details.”

“It is not amusing.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

And as her image filled his mind—not when she was in the throes of passion, but when she was about to cry, as if he’d devastated her—Stephen cursed and decided it was not too early for a stiff drink. He knew he hadn’t hurt her. Players as consummate as Alexandra Bolton were heartless.

Mostly he was in disbelief. He had wanted her as he had never before wanted a woman; his passion had been out of control—passion he had never dreamed possible. And that made him even more furious.

He poured a brandy and took a sip. There was a slight tremor to his hand. “I began an affair with Alexandra Bolton,” he said. “And she has turned out to be a scheming witch.”

Alexi’s brows lifted. “Really? And she is scheming for what, exactly?”

Alexi was amused, Stephen thought angrily as he turned. “She was a damned virgin, Alexi—and she did not say a word!”

Alexi choked, surprised.

Stephen remained in disbelief. He’d asked her—somewhat off-handedly, he admitted—and she had lied. She had gone on and on about the passion she had felt for a previous lover—except he hadn’t been a lover! And that was when he felt Alexi clasp his shoulder.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.