Several years ago, carefree Marietta Greentree made a grievous mistake in judgment in a man that ruined her social status. Unable to participate in social gatherings, she resides in the shadows. Marietta resolves to harden her heart and leave her adopted mother's home to become a courtesan like her biological mother, Madam Aphrodite. Knowing too well the hard life of a courtesan, Aphrodite plans to sabotage her daughter's plan by giving Marietta rules of passion and seduction intended to discourage her.
Max Vallard's life cannot possibly get worse. Society has deemed him the scandal of the moment as his father finds a mysterious letter from his late wife confessing an indiscretion and putting doubt upon Max's paternity. His father, betrayed by the woman he adored, retaliates by publicly renouncing and disinheriting Max, leaving the title to his cousin. Wallowing in humiliation and self- pity, Max is struggling to make sense of the mess in his life when Aphrodite's daughter proposes that Max let her test her skills and practice on him, since both their reputations are in tatters.
Needing the distraction and drawn to the unconventional Marietta, Max enters into the bizarre agreement. Unfortunately, Marietta is unable to follow her mother's rule of never falling in love with the gentleman. Max begins to find his heart engaged as he struggles with the consequences of falling in love with an unsuitable woman.
Second in the Greentree Sisters trilogy, this book provides readers with a wickedly sensuous romance. Ms. Bennett adds a drop of mystery and suspense to the tale, which enhances the story even more.
The boldest, most unconventional of the three Greentree
sisters, Marietta believes her best course would be to
emulate her natural mother, the notorious courtesan Madame
Aphrodite. Being woefully unschooled in the ways of
passion, however, Marietta, at Aphroditeβs insistence,
must
first prove herself by properly seducing one man: Max
Valland, the moody, disgraced, and disinherited former
Lord
Roseby.
With his life and reputation already in tatters, Max is
most willing to help the exquisite young minx practice her
chosen craftβthough he is surprised at the depth of his
desireβ¦and by her most unprofessional tenderness. But
Mariettaβs plans are threatened by the dangerous mysteries
swirling around this disarmingly sensual gentleman⦠and by
a heart that urges her to break the courtesanβs cardinal
rule: never fall in love.
EXCERPT
1845, Aphrodite's Club, London
Miss Greentree was certainly an unusual woman.
Max realized that she was staring back at him, warily,
watchfully. And no wonder. They were standing very
close, and the scent of her, the look of her, was heating
his blood. He had come here tonight on a whim, for some
distraction, to try and forget his troubles. For one
night at least it would be pleasant to have a woman in his
arms who made no mention of the scandal his life had
become, who would pretend he was just an ordinary
gentleman--a desirable gentleman and not one to avoid at
all costs.
Miss Greentree might be irritating and pert, but suddenly
Max knew that he wanted her. She was here to sell her
services, whatever he had previously believed to the
contrary, and he was here to buy them. Why was he
hesitating?
Max wasn't a man to make snap decisions, far from it, but
he made one now.
"Miss Greentree, are you free for this evening?"
"This evening?" Marietta goggled at him. Did he mean,
could he mean . . . ? But of course he meant what she
thought he meant! He was about to proposition her--she
felt light-headed with a combination of shock and triumph.
Max's jaw had tightened. "No, I've changed my mind."
He didn't want her after all! Marietta gave a sigh of
relief, and ignored the little jolt of chagrin. "Well, I
didn't like to embarrass you, Max, but I'm only here--"
"I've changed my mind about the evening," he went on,
talking over her attempts at an explanation. "I want you
for the entire night."
"Oh," she gasped. "I don't know . . . That's very
flattering, Max. I hope . . . Maybe the evening would be
more sensible. I mean, what if I was no good at . . . at
it, and you had to ask for your money back. Awfully
embarrassing for us both. Although I'm sure it's
something you get better at, with . . . with practice.
Although my own is limited and . . . and . . ."
He laughed as if he didn't particularly want to but he
just couldn't help it. "Miss Greentree--"
Marietta. My name is Marietta."
"Marietta. Enchanting." He gave her a small perfunctory
bow. "To answer your question, I think that the physical
attraction between two people depends on a great many
things and none of them are easily--"
"Well I think one glance is often enough."
Of course she had decided views on this, as with
everything. She was looking at him as if she expected him
to argue, so he did.
"Nonsense," Max said mildly.
Her pretty mouth quirked. "Do you feel a physical
attraction for me, Max?"
"You're direct, aren't you?" he retorted. "Yes, Marietta,
I do feel a physical attraction for you."
"I must say I am flattered, Max. An entire night. Is
that the way these bargains are normally sealed? A simple
yes or no on my part? Or do you require a sampling first?"
A sampling? His imagination took flight.
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