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They moved out into the night, and down the steps
toward the waiting carriage. The cool air did nothing to stifle the
increasing warmth flooding his body.
“I don’t want to go back to Melton
House,” she snapped with outrage.
The tenuous grip he held on his
emotions threatened to slip at her fierce objection. A dark growl rose
in his throat and he bent his head toward her. “Get in the carriage,
Helen or by God I’ll toss you in myself.”
Anger flashed in her eyes, but she did
as he ordered with a grimace. As she climbed into the vehicle, he
instructed the coachman to drive until told otherwise. Following Helen
into the carriage, he slammed the door shut then pulled the curtains
over both windows. Beneath a glass globe, a short candle sputtered and
flickered in its holder. The light it cast on Helen’s features
heightened the rosy anger flooding her cheeks.
Alone with her at last, he breathed a
small sigh of relief. Tension racked his body due to her close
proximity, but he managed to control it as he studied her in the seat
across from him. Despite her composed features, her eyes blazed with
anger. Something was different about her. Stiff with latent hostility,
she glared at him. Then he realized what was different about her. For
the first time he realized he could see her emotions in the depths of
her eyes. Anger glowed there, but so did fear. Why would she fear him?
Exhaling a deep breath, he folded his
arms and returned her fierce look steadily. The silence stretched
between them with the taut snap of a sail at full swell. With an
explosive sound of frustration she shook her head.
“What do you want, Sebastian?”
“You,” he growled softly.
At the single word, her body recoiled
back into the plush cushions of the carriage. “You’re not making any
sense.”
“Oh, I think I’m making perfect sense.
I want you and I mean to have you. I intend to make you want me too.”
“Impossible,” she sniffed.
“Difficult, but not impossible,” he
said with amusement.
“Your arrogance is unbelievable.”
A smile curled his lips. He was going
to enjoy making her hot and needy. With a quick movement, he shifted his
body into the small space beside her. Delight whispered through him at
the breathless gasp parting her lips. He grinned at her.
“And you, sweetheart, are
going to admit that you desire me as much as I do you.”
His touch light, he undid the string of
her cloak tied at her neck. The material fell away to reveal her
delectable shoulders, and he simply stared at her. His gaze eagerly
drank in the sight of her creamy skin, pinpointing the fluttering pulse
on the side of her neck.
Leaning forward, he stopped his mouth a
hair’s breadth away from her ear. “Do you know how beautiful your skin
is? It’s the color of thick cream with the palest tinge of pink.”
“Your compliments are falling on deaf
ears, my lord.” Her breathless response broadened his grin. He disturbed
her. Good. He was about to do a whole lot more than just disturb her.
“But they’re such delightful ears.” He
gently grazed the lobe of her ear with his mouth. The action rewarded
him with another gasp from her.
“I thought you were taking me back to
Melton House.”
Desperation lay buried beneath her
words, and he pulled back from her. He didn’t answer. He was content
simply to watch the tops of her lovely breasts heave from her rapid
breathing. Instinct guided his fingers to run a feathery caress over top
the plump mounds. She sucked in a quick breath at the airy touch.
Immediately, his erection jumped with tension, but he ignored its call.
No, tonight he would tease and cajole her until she begged him to take
her, and when she thought respite close at hand, she would find it
retreating to sweep toward her again. Tonight, she would experience the
joy and agony of need.
“Do you want me to take you home?” he
murmured.
“Yes,” she said with a firm nod.
“Afraid?”
Her gaze met his, and she eyed him
warily. “I’m not afraid of you.”
“Oh, but I think you are.” With one
finger, he lightly traced the neckline of her gown, stopping at the
cleft of her breasts. He slowly slid his finger between the soft mounds
then withdrew. The stroke made him think of how desperately he wanted to
sink his cock into her, and he swallowed the need building inside him. A
shudder ran through her, convincing him that her skill at concealing her
emotions would crumble easily. “I propose a small test.”
“What sort of test,” she said through
clenched teeth.
“Kiss me.”
“What?” She gasped in surprise.
“I most certainly will not.”
“So you’re afraid to show
the passion you displayed so willingly just a few short weeks ago.”
Inside he winced at the words. Short was not a description he could
apply to the long, agonizing nights he’d suffered since then.
“Infatuation, mixed with gratitude, is far from passion, my
lord.” Her cool words stung, but he restrained his temper. He knew she
was struggling not to give in to him. But give in she would.
“Shall I disprove you’re
susceptibility by kissing you?”
“No!”
“Then kiss me and be done with it.
Prove you’re immune to me.”
Frustration pursed her lovely
rose-colored mouth, and she sniffed a noise of intense disgust. With a
quick move, she brushed her mouth over his then drew back.
“Come now, I know you can do far better than that.”
She glared at him at him before she
dragged her gaze away. “I refuse to play this game anymore, my lord.”
Leaning toward her again, he brushed
his mouth along her cheek and down to her jaw line. Again, his
fingertips trailed across the tops of her breast, but this time, his
forefinger slid in between her nipple and corset to stroke the bud. It
peaked into a hard pebble immediately. A smile of satisfaction tilted
the corners of his mouth. He continued to plant feathery kisses down the
side of her neck, while keeping his touch light over the tops of her
breasts.
He nipped gently at the pulse beating
wildly at her neck. “Do you like this?”
“Ye…no,” she moaned softly.
“No? What about this?” His lips slanted
down over the base of her throat to the tops of her breasts. With his
tongue, he probed the small valley between her breasts. Another small
moan broke past her lips. Delighted with the quick results of his
efforts, he explored her flesh beneath her stays again, his forefinger
rubbing the hard nipple straining to escape the confines of her
clothing.
Lifting his head, he smiled at her
dazed expression. “Kiss me, and this time, do it properly.”
The tip of her pink tongue darted out
to wet her upper lip, and a soft growl vibrated in his throat. She shook
her head slightly as though to protest, and he leaned toward her until
his mouth was almost touching hers. “I promise you’ll enjoy it,
sweetheart.”
A murmur of dissent escaped her as she
pressed her lips to his. Instantly, his need barreled to the forefront,
and it took every ounce of will power he possessed to refrain from
devouring her. Stiffening his resolve, he responded gently to her kiss.
There was a hunger hidden in her caress, and when her moist tongue slid
past his lips, he groaned with pleasure. Still he held back, waiting for
her to entice and beguile him. It was not a long wait.
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