Agrowl offrustration slippingfrom herthroat, Valoree caught her handsin his hair to holdhisheadstill. Coveringhis mouth with hers in mute command, she thrust her tongue into his mouth anddaredhim to a duel. It was a dare hemet withenthusiasm as his handsmoved to busythemselves with the fastenings of her gown. He wasn'tfastenough forValoree's liking. Releasing her hold on his hair, sheslid her hands between them, undoingthe laces herselfand tugging her gownshamelessly open, arching and gasping intohis mouthas he tugged her chemise down and closed hishands over heraching breasts.

"Beautiful, " he murmured, tearing his mouth away and loweringhis head to suckle at one hardened nipple.

Moaning, Valoreeshifted, closing her legs around hiships and drawinghimnearer as shewrappedherarms around the top of hisbowed head.She pressed onecheek tohis soft hair.

"More, " shesaid softly by his ear. Daniel chuckledagainst her breastat the urgency in her voice, then straightened and pressed aquick kiss to her eager lips.

"More, hmmm? "hemurmuredagainstthe side of her mouth.

His hands dropped to grasp her ankles, then slid slowly upward overher calves, pushing her skirts before them.

Shuddering, Valoree nodded and soughthis mouthwithhers, but heevaded her, pulling back slightly to watch her face as his hands crestedher knees and eased up the insidesof her thighs.

"How muchmore? " heasked huskily.

Suddenlyunable to catchher breath, Valoree met his gaze, her mouth parting andher tongue dartingout towet dry lips shethen bit as hishandsmetin themiddle. Eyelids dropping slightly, she stiffened under his touch, her posture suddenly perfect.

"All of it, " she managed to get out in a raspy voice, then glanced down to seea slow, satisfied smile creep over his face.

"Youwillnotbesorry, " heassured her gently, moving in to give her a brief, passionate kiss as he continued his caresses.

Pressing a trail ofkisses across hercheekto herear, he added, "I shall make allthe arrangements. You need not worry about a thing."

"Arrangements? " That was really the only wordthat made it through Valoree's passion-soaked mindas thetension inside her mounted.

"For the wedding."He laughed, nipping at her ear.

"Oh, that." Shakingher head, she insinuated her hands between their bodies and began to tug at the buttons on his shirt. "I did not mean that.I meant I wanted more ofwhatyou aredoing, " she said with a snort. Her head snapped up in surprise, her eyes searching his face as hesuddenly removed his hands from under herskirtand stepped back. He crossed hisarmsand glaredat her.

He wasangry, sherealized with surprise."What? "

"Do I understand you to say that you have not changed your mind about marrying me? "

"Nay, ofcourse not, " shesaid, surprised that he wouldthink so.

Taking in his grim expression, she realized hewas quite upset.

Sighing, she slidoff the sideboard and moved forward, placing her hands gently onhiscrossed arms. "Do not takeit so. I like you and am attractedto you, but nothinghas changed. We simply wouldnot suit."

Uncrossing his arms to avoid her touch, he propped his hands on his hips and saidin disbelief, "You meanyou areletting me touch you and makelove toyou like this when you have not decidedto marryme? "

"Well, sure.And why not? "

"Whynot? " He gasped in horror."Mayhapthings are different in the Caribbean; but herein England, ladies do not behave so with just anyone. Theysave themselves for their husbands."

"Really? "Valoree asked. She heardhisdoubting emphasis on the word Caribbean, but ignored itas She had the wayhe seemed to emphasize uncle when he spoke of Henry.She was gathering thathe didn'tbelieve their coverstory, yet for some reason she was more interested in this new bit of informationat the moment.

It seemed more relevant, since her body was throbbing and aching withdesire for him. Too, she found what he said hard to believe. Men didn't seem to wait to have sex until they were married. Themembers of her crew certainly didn't.Every single oneof themhad been with almost every willingwoman there was inthe warmer ports, and no doubt those on leavewere having a goodgo at those here in London at this verymoment.

In fact, Valoree was the only one on board the Valor who hadn't been with amember of the opposite sex. She had noteven beenkissed untilDaniel. But, living a lie as she had, it wasonly because the opportunityto do so had never come up. Valoree had no interest inwomen, and shecouldhardlyhave brought men on boardto satisfy any baser needsshe might have had. Besides, she really hadn't had any until now. An oddity, that, she thought.

None of the men, not One-Eye with his charming smile and ways, oreven Bull, whowas pure muscle and handsome ashell, had made her feel thewayshefeltwith Thurborne. She supposed it had somethingto do with growing up withthem; shethought of those men as family. But whatever the case, nowshe no longer needed to hide the fact that she was a woman, and she was attracted to the man before her - whynot have him?

"Yes, really, " Daniel said in exasperation and Valoree was drawn back to theirconversation.

"Hmmm." She peered at himdoubtfully. "So you'rea virgin, too? "

"Too? " Daniel seemed tosag with relief, apparently pleased by the unintentional admission.Then whatshe had askedsank in, and he frowned. "Nay, I... Only women mustrefrain until after they are married."

"Aha!"shecrowed a bit derisively. "Ladies arethe only ones who must restrain themselves! Not men! Now, is that not interesting? " she asked. "Whoexactly would it be who made up that rule, do ye think? Men, mayhap? "

"Aye, but - "

"Now, why do you suppose that is? "

"So they would know that any heirs born of the union are theirs, " he answered.

"Oh, of course, "she said with a sneer. "That must be it. It wouldnot be another way tocontrol women.Nay, of course not."

"Well." Hesmiledslightly. "No doubt they enjoy the fact that it alsomakes women behavea certain way. But thefact is, a man  - even myself - does not wish to leave his family estate and name to someone else's by-blow."

Valoree's eyebrows rose slightly;then she nodded herhead."I suppose I can understand how that might be an issue in the normal course of things, " she admitted, then shrugged. "But nothing about mysituation is normal. I amthe one with the land andtitle. I also must produce anheir. And as it is a businessdeal, whomever I marry willhave norights in the matter of what I do with my body. So . .."

Stepping closer, she pushed his undoneshirt off his shoulders, licking a path from his right nipple upto his neck asshe did. Then shepressed her breasts against his chest, kissed himjustbelow the ear, and murmured, "Help me makea baby."

Daniel was tempted. Oh, dear Lord, was he tempted. He had never been quite so much soinhis life, infact. His body was screaming at himto just doit. Just grab her, dragher down tothe carpet, push her skirtsupto her belly, crawl between her sweet legs, and thrust himself into her untilhe cried out and spilled his seed.

Unfortunately, he wasn't sofargone that his brain didn'tstill work, and it was pointing outthe reasons whyheshouldn't. For instance, it certainly wouldnot help him out of his predicament of needing to marry. And if he did have to marry someone, Valoree was his choice. But that aside, if he did goahead and takewhat she wasoffering, and shemarried one ofthoseother oafs on her list of suitors, he would be imagining that man enjoying herbody, and knowing what itfelt like to do so. That would be sheer torture. Then again, she might be willing to continueto allow him access to her body aftershe marriedone of those other oafs -  but he would still know that when she went homeat night, another man was enjoying crawling between her sweetthighs. On top of that, what if his seed took? If hedid take her as he wanted to, and she did produce a child as she must to inherit, he would always wonder if the child was his, and would have tolive with the factthat some other bastard was raising him.

"Thurborne!"

Glancing down with a start as she squeezed his hard manhood through his pants, Daniel stared at her with fascination. She wanted him. That desirewas written all over herface. Hercheeks were flushed, her eyesheld a mixtureof desire and impatience, and her naked nipples stoodproud and erect. Aye, shewanted him. Badly.Hmmm. Mayhap this wasa weapon he could usein hiswar forher hand in marriage.

Sniffing, hecrossed his arms andliftedhis chinso that he could glaredown hisnose at her self-righteously. "Nay."

She blinked once, then drew her head back in amazement.

"Nay? "

"Yes. Nay. Iam nothelpingyou have a childthat willbear someone else'sname, " he announced primly. But then he added, "However, if youwouldcare to reconsider and agreeto marry me...well, then, ofcourse I wouldbe obliged to - "

"All right."

Daniel paused and stared at her in amazement. He hadn't expectedit tobe this easy."All right? "

"Aye. All right, " she repeated, thenreached up to tugher gown off hershoulders.It droppedto thefloor, leaving herstandingin apoolof silk in just a pair of tightblack breeches.

Very nice tightblackbreeches, he decided, taking a stepback toward herbeforecatching himself andstopping. Thiswas too easy. Hegazed at her face suspiciously for a moment, then asked, "Youareagreeing tomarry me? "

Her mouth twitched with irritation at hismakingher clarify, and he watched a struggle take place on her face; then she snapped, "I am agreeingto reconsider."

"Not good enough." Whirling away, hecontinuedhiswalk to thesideboard, pouredhimself a nice stiff drink, anddowned itin onegulp.

"Thurborne!" she snapped again, stomping a foot in impotent rage.

Daniel turned toglance ather, then wheeled abruptlyback to thesideboard. Damn, she was a sexy littlebundle when she was furious!"Call me Daniel, " hecalled over his shoulder. "We know each other wellenoughfor that, I should think."

Instead she called him a string of words that he had never heard put together before. Actually, he decided, tossing back another drink, he had never heard a lady sayevenone of the words she had just uttered, letalone all of them togetherinsuch a creative manner.

She was still muttering some inventive, though not very pleasant, things that she wouldlike to do tohima, moment later when the rustle of clothing made himglance back tosee that she was donningher gown. Even thataction wassexy, he thought glumly, turning backforanother gulp of brandy beforereaching up tostraighten his own clothes.He had barelyfinisheddoing so when therewas a tap at thesalon doorand it was pulledopen by Henry. The man peeredhopefully inside.

His expression drooped immediately upon seeing the two of them standing so far apart; then his gaze narrowedon Valoree.

Daniel glanced toward her to see that while her hair was a touch disheveled, her dress was back in place. She also looked as sour as a lemon, however, and was glaring daggers in his direction.Ignoring her, Daniel smiled pleasantly at Henry. "Come tojoin us? "

"Nay."he glowered at them. "Thenextsuitor's here."

"Hmmph." Valoree started forthe dooreven asHenry pulled it open and stepped aside. Daniel couldn'tatfirstsee the manin question.He did, however, seeValoree's responseto him. She stumbled to a halt, her eyes widening slightly, then flashed a brilliantsmile and moved forward again, holdingout herhand. A figure immediately stepped through the door totake theproffered appendage, liftingit for a kiss.

Daniel stewed. Henry had let him know shortly after the incident that had leftValoreelyingunconscious onthefloorin thekitchen that hishope was for Daniel and Valoreeto come to anunderstanding. Ithad happenedafter Valoreehad been carried toher room and whilethewomenwere undressing and tending to her. The two men had waited in the salon, and Henry had confessedas much, then informedhim of her first suitors and their intendedactivities. He hadalso said thatthere wouldbe an hour between the firsttwo and the third fellow that Daniel could take advantage of, but hehad notmentionedwhothe next fellow was. Now Daniel nearly groaned aloud as he recognized the golden-haired man with thewinningsmile.Hawghton. Of allthe bloody luck! "My lord." Valoree moved a step closer to the man as he releasedher andstraightened, andDaniel felt his hands clenchat hissides.

"Lady Ainsley, " Hawghton purredin his perfect voice, flashing her his perfect smile. "I must say thatyour beauty is a pleasant surprise. Ifeartherash youwere sporting yesterday did notshow you off toadvantage."

Daniel grimaced at that.She was lookinglovely today. Her face was free of makeup, and completely recovered thanks to his mother's miracle salve.Probably one of theonlytimes thatone of herdamn salves hadactually worked, too, he thought bitterly.

That figured.

"Thank you, my lord. Itis sokindof youto say so, " she purred, then tossed a glare in Daniel's direction, asif to underlinethe fact that he hadnot.

"Oh, Thurborne, " Hawghton greeted, as if just noticing his presence. "I did not see you at first, old man." Then a concerned expression crossed his face. "I am sorry, did I getthetimewrong? Mayhapmyappointment was not until later."

"Oh, do not mind old Thurborne."Valoree's voice washeavy with disgust. "He's a friend ofUncle Henry's."

Daniel glanced at her sharply and she smiled at him in a cold-eyed waythattold him she hadguessed from the start how he had "just happened"to be inthe park.Well, he supposed he shouldhaveknown she would figureit out.

"I see, " Hawghton murmured, his gaze moving between the two of them. Then he seemed to come to some decision and turned on his most charming smile. "Well, then. I thought mayhap we couldattendthe theater this afternoon. They areperforming Sir George Etherege's "She WouldIfShe Could." It is supposed tobe quite amusing."