Desire In His Eyes Read Free Page A

her?
    Harrison Fleming could not believe the woman standing in front of him, close enough that he could kiss her. How had she managed to stow away on his ship? It was unthinkable! Unbelievable. And just what was he going to do with her now that Robbie had found her? Harrison had had grown men flogged for just such an offense. He couldn’t very well whip Juliette Hamilton, although the idea held a certain amount of temptation. She stood before him with her hands on her hips and a determined gleam in her heavenly blue eyes, her every movement challenging him to do something about her presence.
    He had met Juliette at Lucien Sinclair’s home and he knew the moment he first laid eyes on his newly married friend’s sister-in-law that she was trouble. Trouble in an enticing package, but aggravation none-the-less. Miss Juliette Hamilton was the very essence of trouble all right. With her audacious manner, flashing eyes, and impudent wit, she was no timid English miss. And he had wisely kept his distance from her while staying at Devon House, not because he was afraid of her, but because Juliette was exactly the kind of trouble a man didn’t need in his life.
    “And just what do you plan to do with me?” she asked, her voice rising slightly.
    He inched closer, sensing her fear increase as she held her breath. She should very well be scared. Needed to be scared. Did she have no concept of what could have happened to her? Of just how dangerous her actions were? Was she completely unbalanced? How dare this slip of a girl sneak aboard his ship? Which brought him back to his initial problem.
    What the hell was he going to do with her now?
    Logic and good sense dictated that he turn the ship around and haul her back to Lucien Sinclair and let him deal with her. He had heard Jeffrey Eddington make a not very veiled reference to the fact that Juliette was hell-bent on getting everything she wanted. Well, Harrison would be damned if he would be the one to help her get to New York. He should drag her right back home.
    Juliette Hamilton was not his problem.
    Unfortunately, this little not-his-problem being on his boat was very much his problem at the moment.
    Taking Juliette home would seriously delay his journey to New York. He had already postponed his return by a week to wait for a shipment of wine from France to arrive in London and be loaded onto his ship. He had to be back in New York by the end of the month. He had been gone too long as it was. Melissa would be frantic if he were delayed any longer. The last letter he received from home conveyed a sense of urgency at his return. Melissa needed him desperately and he could not disappoint her. Not again.
    Now he had Juliette Hamilton on his ship! How dare this little upstart inconvenience him and his plans with her reckless behavior. He ought to teach her a lesson.
    Yes, that was it!
    She needed to be taught a lesson. And he would be the teacher. The twit obviously had no idea how dangerous it had been for her to run away. She could have been hurt or lost or accosted by strangers a dozen times over just getting to his ship. Yes, the high-handed miss deserved to be given a lesson she would never forget. And no doubt her brother-in-law would thank him for helping out.
    Harrison stared at her, his eyes locked with hers. Good God, but she had the bluest eyes he had ever seen. Eyes filled with intelligence, humor, and something else he could not yet define…restlessness…impatience…resilience…defiance? He could not be sure. In any case they were not traits he generally cared for in women.
    “You have trespassed on my property and should be punished.”
    Those blue eyes widened slightly at his words but she did not so much as flinch. He had to give her credit for her bravado if nothing else.
    “And just how do you propose to punish me?” One delicate eyebrow arched as she questioned him.
    Harrison grinned wickedly.
    Juliette rolled her eyes in exasperation and pushed her way past