The Perfect Temptation Read Online Free PDF

vaulted out
onto the snow-covered walk.
     
    Alex sat there, too stunned and
angry to do more than
    blink. Duchess? And what
precisely was that wink supposed
    to imply? That he was teasing?
That he hadn't. intended for
    the barb to be as sharp as it
was? He was standing there, his
    hand extended, obviously
expecting her to accept his assistance
    out of the carriage.
     
    'When hell's as cold as
London," she muttered, gathering
    her skirts and disembarking on
her own. The snow crunched
    under her boots and pelted down
onto her shoulders. She ignored
    it just as studiously as she did
Terrell's cocked brow
    and frown.
     
      "JohnAiden!"
     
    Alex lifted her gaze toward the
woman's voice, toward the
    doorway of Emmaline's millinery
shop. Alex had nevermet
    the attractive brunette advancing
toward them; she did, however
    recognize the maid toting boxes
and coming in her
    wake . Alex met the
servant's gaze and knew in an instant that
    there would be no public
acknowledgment of their association.
    Which was as it should be. The
woman's employer-:Mrs.
    Geoffrey Walker-Hines-would be
mortified to have It
    known.
     
    "I had heard rumors that you
were back in London!" the
    other cried, extending her hands
to Terrell and smiling
    brightly. As he took them, she
fluttered her lashes and cooed,
     
    "How lovely it is to see you
again, Aiden."
     
    "It's lovely to see you,
too, Rose," he replied withwhat
    Alex thought was a forced smile
and too-careful politeness.
     
    "You look
radiant as always. How is Geoffrey? And little
    Geoffrey?"
     
    The mention of her husband and her s ' on didn't
keep the
    woman from
all but abandoning propriety. Using Terrell's
    bands for balance, she stretched up on he r toes
and pressed a
    kiss to his cheek. And her breasts hard into bis chest
     
    ''Both are - exceedingly well," she answered when s he fi nally
    drew back. Still bolding
a blushing Terrell's hands, she
    added, 'We have a daughter now. Elizabeth was born almost
    two years ago. You must come by the house for d inner one
    evening and meet her ."
     
    Alex watched him swallow,
saw his mental wheels spin ning
    at a furious pace. His smile became even more strained.
     
    "I promise to do so at my first opportunity."
     
    "I’ll tell
Geoffrey so that be can be sure to have your favorite
    brandy on
band for the occasion. Please feel free to
    bring your
companion."
     
    And with that pronouncement Alex
found herself skewered
    on the woman's gaze. It
was direct, certainly, but it was
    also decidedly
hostile. All the conversations she'd had with
    the woman's maid and housekeeper , the transactions they'd
    made, flashed through her mind.
No, there was no reason for
    animosity of any
son. Discretion had been their watchword.
     
    "My apologies,
ladies," Terrell said, quickly freeing him self
    of her grasp.
He took Alex's elbow in one hand and, gesturing
    with the other, said, "Mrs. Geoffrey
Walker -Hi nes
    Miss Alexandra Radford."
     
    Rose Walker-Hines gave her a smile that
only another
    woman would recognize
as venomous. " If you're with Aiden,
    you must have
the resilience of a saint."
     
    "Hardly," Alex
answered honestly before summoning an
    utter lie. "It's
a pleasure to make your acquaintance .”
     
    ' 'And I yours,"
she lied in return before turning her full attention
    back to
Terrell. " The invitation is open and standing,
    Aiden. As always, at your
convenience. It's so nice to have
    you back. We've missed you."
     
    The smile that had been strained
was most definitely edging
    toward brittle as he bowed
slightly. "Do give my regards
    to Geoff."
     
    "I will," she
promised, turning and moving toward her
    waiting carriage. Climbing in,
she paused to wave and call
    out, ''Until then, Aiden
dear."
     
    Terrell waved With his free hand. His stony smile didn't
    falter and his lips didn't move
as he said quietly, "Just as a
    point of information, Geoffrey
Walker-Hines is a waste of a
    good suit."
     
    "We agree on a second
issue," Alex admitted as the