Chapter 16

“Fine,” he agreed lightly, and he rose smoothly to his feet beside her.

Instantly making Caroline’s already raw and sensitive nerve-endings thrum!

She didn’t drink alcohol, or smoke, or sleep with men—married or otherwise—but just being in the same room with Nicholas made her dearly wish she did the latter, at least. Every time she was anywhere near this man she felt the urge to rip the clothes from his body and have her way with him. Her very wicked way with him!

Nicholas watched the emotions flicker across Caroline’s flushed and expressive face as she looked at him: tension, then desire, quickly followed by dismay. “I’d give a thousand dollars to know what your thoughts were just now,” he murmured throatily.

Her eyes widened in alarm before she quickly looked away. “You would be wasting your money.”

“It’s my money to waste.”

She shrugged. “I was only thinking of the books I intend cataloging before leaving tomorrow.”

Nicholas gave a casual