nightgown, she shuddered and pressed closer.
"That's right, honey. This is the way it has to be." Flint freed her lips, continuing to talk to her in low, dark tones as he brushed his mouth across her cheek and down the line of her throat. The words were timeless, heavy with passion, thick with masculine hunger. Rani felt them sink into her, adding fuel to the fires he was building with every touch.
When the front of the nightgown opened, Rani barely felt it. But when Flint's fingers traced the shape of her breast, she nestled her head against his shoulder. She could feel the hardening lines of his body as he pulled her closer.
"Rani, look at me. Let me see your eyes," Flint ordered softly.
She lifted her head, feeling dazed and unfocused. He studied her face for a long moment and then nodded as if satisfied. He fit his hands to her throat and held her still for another kiss. Then he brought her slowly, deliberately against him so that the peaking tips of her bare breasts were pushed against his wool sweater. The sensation was exquisitely teasing. Rani sucked in her breath.
"This is only the beginning, sweetheart. Only the beginning." Flint ran his palms down her arms. His expression was full of sensual promise.
"Flint?" From out of nowhere, Rani remembered her own words about the dangers of feeding stray cats. There was danger here, in her kitchen now. As if her thoughts had summoned up the interruption, a whining meow sounded outside the kitchen door. Rani stilled and then turned her head. It was a shock to realize she was standing half-naked in Flint's arms.
"It's all right, Rani." Flint touched her hair, twining his fingers through the spice-colored thickness of it. "I'm going to take you to bed and everything will be all right."
The demanding meow sounded again outside the door. Rani stepped backward, seeking escape. Somewhat to her surprise, Flint didn't try to stop her. Hastily she retied the belt of the trench coat, aware of the flush of heat in her face.
"Rani?"
"It's Zipp. He wants to come back inside."
"Yes." Flint's eyes never moved from her strained face. "He'll always want to come back inside. Just as I will."
She shook her head, trying to clear it. "I don't quite know what to say. This probably shouldn't have happened. I… I shouldn't have allowed it to happen."
"I don't think either of us had any choice."
That struck a chord. "I don't believe in fate and I doubt that you do, either. You're the one who writes articles illustrating the falseness of old legends, remember?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Oh, for heaven's sake. You'd better get back to your own cottage. It's very late and you're going to need sleep if you're to try the new writing schedule tomorrow." She glared at him, brow drawn together in a ferocious line.
"I hear you, lady."
"I want you up bright and early."
"Yes, ma'am."
"If you say that one more time, I won't be responsible for my actions!"
"Yes, ma—I mean, good night, Rani. I'll let the cat in on my way out." He walked toward the door, his step soundless. When he opened the door, Zipp flicked his tail upward and walked haughtily into the room. His jaws were empty. Flint looked down at the cat. "No luck, Zipp? Well, don't feel bad. I didn't have much myself."
Before Rani could say anything suitably scathing, the door closed behind Flint.
The house felt empty the next morning. Rani opened her eyes and listened intently for the sound of clanging pots and pans. She heard nothing, which was exactly what she should be hearing, she reminded herself bracingly as she headed for the shower. She certainly didn't intend to spend the rest of her vacation fixing breakfast for Flint Cottrell. She ought to be glad he'd gotten the message.
The comfortable, stylishly baggy cotton trousers that nipped in at the waist and ankles were a neutral shade of off-white. They were one of the few neutrally shaded garments in Rani's closet. She offset the effect with a brilliant camp shirt patterned in
"That's right, honey. This is the way it has to be." Flint freed her lips, continuing to talk to her in low, dark tones as he brushed his mouth across her cheek and down the line of her throat. The words were timeless, heavy with passion, thick with masculine hunger. Rani felt them sink into her, adding fuel to the fires he was building with every touch.
When the front of the nightgown opened, Rani barely felt it. But when Flint's fingers traced the shape of her breast, she nestled her head against his shoulder. She could feel the hardening lines of his body as he pulled her closer.
"Rani, look at me. Let me see your eyes," Flint ordered softly.
She lifted her head, feeling dazed and unfocused. He studied her face for a long moment and then nodded as if satisfied. He fit his hands to her throat and held her still for another kiss. Then he brought her slowly, deliberately against him so that the peaking tips of her bare breasts were pushed against his wool sweater. The sensation was exquisitely teasing. Rani sucked in her breath.
"This is only the beginning, sweetheart. Only the beginning." Flint ran his palms down her arms. His expression was full of sensual promise.
"Flint?" From out of nowhere, Rani remembered her own words about the dangers of feeding stray cats. There was danger here, in her kitchen now. As if her thoughts had summoned up the interruption, a whining meow sounded outside the kitchen door. Rani stilled and then turned her head. It was a shock to realize she was standing half-naked in Flint's arms.
"It's all right, Rani." Flint touched her hair, twining his fingers through the spice-colored thickness of it. "I'm going to take you to bed and everything will be all right."
The demanding meow sounded again outside the door. Rani stepped backward, seeking escape. Somewhat to her surprise, Flint didn't try to stop her. Hastily she retied the belt of the trench coat, aware of the flush of heat in her face.
"Rani?"
"It's Zipp. He wants to come back inside."
"Yes." Flint's eyes never moved from her strained face. "He'll always want to come back inside. Just as I will."
She shook her head, trying to clear it. "I don't quite know what to say. This probably shouldn't have happened. I… I shouldn't have allowed it to happen."
"I don't think either of us had any choice."
That struck a chord. "I don't believe in fate and I doubt that you do, either. You're the one who writes articles illustrating the falseness of old legends, remember?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Oh, for heaven's sake. You'd better get back to your own cottage. It's very late and you're going to need sleep if you're to try the new writing schedule tomorrow." She glared at him, brow drawn together in a ferocious line.
"I hear you, lady."
"I want you up bright and early."
"Yes, ma'am."
"If you say that one more time, I won't be responsible for my actions!"
"Yes, ma—I mean, good night, Rani. I'll let the cat in on my way out." He walked toward the door, his step soundless. When he opened the door, Zipp flicked his tail upward and walked haughtily into the room. His jaws were empty. Flint looked down at the cat. "No luck, Zipp? Well, don't feel bad. I didn't have much myself."
Before Rani could say anything suitably scathing, the door closed behind Flint.
The house felt empty the next morning. Rani opened her eyes and listened intently for the sound of clanging pots and pans. She heard nothing, which was exactly what she should be hearing, she reminded herself bracingly as she headed for the shower. She certainly didn't intend to spend the rest of her vacation fixing breakfast for Flint Cottrell. She ought to be glad he'd gotten the message.
The comfortable, stylishly baggy cotton trousers that nipped in at the waist and ankles were a neutral shade of off-white. They were one of the few neutrally shaded garments in Rani's closet. She offset the effect with a brilliant camp shirt patterned in
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