scent. It made her think of hot nights in the desert, and of even hotter things.
“Julia, I don’t want to analyse why this has happened like this. I don’t want to discuss the past … I just want you.”
She looked up at Kaden. So many feelings were rushing through her like a torrent, but one above all others. She wanted him too. She’d dreamt for years of seeing him again. He’d cast her out without a moment’s hesitation, and when she’d heard about his nuptials something in her had died. So she had given in and accepted John’s proposal, believing it was futile to love a ghost.
But he wasn’t a ghost any more. He was flesh and blood and standing right in front of her. And then he reached out a hand and cupped her jaw, his thumb stroking her cheek. She was undone. When he pulled her closer she didn’t resist. Because she couldn’t.
CHAPTER FOUR
K ADEN found himself relishing the other-worldliness that enforced darkness imposed, surrounding them in this cocoon. Julia’s eyes were huge, her breaths coming short and rapid, and as he lowered his head so that his mouth could drink from hers he felt an inalienable sense of rightness. It was too strong to deny or question or rail against. His mouth settled over Julia’s, his arms pulled her close, and when he felt her breasts crushed against his chest he was lost.
The outside world—the lashing rain against the windows and the intermittent thunder and lightning—all faded into the background as flames of heat started licking around them.
After what seemed like an aeon had passed Kaden pulled back. Julia was stunned, her limbs jelly-like. Her mouth felt swollen and her heart was hammering as if she’d just run half a marathon. Her hands were around Kaden’s neck, his breath was harsh, and she could feel the hard ridge of his erection against her belly.
He just said coarsely, “Julia.”
She didn’t stop him when he shifted slightly so that he could pick her up into his arms. “Take the candle,” he instructed roughly.
Half in a daze, Julia looked down to see the flickering candle on a table. She reached down to pick it up in its stand and then Kaden was striding out of the room, the soft light guiding their way to a door which he all but kicked open. In the shadowy half-light Julia could pick out a huge bed and unmistakably masculine furnishings. Kaden’s bedroom.
A sliver of sanity returned, and Kaden must have felt her tense, because he looked down into her face and said implacably, “There is no going back from here.”
Her breath was suspended for a long moment, and then the enormity of meeting Kaden again struck home. How fleeting this night would be. The weight of her yearning for this man was heavy on her shoulders, and it was too strong to deny, much as the tiny sliver of sanity she had left might be urging her to. Slowly. Fatefully, she shook her head. “I don’t want to go back.”
He carried her over to the chest of drawers, where she put down the candle, then let her slide down his body, his hands touching her from shoulder to waist to hip. He pushed some of her hair back over one shoulder and bent his head to her neck, pressing a kiss there. Julia’s head fell back. It was too heavy to hold up. Her blood was hot as it pumped through her veins.
Kaden’s fingers came to her shirt and he started to undo the buttons in the slippery fabric. She shivered slightly when the air whispered over her bare skin. Soon her shirt hung open. Kaden drew back and stood to his full height.
He was downright intimidating in the dusky light, with no help from an obscured moon, but he was also
thrilling
. He was a big man all over. Julia watched with a drying mouth as he coolly started to open his ownbuttons. Part of her wanted to be as bold as she’d once been and brush his hands aside so that she could do it. But this wasn’t the past. She was more cautious now, no matter how time seemed to be blurring here tonight.
His shirt was open, and with
“Julia, I don’t want to analyse why this has happened like this. I don’t want to discuss the past … I just want you.”
She looked up at Kaden. So many feelings were rushing through her like a torrent, but one above all others. She wanted him too. She’d dreamt for years of seeing him again. He’d cast her out without a moment’s hesitation, and when she’d heard about his nuptials something in her had died. So she had given in and accepted John’s proposal, believing it was futile to love a ghost.
But he wasn’t a ghost any more. He was flesh and blood and standing right in front of her. And then he reached out a hand and cupped her jaw, his thumb stroking her cheek. She was undone. When he pulled her closer she didn’t resist. Because she couldn’t.
CHAPTER FOUR
K ADEN found himself relishing the other-worldliness that enforced darkness imposed, surrounding them in this cocoon. Julia’s eyes were huge, her breaths coming short and rapid, and as he lowered his head so that his mouth could drink from hers he felt an inalienable sense of rightness. It was too strong to deny or question or rail against. His mouth settled over Julia’s, his arms pulled her close, and when he felt her breasts crushed against his chest he was lost.
The outside world—the lashing rain against the windows and the intermittent thunder and lightning—all faded into the background as flames of heat started licking around them.
After what seemed like an aeon had passed Kaden pulled back. Julia was stunned, her limbs jelly-like. Her mouth felt swollen and her heart was hammering as if she’d just run half a marathon. Her hands were around Kaden’s neck, his breath was harsh, and she could feel the hard ridge of his erection against her belly.
He just said coarsely, “Julia.”
She didn’t stop him when he shifted slightly so that he could pick her up into his arms. “Take the candle,” he instructed roughly.
Half in a daze, Julia looked down to see the flickering candle on a table. She reached down to pick it up in its stand and then Kaden was striding out of the room, the soft light guiding their way to a door which he all but kicked open. In the shadowy half-light Julia could pick out a huge bed and unmistakably masculine furnishings. Kaden’s bedroom.
A sliver of sanity returned, and Kaden must have felt her tense, because he looked down into her face and said implacably, “There is no going back from here.”
Her breath was suspended for a long moment, and then the enormity of meeting Kaden again struck home. How fleeting this night would be. The weight of her yearning for this man was heavy on her shoulders, and it was too strong to deny, much as the tiny sliver of sanity she had left might be urging her to. Slowly. Fatefully, she shook her head. “I don’t want to go back.”
He carried her over to the chest of drawers, where she put down the candle, then let her slide down his body, his hands touching her from shoulder to waist to hip. He pushed some of her hair back over one shoulder and bent his head to her neck, pressing a kiss there. Julia’s head fell back. It was too heavy to hold up. Her blood was hot as it pumped through her veins.
Kaden’s fingers came to her shirt and he started to undo the buttons in the slippery fabric. She shivered slightly when the air whispered over her bare skin. Soon her shirt hung open. Kaden drew back and stood to his full height.
He was downright intimidating in the dusky light, with no help from an obscured moon, but he was also
thrilling
. He was a big man all over. Julia watched with a drying mouth as he coolly started to open his ownbuttons. Part of her wanted to be as bold as she’d once been and brush his hands aside so that she could do it. But this wasn’t the past. She was more cautious now, no matter how time seemed to be blurring here tonight.
His shirt was open, and with
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