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have to be so blasted handsome? Earlier, with his hair in soapy tangles, shaving cream and bits of whiskers smeared all over his face, he’d hardly been an appealing partner. But with the grime washed away, his hair had turned the light blond of a sunbeam and fell across his shoulders in tumbling disarray. Brows a shade darker arced above those smoldering eyes, and lines extending from the corners suggested that he spent a lot of time either laughing or squinting into the sun. His nose was straight bridged and narrow, and below was the most perfect set of lips, the lower slightly fuller than the upper, that she’d ever seen in her life.
    She licked her own lips, swollen from his kisses, and peered at him through lowered lashes in what she hoped was an invitingmanner. “I just don’t think this li’l ole tub is big enough for the both of us.”
    She pulled free of his hold once again. This time he made no move to stop her, but his hot, hungry stare bored into her back as she crossed the room. Honesty forced herself to remember her role and put a saucy swing into her step, hoping he couldn’t see how badly her knees knocked together.
    Once at the dresser, she pressed her hand against her breast, closed her eyes as she quickly pulled up her chemise, and released a slow, pent-up breath. How had the tables turned so quickly? She was supposed to have been seducing him senseless, not the other way around! Good gravy, the whole purpose of working in places like the Scarlet Rose was to get money! How could she hope to hire an escort without funds to pay him?
    It was definitely time to put an end to this little charade.
    She threw a quick glance over her shoulder. Much to her relief, he was bowed over in the tub, pouring a bucket over his head to rinse away any remaining suds. Honesty quickly slipped a trembling hand into her skirt pocket and withdrew her “secret to a man’s greatest pleasure.” The packet of powders had come in handy more times than Honesty cared to remember. “Would you care for anotherwhiskey?” she asked, amazed that she could even talk for the tumult inside her.
    â€œI’ve had enough, thanks.”
    â€œSurely you won’t make a lady drink alone.”
    With determined movements, she poured them both a glass of whiskey from the bottle Rose always kept in the night stand, then watered down the contents in her glass. She’d never had much tolerance for spirits, and getting soused would quite defeat her purpose.
    But as she opened the packet and lifted it to the rim of his glass, she found herself fighting a sudden impulse to toss the powders aside. Take the passion Jesse offered, and hang the consequences. For the first time in her life, a man’s attention was less like a bullet to dodge and more like an adventure to savor. Did it really matter that this gorgeous cowboy would be gone tomorrow? In fact, wouldn’t it be better if she didn’t have to see him again?
    Then Deuce’s face appeared before her—laughing Scottish eyes, stern father’s mouth, and a truth left undiscovered—and she knew she could not let herself be diverted from her goal, even for one night.
    Honestly pressed her lips tightly together, dumped the powder into his whiskey before she changed her mind, then turned around—
    And nearly dropped their drinks. “Oh, m-m-my . . .”
    Jesse stood in a ray of setting sunlight in all his naked glory, every lean, tapering inch of him, beautifully bronzed and exquisitely proportioned. The air around her went tight and humid. She teetered on the verge of swooning.
    Speechlessly, she let her gaze roam over the body bared to her view. Bad enough he had a face so beautiful it almost hurt to look at him, but did he have to have a body to match? Wide shoulders, chiseled chest, abdomen flat and rippled with muscle.
    Her gaze dipped, drawn against her will to that fine line of hair extending from his navel to