the life and well-being of the precious, delicate Vanessa Arrington."
He actually seemed to consider the idea, staring at the vial of powder with narrowed eyes. "I'm so much bigger than she is, I don't see how that would be a proper test." Moving slowly, he lifted his head and set his hawk-like gaze unerringly upon her. His dark eyes seemed to pierce her, giving her an unexpected chill. "You're about her size, though."
Matilda shot to her feet. "If you are suggesting that I experiment on myself to see if your potion is safe, you're crazy."
"Where's the risk? You said it was safe."
"It is!" Matilda protested. "But... but..."
"I'll take it, too," he said calmly. He had visibly relaxed, now that he'd thought of an answer to all his questions.
"I am not going to sit here and take a... an aphrodisiac." Her face turned warm. "I will not experiment on myself," she insisted.
Declan was unperturbed. "We know what we're taking, so any influences of the potion we feel will be easily dismissed. Just think of it, Matilda." He held up the vial so that it caught the candlelight again. "If this is effective, you can start a whole new sideline to your business. What do you think a man might pay for a safe elixir that will make his wife want him again? How much might it be worth to a woman to bring a disinterested husband back to her bed? There's nothing harmful here." He locked his eyes to hers. "Is there?"
Her fears faded, slowly. It did seem a rather good idea, when he put it that way. Strictly business. And how would she be able to tell people instructions for use if she didn't have any true knowledge?
"I'll get some tea to mix it in," she said, stepping away from the table. "But we both have to drink," she added with a glance over her shoulder. "And we must always keep in mind that no matter what we feel, it isn't real."
"I can control myself, Miss Candy," Declan said with an enigmatic smile. "What about you?"
His arrogance annoyed her, so she scoffed as she stepped into the kitchen. "I am always perfectly in control, Mr. Harper."
* * *
Declan couldn't help but grin. It was only fair; Matilda was giving him the kind of smile for which a man might wait a lifetime.
They'd taken the potion half an hour ago, drinking from the same cup of tea and then sitting back to wait. No powerful force had wracked his body, no uncontrollable urges had hit him. Instead, a warm glow had come over him slowly while he sat here with Matilda, as if he'd sipped at fine whiskey and it had seeped into his veins.
She sat in an old, engraved rocking chair, and he sat several feet away in a faded crimson wing chair that matched nothing else in the room. They faced each other directly, but they didn't speak much. Mostly they waited.
The room grew warmer and warmer and Declan began to sweat. With more than a touch of impatience, he stood and shrugged off his jacket, tossing it over a hard-backed chair by the table. He loosened the top button of his shirt before resuming his seat.
There was no doubt in his mind that the potion worked; at this moment, Matilda Candy was more attractive, more appealing than ever. Candlelight made her look soft, feminine, and sexy as hell. Her breasts filled out her plain blouse very nicely, pushing against the simple fabric. Her ankles, peeking out from beneath a red skirt when she rocked, were shapely and delicate. He'd never found a woman's bare feet sexy before, but Matilda's small feet and dainty toes were somehow seductive. With very little effort he could vividly imagine her legs wrapped around him, those ankles resting against his thighs.
He glanced at the curtained doorway to his right. Was that Matilda's bedroom? What kind of bed did she have? Was it hard or soft, narrow or wide? Had any man visited that room before? He set his eyes on her again, not willing to let her see how he was affected by the love potion. Lust potion, he amended silently. Isn't that what she'd called it?
She licked her lips. He felt his
He actually seemed to consider the idea, staring at the vial of powder with narrowed eyes. "I'm so much bigger than she is, I don't see how that would be a proper test." Moving slowly, he lifted his head and set his hawk-like gaze unerringly upon her. His dark eyes seemed to pierce her, giving her an unexpected chill. "You're about her size, though."
Matilda shot to her feet. "If you are suggesting that I experiment on myself to see if your potion is safe, you're crazy."
"Where's the risk? You said it was safe."
"It is!" Matilda protested. "But... but..."
"I'll take it, too," he said calmly. He had visibly relaxed, now that he'd thought of an answer to all his questions.
"I am not going to sit here and take a... an aphrodisiac." Her face turned warm. "I will not experiment on myself," she insisted.
Declan was unperturbed. "We know what we're taking, so any influences of the potion we feel will be easily dismissed. Just think of it, Matilda." He held up the vial so that it caught the candlelight again. "If this is effective, you can start a whole new sideline to your business. What do you think a man might pay for a safe elixir that will make his wife want him again? How much might it be worth to a woman to bring a disinterested husband back to her bed? There's nothing harmful here." He locked his eyes to hers. "Is there?"
Her fears faded, slowly. It did seem a rather good idea, when he put it that way. Strictly business. And how would she be able to tell people instructions for use if she didn't have any true knowledge?
"I'll get some tea to mix it in," she said, stepping away from the table. "But we both have to drink," she added with a glance over her shoulder. "And we must always keep in mind that no matter what we feel, it isn't real."
"I can control myself, Miss Candy," Declan said with an enigmatic smile. "What about you?"
His arrogance annoyed her, so she scoffed as she stepped into the kitchen. "I am always perfectly in control, Mr. Harper."
* * *
Declan couldn't help but grin. It was only fair; Matilda was giving him the kind of smile for which a man might wait a lifetime.
They'd taken the potion half an hour ago, drinking from the same cup of tea and then sitting back to wait. No powerful force had wracked his body, no uncontrollable urges had hit him. Instead, a warm glow had come over him slowly while he sat here with Matilda, as if he'd sipped at fine whiskey and it had seeped into his veins.
She sat in an old, engraved rocking chair, and he sat several feet away in a faded crimson wing chair that matched nothing else in the room. They faced each other directly, but they didn't speak much. Mostly they waited.
The room grew warmer and warmer and Declan began to sweat. With more than a touch of impatience, he stood and shrugged off his jacket, tossing it over a hard-backed chair by the table. He loosened the top button of his shirt before resuming his seat.
There was no doubt in his mind that the potion worked; at this moment, Matilda Candy was more attractive, more appealing than ever. Candlelight made her look soft, feminine, and sexy as hell. Her breasts filled out her plain blouse very nicely, pushing against the simple fabric. Her ankles, peeking out from beneath a red skirt when she rocked, were shapely and delicate. He'd never found a woman's bare feet sexy before, but Matilda's small feet and dainty toes were somehow seductive. With very little effort he could vividly imagine her legs wrapped around him, those ankles resting against his thighs.
He glanced at the curtained doorway to his right. Was that Matilda's bedroom? What kind of bed did she have? Was it hard or soft, narrow or wide? Had any man visited that room before? He set his eyes on her again, not willing to let her see how he was affected by the love potion. Lust potion, he amended silently. Isn't that what she'd called it?
She licked her lips. He felt his
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