The Rogue's Forbidden Love Rules

ir was crisp, the welcome edge of spring rushing her down the great marble steps, desperation shortening her steps and propelling her into the shadow

d it not been for her mother: she would've been looking for her elde

of Aragon after all, raised and channeled for a life like this: perfect manners and stunning beauty, a lifetime of a beautiful polka, but Elizabeth was less than perfect. Of course, that was

e ball, and no one had asked her to dance to any of the men who weren't truly awful. Two invitations from renown fortune hunters, one from a crashing bore, and ano

bachelors for more than half of the season. She sighed. Tonight had been the worst. And for some reason it didn't feel like it was bad enough that she was only visible to the boring and elderly, because tonight she felt the stares of the rest of the ton. She muttered to herself, looking dow

he had been tried on and the modiste had flitted around her, poking and prodding and squeezing her into the gown... her mother had promised that Elizabeth w

Elizabeth gasped, shot up in surprise and heard a deep chuckle in the shadows. She managed to pull herself up to full height and take in the shape of a man but her pounding heart, whilst

really shouldn't be sneakin

't gent

voice swept over her

of course, that it's not exactly la

hiding in it. How else, altogether." Back into the shadows she p

ght you might as w

l and trul

could this night get? He had just stepped into a sliver of moonlight, revealing his identity and she had her answer. Much worse. Her companion was the Margrave

om her voice - it was de

by any stretch of the imagination... trussed up like

hat could

He stood a good six inches taller than her and close enough to touch now. She

they find me... he

the sentence. He kn

in the soft angles of her face wi

e her eyes flash

daughter." I noti

, my lord," she s

he quickly clapped her hand over her mouth when

it isn't the most flattering of gowns

mit it. Plenty of people would tell you

omparison. "But is there ever a point

ould sit on the

't as embarrassed about his agreement as she might h

child as to be proud of this, to think it was me who did it, and then to brag about it. I

ed, already knowing the answer b

mournfully. "Ah.

fact, she looked up a

he shelf by the time

kes you so certain

'I like your chivalry my lord, but your

ared down at her h

limited. When he did

impoverished, the ag

s true." "I find that

eman in his place. I can see with eyes, anyone

and rich as velvet as he rea

throat with a wave of intense awareness. Unable to resist she

sked softly, "Wh

ame - a name so pompous and overwrought that nobody had ever dared to put on a child, unless it was a hopeles

She nodded, the blush

to know your parents better. However, it is a bo

ed by all the men who had no idea who she was. And she saw the future that s

In response to his frank lecture, she was helples

nella, you must walk back to the dance hall, raisi

g his feet to move away, leaving her cold in his wake

g the hair at her nape, warming her in the coo

ve as one, they will have no choice bu

held her breath, wa

the maze and Elizabeth gave him a silly grin. She did n

s, but her - she would have followed him anywhere. But if I am an empress, tha

ince hunkered there in a silvery glow on his broad shoulders and lengthy legs. She could have breathed but her c

. She had never seen something... so wonderfully scandalous in all the seventeen years. Turned white by the moonl

entirely unable to look away from their embrace. My, how they kissed. Deep in the pit of her stomach was youthful s

delicate ones weaving through his dark gleaming hair; her finely wrought body he stroked and molded; her mewls i

n her own neck as she couldn't resist pretending he was her hand's touch feather light. His hand stroking up his lover's smo

he warmth of his embrace. Unable to control her pleasure in his arms, Elizabeth's paramour threw her head back in ecstasy, Elizabeth could not tear her

scene, she dropped her hand, as if in shock, and whirled away from the scene. Rushed as she dashed through the maze, desperate for escape, she cam

d serve her no good. A devastating pang of sorrow was pushed aside as the truth ran th

cajole her off, while he feasted in dark tryst with his ravishing beauty - she felt an acute certainty that these were not truth, but instead the lies of a