Someone to Watch Over Me Read Online Free

in years. Nothing could break through the protective shell that had formed around his heart.
    But Vivien, in all her damaged beauty and unexpected sweetness, had affected him more than he would have believed possible. He couldn’t ignore a chord of elemental pleasure at seeing her in his home…in his bed.
    His palm tingled at the feel of her heartbeat, as if the rhythm of her life force were captured beneath his hand. He wanted very much to stay with her, to hold her, not out of passion but from a desireto give her the warmth and protection of his own body.
    Grant scrubbed his hands roughly over his face, through his short hair, and stood with a growl. What the hell was the matter with him?
    The memory of the one time he and Vivien had met, two months ago, was still fresh in his mind. He had seen Vivien at a birthday ball given by Lord Wentworth for his mistress. The ball had been attended by members of the demimonde, the halfworld of high-living prostitutes, gamblers, and dandies who were not fit for the ton but considered themselves far above the working classes. Since Grant’s position in society was well nigh impossible for anyone to define, he was invited to gatherings of every stratum of society, from the highest to the lowest. He associated with the morally righteous, the ethically questionable, and the overtly corrupt, belonging nowhere and everywhere.
    The private ballroom, with its elaborate plasterwork scenes of Neptune, mermaids, porpoises, and fish, was a perfect backdrop for Vivien. She resembled a mermaid herself, wearing a green silk gown that clung to every curve of her body. The deep neckline and hem of the gown were trimmed with ruchings of white satin and dark green gauze, and the sleeves were mere wisps of gauze at the shoulders. It did not escape Grant’s or any other man’s attention that Vivien had dampened her skirts to cling more closely to her legs and hips, heedless of the bitter clime outside.
    That first sight of her was like a blow to the stomach. She wasn’t classically beautiful, but shewas as vibrant as a flame, with an intriguing combination of sweetness and witchery in her face. Her mouth was a fantasy come true, tender, full, and unmistakably carnal. The mass of her sunset-red curls had been pinned at the crown of her head, exposing a vulnerable neck and the most beautiful ivory shoulders Grant had ever seen.
    Becoming aware of his intent stare, Vivien looked back at him, her red lips curved in a smile that invited and taunted at the same time.
    “Ah, you’ve noticed Miss Duvall, I see.” Lord Wentworth appeared at Grant’s side, a wry expression settling on his wrinkle-scored face. “I warn you, my friend, Vivien Duvall has left a trail of broken hearts in her wake.”
    “Whom does she belong to?” Grant murmured, knowing that a woman of her beauty would not be unattached.
    “Lord Gerard, until quite recently. He was invited to attend the ball, but declined without giving an explanation. It is my belief that he’s licking his wounds in private while Vivien searches for a new protector.” Wentworth chuckled at Grant’s speculative expression. “Don’t even consider it, man.”
    “Why not?”
    “To begin with, she’ll demand a fortune.”
    “And if I can afford her?” Grant asked.
    Wentworth tugged idly at a lock of his gray hair. “She likes her men titled and married, and…well, a trifle more refined than you, my friend. No offense intended, of course.”
    “None taken,” Grant murmured automatically. He had never tried to conceal his rough background,had even made use of it on occasion. Many women were actually excited by his occupation and his lack of pedigree. It was possible that Vivien Duvall would enjoy a change from her aristocratic protectors with their manicured hands and self-important demeanors.
    “She’s dangerous, you know,” Wentworth persisted. “They say she drove one poor forlorn bastard to suicide just a fortnight ago.”
    Grant smiled