A Persistant Attraction Read Online Free PDF

chance at seduction.” Her pink cheeks brought him satisfaction.
    “I received this note the afternoon before the Leightons’ ball.” She extracted a piece of paper from the waist of her breeches and handed it to him.
    It was warm from her body. The feel of her heat made his cock harden instantly. He unfolded the paper and forced his tired eyes to focus on the words.
    When he finished reading he was ready to use his bare hands to strangle the man who’d written it. The cold terror that ran down his spine sobered him. “Why didn’t you come to me the day you received this?”
    “I thought it was a joke. I figured some man I’d jilted sent it to frighten me.”
    “Damn it, Amanda. You were almost killed.”
    “I’m fine. But I received a second letter today. That’s why I came. He wants me to meet the same demand in three days.”
    “And you want me to help you find him before then?”
    “Yes.” She kept her jaw tight as though her response pained her.

    An evil idea came to him. He had every intention of finding this bastard and making him pay dearly for harming Amanda, but her situation had given him a wonderful opportunity to toy with her. For just a second, reason broke through his alcohol-laden haze. He knew better, but he couldn’t stop himself.
    “I deserve some payment for my assistance, don’t you think?”
    “What?” Amanda’s eyes widened.
    “Every day that I’m helping you, I will be given one chance to seduce you.” She shook her head back and forth vigorously. Her fists clenched at her sides. He watched her attempt to get her anger under control. For a few moments, he thought she would send the vase on the table next to her toward his head, but she reined herself in.
    “You told me that if I ever needed help, I should come to you. I should have known better than to trust you. Mark may think you have a heart under your detached façade, but he’s wrong.” She stood and grabbed her cloak from the back of her chair. “I’ll handle the problem myself.”
    He cursed himself and considered following her once again but decided against it.
    Instead he rang for Meadows. When the valet appeared, he said, “I want Miss Halverston followed and guarded. She should be in the sight of one of my men any time she leaves her aunt’s residence.”
    “Yes, sir. Anything else?”
    “No, that is all.” He sat at his desk and proceeded to drain the rest of the whiskey.
    His last thought before he passed out over the hard wooden surface was that he could never drink enough to forget the feelings Amanda stirred in him. Feelings a man like him should never have.

    *

    Amanda’s head throbbed from anger and tension as she swung herself over her balcony and entered her room. She’d known Rhys was an ass, but she’d never expected him to deny her assistance when she was in such dire circumstances. Of course,

    technically, he hadn’t denied her, he’d simply made such an unattractive offer she’d been compelled to refuse.
    A daily chance to seduce her, indeed. Did he really think she’d be so foolish as to agree to that? She should have left as soon as she realized how drunk he was. She thought of all the things her father had agreed to when he was in such a state and shuddered. At least she’d been wise enough to escape him. Now she knew to keep her distance from Rhys. Despite what Mark said, his friend was no gentleman.
    Now she was truly on her own. Somehow though, she would manage. She’d done every other important thing in her life without assistance. She would take care of this too.
    She considered the possibility that the man who was plaguing her was a regular customer at the tavern where he expected her to deliver the money. She would sneak out again the following night and hide near the rendezvous point. She still had the pistol she’d “borrowed” from her father’s collection and a knife her cousin had given her. She would carry those and pray she could defend herself if the need