younger son.”
“I daresay there is nothing ‘mere’ about you, Lord—I mean—Alec.” Sliding her hands up his chest, she wrapped her arms around his neck, praying that even if the Cossacks noticed two people kissing in the shadows, they would never guess that one of them was their quarry.
He slipped his arm around her waist. Becky’s heart skipped a beat and then pounded against him. With his other hand, he tipped her head back. But then, instead of claiming her lips, he paused, gazing thoughtfully into her eyes.
“What is it?” she whispered. Would the blasted man please hurry before she was spotted?
“I can’t tell if you really want this,” he said. “You quite confuse me, little girl.”
She gazed at his sensitive mouth, made for deep, wanton kisses. “I do.” Heaven help her, it was true. “More than you know.” She met his searching gaze in stark vulnerability. She had never been this close to a man before; his body against hers was almost enough to make her forget all about the Cossacks.
“You’re shaking,” he said.
“I’m just—a little cold.” In truth, it was part terror, part desire, that swirled through her veins, a dizzying concoction.
“Then I must endeavor to warm you.” He tightened his embrace with a sportive growl and rubbed her arms briskly. Then his hands grew still, gently cupping her shoulders. He opened his coat and gathered her inside of it, physically taking her under his wing. The clean, manly scent of him permeated her senses. “Better?”
With her arms around his lean waist, she nodded, smiling shyly at him.
Alec stared into her eyes. “Try to trust me,
ma petite.
”
“Very well,” she whispered slowly.
He gripped her hips in a sensual hold and drew her closer against his hard body—his chest, his belly, his thighs against hers. The excitement of his possessive clutch made her catch her breath. Then he lowered his head in silken menace, still watching her in the darkness at close range. Her heart fluttered wildly, but if she had expected a rough semi-ravishment, he devastated her with his gentleness. She closed her eyes, shivering with exhilaration as his lips brushed over her mouth in a light, exploratory caress. Leashed passion thrummed between them.
“Mm,” he breathed, a throaty sound of pleasure that roused a burst of eager sensations within her. She had never experienced anything like it. “Very nice.”
She felt a bit like a delicate marzipan on the dessert plate of a connoisseur, and could hardly wait to be devoured. It was agonizing, blissful.
The world, the Cossacks, all but disappeared; there was only this magnificent stranger and the wonderful sense of safety in his arms. He made her think how nice it would be to forget all about her quest and simply slip into the role he had assigned her.
Wicked.
She held her breath in sheer anticipation to see what he might do next. The tip of his lordly nose skimmed her cheek as he inhaled the scent of her skin, taking his time with her, his warm breath tickling the corner of her mouth as he played. Her pulse raced. His hand was hot as he cupped the side of her neck, flirting with her earlobe. Then he kissed her bottom lip, nibbling ever so gently.
She moaned.
“Alec.”
Remembering abruptly to breathe, she gasped in delight, and when her lips parted, he stole his chance with smooth expertise, moving more intently into her mouth, and as before, when he had kissed her brow, she melted.
As the hungry moments passed, his skilled hands roamed up and down her sides in searing caresses. She groaned, giving way in her amazement and yielding as he kissed her more deeply. The slow, luscious licks as his tongue stroked hers sent joy arrowing down her spine until her very toes curled. God, who was this man? she wondered as her world spun.
Delectable creature.
He had the body of a god, the soul of a satyr, but the kiss he gave her was the work of a virtuoso. Clearly, he had done this before. Many, many
“I daresay there is nothing ‘mere’ about you, Lord—I mean—Alec.” Sliding her hands up his chest, she wrapped her arms around his neck, praying that even if the Cossacks noticed two people kissing in the shadows, they would never guess that one of them was their quarry.
He slipped his arm around her waist. Becky’s heart skipped a beat and then pounded against him. With his other hand, he tipped her head back. But then, instead of claiming her lips, he paused, gazing thoughtfully into her eyes.
“What is it?” she whispered. Would the blasted man please hurry before she was spotted?
“I can’t tell if you really want this,” he said. “You quite confuse me, little girl.”
She gazed at his sensitive mouth, made for deep, wanton kisses. “I do.” Heaven help her, it was true. “More than you know.” She met his searching gaze in stark vulnerability. She had never been this close to a man before; his body against hers was almost enough to make her forget all about the Cossacks.
“You’re shaking,” he said.
“I’m just—a little cold.” In truth, it was part terror, part desire, that swirled through her veins, a dizzying concoction.
“Then I must endeavor to warm you.” He tightened his embrace with a sportive growl and rubbed her arms briskly. Then his hands grew still, gently cupping her shoulders. He opened his coat and gathered her inside of it, physically taking her under his wing. The clean, manly scent of him permeated her senses. “Better?”
With her arms around his lean waist, she nodded, smiling shyly at him.
Alec stared into her eyes. “Try to trust me,
ma petite.
”
“Very well,” she whispered slowly.
He gripped her hips in a sensual hold and drew her closer against his hard body—his chest, his belly, his thighs against hers. The excitement of his possessive clutch made her catch her breath. Then he lowered his head in silken menace, still watching her in the darkness at close range. Her heart fluttered wildly, but if she had expected a rough semi-ravishment, he devastated her with his gentleness. She closed her eyes, shivering with exhilaration as his lips brushed over her mouth in a light, exploratory caress. Leashed passion thrummed between them.
“Mm,” he breathed, a throaty sound of pleasure that roused a burst of eager sensations within her. She had never experienced anything like it. “Very nice.”
She felt a bit like a delicate marzipan on the dessert plate of a connoisseur, and could hardly wait to be devoured. It was agonizing, blissful.
The world, the Cossacks, all but disappeared; there was only this magnificent stranger and the wonderful sense of safety in his arms. He made her think how nice it would be to forget all about her quest and simply slip into the role he had assigned her.
Wicked.
She held her breath in sheer anticipation to see what he might do next. The tip of his lordly nose skimmed her cheek as he inhaled the scent of her skin, taking his time with her, his warm breath tickling the corner of her mouth as he played. Her pulse raced. His hand was hot as he cupped the side of her neck, flirting with her earlobe. Then he kissed her bottom lip, nibbling ever so gently.
She moaned.
“Alec.”
Remembering abruptly to breathe, she gasped in delight, and when her lips parted, he stole his chance with smooth expertise, moving more intently into her mouth, and as before, when he had kissed her brow, she melted.
As the hungry moments passed, his skilled hands roamed up and down her sides in searing caresses. She groaned, giving way in her amazement and yielding as he kissed her more deeply. The slow, luscious licks as his tongue stroked hers sent joy arrowing down her spine until her very toes curled. God, who was this man? she wondered as her world spun.
Delectable creature.
He had the body of a god, the soul of a satyr, but the kiss he gave her was the work of a virtuoso. Clearly, he had done this before. Many, many
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