Nicole Jordan by The Passion Page A

claim not to be a pirate, but he still resembled one. She was not often intimidated, but this man disturbed her with his vital masculinity. She was even more unsettled by the forbidden sensations he aroused so easily in her. The raw, powerful sexuality emanating from him was palpable, the tension between them very real.
    “Give me your hand, sweetheart. Touch me…” Taking her hand, Sabine guided her fingers to his face. “I am flesh and blood, just like you. Not so very threatening.”
    He was indeed threatening. He made her breathless, fluttery inside. And yet there was something warm and tender in his eyes that allayed true panic.
    “This doesn’t frighten you, does it?” he asked, drawing her fingers to his lips, letting her touch him there.
    “No…” she murmured truthfully.
    “What of this?” When he brushed her mouth with his, his lips were warm and soft—soft as the caress of a butterfly’s wing. An unmistakeable yearning flooded Aurora, along with an unfamiliar hunger she could only call desire.
    She stared at him, dazed, as he drew back.
    The husky texture of his voice stroked her as brazenly as the hand that rose to graze the line of her jaw. “Have you never been kissed before?”
    “Yes…By my betrothed.”
    “But not a true kiss, I imagine. A true kiss is more than a meeting of lips. It’s a mating…of mouth and tongue and breath…An intimate knowing.” His fingertips traced the line of her mouth. “I want to truly kiss you, angel.”
    His delicate touch made her shiver. “I…You shouldn’t….”
    His smile was soft, indulgent, tender. He had a beautiful mouth, especially when he smiled.
    “In circumstances such as these,” he replied, “it is not improper for a man wooing his lady to claim a kiss. This is my sole opportunity to persuade you to become my bride. Perhaps the last time I will ever see you, ever touch you. Will you deny me my last chance to fulfill my father’s dying wish?”
    “No,” she whispered, helpless to resist.
    This time when he bent his head, she didn’t stiffen or pull back. She let him draw her into his arms, let him hold her as a lover would.
    His kiss was like nothing she had ever experienced. His mouth was hot, wet, open against hers, bold and unexpectedly intimate. Her nostrils filled with his scent, her mouth with his brazen flavor, as shocking pleasure assaulted her senses….
    Her wanton response dismayed her, yet to her surprise, he was the one who abruptly ended the kiss.
    “Perhaps this was a mistake,” he said, his voice unsteady as he leaned his forehead against hers. “I thought I would have more control….”
    Drawing a deep breath, he slowly drew away to capture her gaze. “No,” he said with more composure, “judging from your response, I wouldn’t say you feared me. You felt the same fire I did. The signs are all there. Your pulse has quickened, your skin is flushed….”
    Her heart racing, Aurora stood mutely, torn between dismay and desire as he so perfectly described the sensations that were overwhelming her. She shouldn’t be feeling this way, experiencing these powerful, forbidden feelings for a stranger. Never had she had such a primal reaction to a man, a reaction no lady would acknowledge.
    “And that is only the beginning, sweetheart. There is much more I could show you. Give me that right, Aurora.”
    His eyes had darkened with sensuality and were as fathomless as midnight, Aurora saw. Captivated, she stared into them.
    His voice dropped lower. “Your cousin believes he can secure a special license in time for us to wed tomorrow evening. I would consider myself the most fortunate of men if you would do me the honor of giving me your hand in marriage.”
    Aurora shut her eyes, struggling to recover her dazed senses. Her mind was spinning, and she felt a similar chaos in her heart, a tumult of hope, fear, doubt. Did she dare consider his mad scheme? It was so very tempting, and yet undeniably daunting as well.
    “You