Too Dangerous to Desire Read Online Free PDF

anyone were see the supremely sardonic Hellhound reduced to a pathetic whimper.
    He turned away from the array of soft pinks and purples, fully intending to hurry on to Jackson’s Boxing Salon. There was no better refuge—amid the slap of leather and grunts of pain, he could pummel his emotions into submission by working up a sweat on the heavy punching bags.
    But to his dismay, his feet rebelled against reason. They slowed, and then stopped in front of an ornate arched window filled with beribboned bonnets and plumed turbans.
    I will just pause for a moment , he vowed, peering over an ostrich feather for a clear view of shop’s interior.
    Georgiana was trying on a pert little confection of chip straw festooned with tiny red cherries. Sophie smiled and shook her head, prompting a remark from their aunt. Next came a more sedate creation, featuring shades of pale apricot and cream…
      
    A frown flitted across Georgiana’s face as she reached up to unsnag a ribbon from around her ear. “Why is that gentleman staring at us?”
    “Where?” Sophie looked up from the patternbook.
    “There. Right outside the window.”
    Shifting her stance, Sophie caught a glimpse of a dark shape moving away with muscled quickness. She hurried to the door, but a glance through its glass pane showed only the top of a high-crown beaver hat, fast melting away in the crowd.
    “How odd,” said Georgiana.
    “Indeed,” said Sophie, still looking out at the street. Even odder was the tickling sensation teasing at the nape of her neck. It was foolish to allow her imagination to run wild. There must be thousands of black hats in London with broad brims and grosgrain bands.
    Yes, but how many of them are worn tugged down at a rakish angle?
    Dismissing the question as too fanciful to deserve an answer, she returned to her study of ribbons.
    “Oh, look,” exclaimed Georgiana, lifting an elegantly simple creation from its bandbox. “Wouldn’t this look perfect with Sophie’s new indigo gown?”
    “Perfect!” echoed Hermione.
    “Please, I don’t need such extravagances.” Sophie made a face, feeling guilty that her relative had ordered not one, but two new gowns for her, along with a lovely selection for her sister. “There is an old adage about trying to make a silk purse from a sow’s ear. And besides, you have been far too generous as it is.”
    “Nonsense. You must indulge me, my dear. It is a great pleasure to shop with my nieces. I wish you would allow me to do so more often.” Hermione was their late mother’s sister, and she and her husband tactfully did their best to augment their father’s meager earnings. They could afford it, but Sophie did not like to take advantage of their kindness.
    “Thank you, but…” The bonnet was really very fetching. “But I have no need—”
    “We’ll take this,” said Georgiana decisively, quickly handing it to the clerk behind the counter.
    “And we will also take that darling Dutch bonnet to complement your new sprigged muslin walking dress,” added Hermione. “Now, we must look for a military-style shako with a silk tassel to top off your riding habit…”
    The carriage was bursting with boxes by the time the trio had finished their rounds of the Bond Street shops.
    “What fun,” said Hermione, fanning her cheeks. “Though I confess, sorting through all those fabrics and styles requires a great deal of energy. Shall we stop at Gunter’s for refreshments?”
    Georgiana, who was quite fond of the famous teashop’s strawberry ice cream, quickly seconded the suggestion. “Shall we walk?” she added. “It’s just a short stroll to Berkeley Square, and that way we can look at the shop windows.”
    Sophie fell in step with the others, but soon found her attention wandering from the fancy displays. Why, oh why am I plagued by this strange notion of déjà vu? she wondered, unable to keep from thinking of the Pirate, and the unsettling memories of the past. One must never look