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before it had even begun! Would a show of force stop her from spoiling everything? He strode forward
and seized her shoulders in a grasp of iron. Then he bent and took her lips, which were parted with
astonishment and anger, with his.
It was the most earth-shaking kiss he had ever experienced. It went on until Lord Ranulf s head began to
whirl and his knees threatened to buckle. Almost reluctantly, he lifted his golden head and glared down
into the wide, glazed golden eyes so close to his.
Nowwill you be quiet? he demanded fiercely.
What? asked Clea dreamily, reluctant to return from the world of exquisite pleasure into which her
Viking s kiss had plunged her.
The marauder grinned with delight. His kiss had affected her as much as it had him, then. Good! It was
clear to him in that magic moment what the safest andbest! argument was if he wished to convince
this lovely creature to do as he said. And just to make sure that she accepted his decision, he bent his
head and kissed her again, taking the precaution of drawing in a deep breath first to sustain him through
the exercise.
Clea did not offer any argument.
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Chapter 20
hen Lord Ranulf finally raised his head, he took a deep breath and stared down with complacent
W
pride at the dazzled satisfaction on the woman s face. It was still turned to his, as it had been during the
kiss. Long dark eyelashes rested softly against rosy cheeks, hiding the large amber-gold eyes that so
attracted him. The glorious mane of white-gold hair had worked its way out of the snood in which it was
usually confined and was flowing down over his arm in a shining wave. Lord Ranulf was just transferring
his proprietary gaze to the graceful neck and the soft, tantalizing swell of breasts when the heavy eyelids
lifted and the glowing golden eyes met his possessive glance.
Slowly a wave of delicious color swept up to bathe the woman s face as she realized how unrestrained
her behavior had been. If he had not known better, Lord Ranulf would have been very sure that this girl
was still a maiden. Her air of confusion strengthened the illusion.
Clea met the admiring, complacent gaze honestly.
I am Clea Bradford, she said quietly. I permitted you to think I was Lady Dearborn so that I could
protect my aunt against the ill will you said you felt for her.
She waited, quiescent in his arms, for his judgment.
Lord Ranulf tried to come to terms with this new, upside-down situation. His task was the harder
because he still held the delicious woman close to his chest. Clasping her thus, he was sharply conscious
of the differences in the male and female anatomies. He was tempted to explore the delightful differences
more thoroughly, but was diverted from this dangerous course by an impatient wriggle on the part of his
captive. It was obviously an attempt to get his attention; it certainly served that purpose. The big man
caught Clea in a tighter grip and played desperately for time.
You are not getting away from me so easily, he told her firmly. If I believed you, which I do not, I
should require to know much more about the deception you have just admitted to practicing on me. I
should ask youwhy you maintained the hoax when there was no longer any need for it; when I had
forgiven you that is, Lady Dearborn, if you are not she for her ill treatment of my poor cousin and
had even carried an inebriated woman back to her house and put her to bed
During this unfair and confusing speech, Clea s body had been stiffening in the nobleman s grasp as her
temper rose. By the time he had alluded to his scandalous behavior in her bedroom, Clea had decided to
ignore the wonderful feelings the creature seemed able to arouse in her whenever he touched her and
concentrate on the outrageous things he was saying.
Iam Clea, she announced in the face of his evident disbelief. And you had no right to make me drunk
and then carry me off to my bedroom!
You enjoyed it very much. And so did I, said the shameless creature, smiling at her in a way that
brought a blush to her face again. Lord Ranulf observed it with satisfaction. If what you say is true, he
drawled, ignoring her efforts to squirm out of his grasp, what threats did Lady Dearborn hold over you
to force you to aid her in entrapping Lord Glendon? For it was officially announced in London that Miss
Cleanthe Bradford had accepted the earl s proposal. Ifyou are engaged to the man, why does he escort
your aunt so frequently? He was driving her in his curricle when I sent that note to you. His heavy golden
eyebrows drew down into a frown over eyes suddenly iron-hard. Are you, in fact, engaged to him? If
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