you have no idea how hard it can be. I thought… I hoped Asher and that Book of Angels would be the answer. I could almost taste the freedom from the demons that live within me, but all it did was cause more trouble.”
“I’m glad you realize that, and I’m glad that you're here, alive and willing to fight this.”
He brushed his fingers through my hair. “It’s all because of you. It’s all for you. I’m grateful you didn’t slay me. You had so many chances to do so, yet you didn’t. Why?”
I averted his gaze. “Because…”
Pulling me into his arms, he brushed his cheek across mine. “In a way, you're struggling with your own battles, just like I am,” he said, his voice heavy and husky. eavy anBwA part of you hates me, hates what I am and hates what I’ve done, but a part of you feels something stronger for me. A part of you want me to hold you, to kiss you, to love you, doesn’t it?”
I stood and turned my back to him, suddenly unable to bear his touch. If I say anything now, all my emotions would show, and I would have to admit that my feelings have grown for him so much these past few days.
“Lux?”
“Yes,” I blurted out. Bringing my hands over my tired eyes, I groaned my fatigue and my confusion. “I admit there’s something about you that…”
He reached for my elbow and gently pulled me back to him, parting his knees to bring me into a full embrace. “That what?”
Shaking my head, I gazed up at the bed’s canopy. Was I simply intoxicated by the romance of it all? Was I enchanted by the fairy princess treatment he’d shown me since leaving St. James? “I think,” I said, my words choppy and hesitant. “That deep inside you, somewhere, there truly is someone good, someone who wants to be good, but…”
“Forget the but for now.” He pulled me closer as he licked his lips in hunger.
“I know that look,” I said, trying to sound flippant, but hearing the jagged ting of lust in my own voice.
“I know I promised to be a perfect gentleman, but you're so hard to resist.” His arms tightened around my waist, crushing me to his chest.
“Moore…”
He kissed me with a gentleman’s restraint, but the restraint was short lived. Passion fired up quickly as his tongue invaded my mouth and sent my head reeling and my body crying out for more. Before I lost complete control, I pulled back, tearing my lips away from the warmth of his, but his hold remained strong at the small of my back.
My head fell back and I arched toward him as his lips assaulted my neck, trailing a heated path down into the opening of my shirt.
“Moore,” I groaned as my fingers pried through his hair and pulled him to me. Even as I heard my voice I questioned my intent. Did I call out his name to stop the onslaught of sensual arousal, or did I cry out for more?
Regardless of my desires, he stopped. Just as suddenly as the passion had risen, it cooled and ceased. His hands securely on my waist, he pushed me back and stood. “I have to go.”
Lust filled my brain and numbed my body as I turned to look at him. “Go? Go where?” The hotel room he’d booked had had two bedrooms. Where could he go, but here?
He chuckled softly. “I was lucid enough to reserve two rooms…just in case. I might not be a perfect gentleman, but I still have the capacity to be an imperfect one.”
I swallowed the impulse to beg him to stay.
“Forgive my stumble, milady,” he said, affecting a British accent. “But now I must bid you goodnight. I shall retreat to the Gloucester bedchamber. Perhaps you can join me for breakfast. You get the Duke’s bedchamber all to yourself. We can have scones and tea while enjoying the view of two of the oldest Tudor gardens in all of England; the Privy Garden and the Goodly Gardens.”
I stood, reluctant to let him leave, but charmed by the great care he’d taken to keep his promise. “Goodnight, milord,” I said
“I’m glad you realize that, and I’m glad that you're here, alive and willing to fight this.”
He brushed his fingers through my hair. “It’s all because of you. It’s all for you. I’m grateful you didn’t slay me. You had so many chances to do so, yet you didn’t. Why?”
I averted his gaze. “Because…”
Pulling me into his arms, he brushed his cheek across mine. “In a way, you're struggling with your own battles, just like I am,” he said, his voice heavy and husky. eavy anBwA part of you hates me, hates what I am and hates what I’ve done, but a part of you feels something stronger for me. A part of you want me to hold you, to kiss you, to love you, doesn’t it?”
I stood and turned my back to him, suddenly unable to bear his touch. If I say anything now, all my emotions would show, and I would have to admit that my feelings have grown for him so much these past few days.
“Lux?”
“Yes,” I blurted out. Bringing my hands over my tired eyes, I groaned my fatigue and my confusion. “I admit there’s something about you that…”
He reached for my elbow and gently pulled me back to him, parting his knees to bring me into a full embrace. “That what?”
Shaking my head, I gazed up at the bed’s canopy. Was I simply intoxicated by the romance of it all? Was I enchanted by the fairy princess treatment he’d shown me since leaving St. James? “I think,” I said, my words choppy and hesitant. “That deep inside you, somewhere, there truly is someone good, someone who wants to be good, but…”
“Forget the but for now.” He pulled me closer as he licked his lips in hunger.
“I know that look,” I said, trying to sound flippant, but hearing the jagged ting of lust in my own voice.
“I know I promised to be a perfect gentleman, but you're so hard to resist.” His arms tightened around my waist, crushing me to his chest.
“Moore…”
He kissed me with a gentleman’s restraint, but the restraint was short lived. Passion fired up quickly as his tongue invaded my mouth and sent my head reeling and my body crying out for more. Before I lost complete control, I pulled back, tearing my lips away from the warmth of his, but his hold remained strong at the small of my back.
My head fell back and I arched toward him as his lips assaulted my neck, trailing a heated path down into the opening of my shirt.
“Moore,” I groaned as my fingers pried through his hair and pulled him to me. Even as I heard my voice I questioned my intent. Did I call out his name to stop the onslaught of sensual arousal, or did I cry out for more?
Regardless of my desires, he stopped. Just as suddenly as the passion had risen, it cooled and ceased. His hands securely on my waist, he pushed me back and stood. “I have to go.”
Lust filled my brain and numbed my body as I turned to look at him. “Go? Go where?” The hotel room he’d booked had had two bedrooms. Where could he go, but here?
He chuckled softly. “I was lucid enough to reserve two rooms…just in case. I might not be a perfect gentleman, but I still have the capacity to be an imperfect one.”
I swallowed the impulse to beg him to stay.
“Forgive my stumble, milady,” he said, affecting a British accent. “But now I must bid you goodnight. I shall retreat to the Gloucester bedchamber. Perhaps you can join me for breakfast. You get the Duke’s bedchamber all to yourself. We can have scones and tea while enjoying the view of two of the oldest Tudor gardens in all of England; the Privy Garden and the Goodly Gardens.”
I stood, reluctant to let him leave, but charmed by the great care he’d taken to keep his promise. “Goodnight, milord,” I said
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