Read Online If He's Dangerous by Hannah Howell - Free Book Online Page A

recognize it so quickly you must have read it already.”
    â€œKnow of it. Have not yet read it.”
    â€œShall I read it to you then?”
    He wanted to say no, knew that was what he should say, but he found he did not have the heart to dim the hopeful light in her beautiful eyes. Although he would never admit it aloud, he had been achingly bored, weary of having no company but his own thoughts. The short walk he had taken around the room had left him aching and so exhausted he had been unable to do more than lie there staring at the ceiling. It had been too soon to get up and move, but he knew he would keep doing so, for he had enemies and needed to get strong again as fast as possible. Argus decided listening to her read to him would be innocent enough. He was too weak to be any threat to her virtue anyway.
    â€œIt would be pleasant to be read to for a while,” he said. “My own company was growing quite tiresome.”
    The smile she gave him was a lethal weapon aimed straight at ending a man’s freedom, Argus decided. As she began to read, he realized her soft, lilting voice was not much safer. He had to wonder why she was not yet wed with a few children clinging to her skirts. She certainly looked old enough to have come out in society. Even here in the country there had to be men ready and willing to marry into a ducal family.
    As he half listened to the rousing tale of an old battle, the author’s tone surprisingly unprejudiced whenever the Puritans were mentioned, Argus attempted to understand why Lady Lorelei was still unwed. Her bare fingers implied that she was not even betrothed. She was beautiful, young but no longer childish, undoubtedly had a reasonable dowry, and was as highborn as any woman could be outside of the royal family. Her actions concerning his plight revealed a touch of wildness in her nature, perhaps even a touch of recklessness, but he could not really see that as a fault. Her butler saw her as sympathetic and too trusting, qualities most men would see as charming, might even be tempted to take advantage of. It took all his willpower not to interrupt her reading to ask her why she was still a maid.
    It was not long before the soothing music of her voice aided the exhaustion brought on by exercise in making him sleepy. Argus tried to stay alert, not wishing to insult her in any way, for she was an excellent reader, but he finally found it impossible to keep his eyes open. He hoped the constant need for sleep would end soon as it made him feel like a weakling. That was something he had never liked, but he suspected the dislike was enhanced by the fact that he was acting weak before Lady Lorelei Sundun. That fact carried with it some dangerous implications.
    Lorelei watched Sir Argus close his eyes but continued to read to him for a while longer. She could see that his color had improved since she had been at his side and decided that some sort of exercise had caused the paleness she had first noticed. She could readily sympathize with the need to heal and get strong as soon as possible. Sir Argus was undoubtedly spurred on by more than male pride, however. He had enemies, ones who were probably searching for him.
    Certain that he was finally asleep, Lorelei rose and set the book on the bedside table for him to read later if he wished to. She lightly adjusted the bedcovers over his chest and touched a kiss to his brow. It was a shockingly forward thing to do, but she could not fully resist the urge to touch him. A startled squeak escaped her when his arms wrapped around her and tugged her down onto his chest.
    Argus studied her blush-stained face, and ignored the protest his ribs made about having any weight on his chest, even her lightweight. “Why do you do that?”
    â€œDo what, sir?” Lorelei was not surprised when he gave her a look of mild disgust, for her attempt to act innocent had been a pathetically weak one.
    â€œKiss me on the