Read Online Dance of Seduction by Sabrina Jeffries - Free Book Online
Authors: Sabrina Jeffries
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lies.”
“That’s one thing we both agree on.” He pushed away from the wall, then leaned forward to plant his elbows on the counter, putting him at her eye level. His gaze slid slowly down her, devouring her. “You are hardly a girl.”
“Stop that!”
“What?” he said in mock innocence.
“Looking at me as if you want to eat me up.”
His crooked smile was the very essence of wolf. “That’s exactly what I want.”
She fought down a blush. “You’d find me quite indigestible.”
“I doubt that seriously, ma belle ange .”
“I’m not your pretty angel, sir. I’m not your anything .”
“You could be,” he said suggestively.
“Don’t be absurd.” But a secret thrill coursed through her at the thought, making her scowl. Only her cursed Doggett blood would make her even consider such an outrageous possibility.
She forced herself to ignore his speaking looks. “And don’t try to distract me with such nonsense. I have proof thatyou’re lying about the true nature of your activities. You’ve bought goods from enough thieves in the neighborhood to acquire a reputation.”
He lifted one wolfish brow. “I see Johnny has been very talkative.”
“That’s what happens when you deal with children. They talk.” She held out her hand once more. “Now give me that watch.”
“What do you intend to do with it?”
“Return it to its rightful owner, of course.”
“Who might that be?”
Flustered, she glanced away. “I don’t know.”
“That might hamper your efforts to return it, wouldn’t you say?”
“I’ll find out who it belongs to,” she retorted. “Johnny would only say that it was a gentry cove in Leadenhall Street, but there are ways to learn these things.”
“Oh? And what are these mysterious ‘ways’?”
“I’ll go to the police offices and see if anyone has reported a stolen watch.”
If she’d hoped that mention of the police would frighten him, she was sorely disappointed. “Then they’ll ask how you came by stolen goods, and your little Home will be put under immediate suspicion.”
Curse him, he had a point. “All right, I’ll tell them I found it.”
He straightened from the counter with a mocking smile. “The they’ll take the watch, promise to find its owner, and keep it for themselves. One of them might even come sell it to me. Then you’d have gone to all that trouble for nothing.”
She feared he might be right. Some of the police at the Lambeth Street Office must be corruptible, judging from the number of fences who thrived in Petticoat Lane. She might appeal to one of the magistrates who headed the office, buthe’d simply send her back to his underlings for such a petty concern.
Still, it annoyed her to have this…this scoundrel pointing out the truth. “You are very cynical, sir.”
“Why? Because I see all the disadvantages to your plans?” A sudden mischief leaped in his face. “Or perhaps you’re not disclosing your real plan. Perhaps you don’t intend to do anything with the watch at all.” He lowered his voice to a conspiratorial murmur. “Except keep it for yourself.”
“What! You dare to imply—” She broke off when he burst into laughter. “I see. You find this all so amusing. Very well. You won’t think it’s amusing when I bring one of the officers here to arrest you.”
Though his laughter died, he didn’t look terribly worried. “If it will satisfy your notions of morality, then by all means bring one.” He edged around the counter until he stood on the same side as her.
Leaning one hand on it, he stood there, loose-limbed and nonchalant…and still taunting her with a smile, curse his hide. “But you have no proof of anything, as you well know. Besides, what police officer will take the word of a meddling lady reformer over that of a military man who served his country in our late glorious war? And yes, despite all your claims to the contrary, I was indeed a naval captain.”
“I know,” she
“That’s one thing we both agree on.” He pushed away from the wall, then leaned forward to plant his elbows on the counter, putting him at her eye level. His gaze slid slowly down her, devouring her. “You are hardly a girl.”
“Stop that!”
“What?” he said in mock innocence.
“Looking at me as if you want to eat me up.”
His crooked smile was the very essence of wolf. “That’s exactly what I want.”
She fought down a blush. “You’d find me quite indigestible.”
“I doubt that seriously, ma belle ange .”
“I’m not your pretty angel, sir. I’m not your anything .”
“You could be,” he said suggestively.
“Don’t be absurd.” But a secret thrill coursed through her at the thought, making her scowl. Only her cursed Doggett blood would make her even consider such an outrageous possibility.
She forced herself to ignore his speaking looks. “And don’t try to distract me with such nonsense. I have proof thatyou’re lying about the true nature of your activities. You’ve bought goods from enough thieves in the neighborhood to acquire a reputation.”
He lifted one wolfish brow. “I see Johnny has been very talkative.”
“That’s what happens when you deal with children. They talk.” She held out her hand once more. “Now give me that watch.”
“What do you intend to do with it?”
“Return it to its rightful owner, of course.”
“Who might that be?”
Flustered, she glanced away. “I don’t know.”
“That might hamper your efforts to return it, wouldn’t you say?”
“I’ll find out who it belongs to,” she retorted. “Johnny would only say that it was a gentry cove in Leadenhall Street, but there are ways to learn these things.”
“Oh? And what are these mysterious ‘ways’?”
“I’ll go to the police offices and see if anyone has reported a stolen watch.”
If she’d hoped that mention of the police would frighten him, she was sorely disappointed. “Then they’ll ask how you came by stolen goods, and your little Home will be put under immediate suspicion.”
Curse him, he had a point. “All right, I’ll tell them I found it.”
He straightened from the counter with a mocking smile. “The they’ll take the watch, promise to find its owner, and keep it for themselves. One of them might even come sell it to me. Then you’d have gone to all that trouble for nothing.”
She feared he might be right. Some of the police at the Lambeth Street Office must be corruptible, judging from the number of fences who thrived in Petticoat Lane. She might appeal to one of the magistrates who headed the office, buthe’d simply send her back to his underlings for such a petty concern.
Still, it annoyed her to have this…this scoundrel pointing out the truth. “You are very cynical, sir.”
“Why? Because I see all the disadvantages to your plans?” A sudden mischief leaped in his face. “Or perhaps you’re not disclosing your real plan. Perhaps you don’t intend to do anything with the watch at all.” He lowered his voice to a conspiratorial murmur. “Except keep it for yourself.”
“What! You dare to imply—” She broke off when he burst into laughter. “I see. You find this all so amusing. Very well. You won’t think it’s amusing when I bring one of the officers here to arrest you.”
Though his laughter died, he didn’t look terribly worried. “If it will satisfy your notions of morality, then by all means bring one.” He edged around the counter until he stood on the same side as her.
Leaning one hand on it, he stood there, loose-limbed and nonchalant…and still taunting her with a smile, curse his hide. “But you have no proof of anything, as you well know. Besides, what police officer will take the word of a meddling lady reformer over that of a military man who served his country in our late glorious war? And yes, despite all your claims to the contrary, I was indeed a naval captain.”
“I know,” she
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