room last night. He knocked on the door, but I feigned sleep. It was early in the morning when I woke and found a letter had been slipped beneath my door.” She reached toward her wet dress, fished in the pocket and pulled out a letter. “I was restless, so I went for a ride, hoping that I would find the courage to face him.”
“May I see it?”
She handed it to him.
Salvatore swallowed hard, his emotions in turmoil as he unfolded the damp letter. The ink had smeared from the rain, but the words were legible.
I need to see you. Come to me, please. Yours, D.
The words hit Salvatore like a fist to his gut. Darian wanted her. In that, they had succeeded. But where would it end? Would he fall in love with her, call off his wedding to Elizabeth, and despite the fact of losing all the riches, still live happily ever after with Nicolette as his wife? “No.”
He didn’t realize he’d said the word aloud until Nicolette replied, “No?”
Unable to sit still, Salvatore paced. “Do not meet him in his room.”
She looked stricken. “I...I did not. That is why I left. I needed time to collect my thoughts.”
He stopped before her. “Why did you not come to me? We could have talked about this.” His voice came out harsher than intended.
She hesitated, then looked away, toward the fire, casting her profile in soft light. “Because I thought you would tell me to go to him...and I could not bring myself to do that.”
He closed his eyes for a brief moment, feeling like a cad. Lifting her chin with his hand, he urged her to meet his gaze. “I would never do that to you. I’ve told you before that if you desire to leave, we can do that.”
She reached up and took hold of his hand. “Salvatore, I want you to show me how to please a man in every way.”
*****
Nicolette waited for Salvatore’s response. His mouth opened but no words came. Her stomach clenched. It was as she thought—he felt nothing for her other than a brotherly-like concern.
She dropped his hand. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”
He shook his head. “I’m not embarrassed. I just did not anticipate such a question.”
“I know he believes we are lovers. What do I do when he expects me to know how to make love, and instead I know nothing of how it is done? I have no experience with men, and who better to teach me than the man I love most?”
His throat convulsed when he swallowed. “What is it you want me to show you exactly?”
Her gaze lingered on his handsome features—the jutting cheekbones, the strong jaw, the full gorgeous lips. She took the step that separated them and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Show me where I should place my hands when he kisses me. Tell me what feels good to a man.”
He felt so wonderful to touch, his skin against her skin. How she wanted to take off the shirt, so there was nothing between them.
His arms slid around her waist. “Let’s start with a kiss then.” The words hadn’t left his mouth when his lips descended on hers. The kiss started soft, as light as a butterfly’s wings.
Nicolette could feel the beating of Salvatore’s heart against her own. It pounded hard, and she wondered if he was as excited as she was. She parted her lips, inviting him to enter, and he did not disappoint. His tongue stroked hers, urging her to play along.
And she did. His arms tightened around her, making her feel safe and secure. She shifted slightly, allowing one of her arms to creep under his, giving her access to his back. The hard muscles bunched beneath her questing fingers, the skin smooth and soft to the touch. She traced an invisible line along his spine with her fingers, brushing along the waistband of his pants.
He deepened the kiss, his hand coming up to anchor her head, his fingers weaving through her hair.
Her blood thickened in her veins, and a warmth swooped low down into her stomach and between her legs.
Her hand roamed lower, over his tight buttock, and she felt his intake of
“May I see it?”
She handed it to him.
Salvatore swallowed hard, his emotions in turmoil as he unfolded the damp letter. The ink had smeared from the rain, but the words were legible.
I need to see you. Come to me, please. Yours, D.
The words hit Salvatore like a fist to his gut. Darian wanted her. In that, they had succeeded. But where would it end? Would he fall in love with her, call off his wedding to Elizabeth, and despite the fact of losing all the riches, still live happily ever after with Nicolette as his wife? “No.”
He didn’t realize he’d said the word aloud until Nicolette replied, “No?”
Unable to sit still, Salvatore paced. “Do not meet him in his room.”
She looked stricken. “I...I did not. That is why I left. I needed time to collect my thoughts.”
He stopped before her. “Why did you not come to me? We could have talked about this.” His voice came out harsher than intended.
She hesitated, then looked away, toward the fire, casting her profile in soft light. “Because I thought you would tell me to go to him...and I could not bring myself to do that.”
He closed his eyes for a brief moment, feeling like a cad. Lifting her chin with his hand, he urged her to meet his gaze. “I would never do that to you. I’ve told you before that if you desire to leave, we can do that.”
She reached up and took hold of his hand. “Salvatore, I want you to show me how to please a man in every way.”
*****
Nicolette waited for Salvatore’s response. His mouth opened but no words came. Her stomach clenched. It was as she thought—he felt nothing for her other than a brotherly-like concern.
She dropped his hand. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”
He shook his head. “I’m not embarrassed. I just did not anticipate such a question.”
“I know he believes we are lovers. What do I do when he expects me to know how to make love, and instead I know nothing of how it is done? I have no experience with men, and who better to teach me than the man I love most?”
His throat convulsed when he swallowed. “What is it you want me to show you exactly?”
Her gaze lingered on his handsome features—the jutting cheekbones, the strong jaw, the full gorgeous lips. She took the step that separated them and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Show me where I should place my hands when he kisses me. Tell me what feels good to a man.”
He felt so wonderful to touch, his skin against her skin. How she wanted to take off the shirt, so there was nothing between them.
His arms slid around her waist. “Let’s start with a kiss then.” The words hadn’t left his mouth when his lips descended on hers. The kiss started soft, as light as a butterfly’s wings.
Nicolette could feel the beating of Salvatore’s heart against her own. It pounded hard, and she wondered if he was as excited as she was. She parted her lips, inviting him to enter, and he did not disappoint. His tongue stroked hers, urging her to play along.
And she did. His arms tightened around her, making her feel safe and secure. She shifted slightly, allowing one of her arms to creep under his, giving her access to his back. The hard muscles bunched beneath her questing fingers, the skin smooth and soft to the touch. She traced an invisible line along his spine with her fingers, brushing along the waistband of his pants.
He deepened the kiss, his hand coming up to anchor her head, his fingers weaving through her hair.
Her blood thickened in her veins, and a warmth swooped low down into her stomach and between her legs.
Her hand roamed lower, over his tight buttock, and she felt his intake of
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