The following takes places when Max finds Olivia in the arms of another man. He does not know she has reluctantly agreed to a charade to entrap her young cousin’s fortune hunting suitor.

A furious Max decides Olivia must marry the unctuous Reverend Kirkman, after all!

He could not believe it of her. What did she expect? To allow her carte blanche to continue her reckless, ill-chosen path, dragging Julian along with her?”

Wincing, Max acknowledged his love for the boy. How could he not? For more than a year they had been as close as father and son.

Her eyes were like blue thunder, her skin flushed and her creamy flesh tantalisingly bared by her sumptuous, scandalous dress; he thought he’d never wanted her so much.

But the price was too high. She would forever revel in the power she had over him. He did not think his manhood could sustain a lifetime of it.

She was straining across his lap as he caught her wrists. Holding them above her head caused her body to sag into his. He closed his eyes against the desire to place a kiss upon the flesh that swelled above her low cut bodice; fought the raging impulses that rushed through his body as anger faded beneath his yearning. Her hot breath on his cheek as he parried her blows quickly fanned the flames into full blown desire.

For an instant she stilled. He opened his eyes in the startled silence and saw that she felt it, too. She wilted in his embrace, her face inches from his, her eyes dark pools of need.

The thread that connected their two hearts from the moment they’d met tugged tighter. He was devastatingly aware of the soft contours of her body and for a second he almost yielded.

Of all the women he’d known, none had the power to stir his senses…

…as the fascinating, faithless creature before him.

Common sense returned and he jerked back as if stung.

He turned his head away before the hurt and surprise on her face could weave their spell upon his all too susceptible heart.

“We’re here,” he said as the horses turned into the stable yard. With enormous effort he kept his voice neutral. “The reverend is waiting for you.”

She did not want to go. He knew he forced her against her will; that he was abusing his power in this act of spite and self righteousness.

He didn’t care. If she hated him for it, all the better. He didn’t know if he had the fortitude to hold out if it was any other way.

Smoothing her dress she sat back in her seat, glaring at him. “I had not known such a fine line existed between the affection you’ve always extended towards me and—” she seemed nearly to choke on the words, “the disgust you clearly feel for me now.”

When he didn’t answer she whispered after a silence, “Could I change your mind?” Then, more desperately, “I do not wish to marry Reverend Kirkman. Since I have made that plain, perhaps you’d like to know my reasons.”

“I’m not interested in your reasons.” He knew he was being childish and pig headed but he wanted to hurt her. Humiliate her.

The carriage jerked to a halt and Max rose over her in the small space. It was not a comforting thought that his domination and angry snarl: “Perhaps confessing tonight’s little dalliance might ease your conscience” could only remind her of Lucien. Yet perhaps Lucien’s behaviour was not so reprehensible given all he had learned of Olivia.  Opening the door and jumping out onto the hay-strewn cobblestones he added, “If you have one.”