kindly see to our return to the convent tomorrow. Now if you will please excuse me, I would like to lie down.” Without waiting for a response, she turned to leave.
He was on his feet in an instant. “Angelica…wait.” He caught her arm. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. Are you in some sort of trouble? Perhaps I can help.” Stepping close, he cupped her face in his strong hands, his action taking her by surprise. “Why don’t you tell me who you are.”
His sensuous blue eyes gazed back at her, unwavering. There was what appeared to be sincerity in his expression and words.
“Go on, Angelica,” he softly urged. “Tell me the secrets you guard.” His thumb lightly caressed her uninjured cheek. No one had ever touched her the way he did.
The temptation to confess the whole of her situation surged inside her. She swallowed down the words.
“I can’t…” she forced out.
She couldn’t trust a complete stranger, despite the longing he inspired.
He leaned in. “Yes, you can,” he whispered near her ear. “Trust me…” He slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her against his muscled form. A warmth instantly infused her body, his masculine strength so decadent and delicious. For the first time ever, she felt…feminine. For the first time in years she was leaning on someone, when she hadn’t allowed herself to show any weakness or vulnerability before.
She should have been shocked and pushed away, but instead she moved her hands to his waist, laid her cheek against his shoulder. Surrendering herself to his embrace—not realizing until this very moment how much she’d craved this type of contact.
“Tell me your secrets,” he said. “Having to carry them is a terrible burden, to be sure.”
More than she’d ever admit. But she kept her silence, basking in the quiet, soul-quenching moment.
“Tell me… Allow me to chase away your woes. You need only to reveal them to me.”
Oh, if only he could. He almost made her believe that the impossible was possible. Almost.
In the circle of his arms, little by little she became sensitive to the feel of her breasts pressed against his solid chest. To the escalating heat coiling through her system. And mounting by the moment. She felt his heart’s rhythm increase, accelerating her own.
“ Angelica… ”
She looked up into his eyes. Something in the way he gazed at her made her insides flutter. His perfect mouth was only inches away. He lowered his head. She held her breath in anticipation, expectant.
He stopped short.
Looking away, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then he grasped her wrists, pulled her hands off his waist, and eased her arms down to her sides.
He stepped back, breaking the tantalizing contact, and bellowed for Henri. The boom of his voice made her jump.
She placed her hand over her racing heart. The heat still coursing through her hadn’t dissipated in the least once he’d stepped away.
His body rigid, he issued a curt order to Henri to escort her back to her chamber, then murmured good night to her, and strode out of the dining hall.
*****
When Simon entered the library, he went straight to the brandy, poured himself a goblet, and downed the amber liquid. His body was tense. Aroused. Agitated in the extreme. What the hell was he doing? His thoughts should be on Thomas. His men. Not on this woman. He was becoming drawn into her game of mystery. And he couldn’t allow it.
The evening had been a fiasco. He’d learned nothing. It only made matters worse that she’d pressed herself against him with the most perfect pressure over the engorged head of his cock and stared up at him with open curiosity.
Jésus-Christ . The urge to seduce her into indulging in the stunning desire that burned between them was so powerful, he’d all but run from the room.
And he’d never run from anyone.
He couldn’t even trust himself to kiss those lush lips just once without surely deflowering her. What the fuck was
He was on his feet in an instant. “Angelica…wait.” He caught her arm. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. Are you in some sort of trouble? Perhaps I can help.” Stepping close, he cupped her face in his strong hands, his action taking her by surprise. “Why don’t you tell me who you are.”
His sensuous blue eyes gazed back at her, unwavering. There was what appeared to be sincerity in his expression and words.
“Go on, Angelica,” he softly urged. “Tell me the secrets you guard.” His thumb lightly caressed her uninjured cheek. No one had ever touched her the way he did.
The temptation to confess the whole of her situation surged inside her. She swallowed down the words.
“I can’t…” she forced out.
She couldn’t trust a complete stranger, despite the longing he inspired.
He leaned in. “Yes, you can,” he whispered near her ear. “Trust me…” He slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her against his muscled form. A warmth instantly infused her body, his masculine strength so decadent and delicious. For the first time ever, she felt…feminine. For the first time in years she was leaning on someone, when she hadn’t allowed herself to show any weakness or vulnerability before.
She should have been shocked and pushed away, but instead she moved her hands to his waist, laid her cheek against his shoulder. Surrendering herself to his embrace—not realizing until this very moment how much she’d craved this type of contact.
“Tell me your secrets,” he said. “Having to carry them is a terrible burden, to be sure.”
More than she’d ever admit. But she kept her silence, basking in the quiet, soul-quenching moment.
“Tell me… Allow me to chase away your woes. You need only to reveal them to me.”
Oh, if only he could. He almost made her believe that the impossible was possible. Almost.
In the circle of his arms, little by little she became sensitive to the feel of her breasts pressed against his solid chest. To the escalating heat coiling through her system. And mounting by the moment. She felt his heart’s rhythm increase, accelerating her own.
“ Angelica… ”
She looked up into his eyes. Something in the way he gazed at her made her insides flutter. His perfect mouth was only inches away. He lowered his head. She held her breath in anticipation, expectant.
He stopped short.
Looking away, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then he grasped her wrists, pulled her hands off his waist, and eased her arms down to her sides.
He stepped back, breaking the tantalizing contact, and bellowed for Henri. The boom of his voice made her jump.
She placed her hand over her racing heart. The heat still coursing through her hadn’t dissipated in the least once he’d stepped away.
His body rigid, he issued a curt order to Henri to escort her back to her chamber, then murmured good night to her, and strode out of the dining hall.
*****
When Simon entered the library, he went straight to the brandy, poured himself a goblet, and downed the amber liquid. His body was tense. Aroused. Agitated in the extreme. What the hell was he doing? His thoughts should be on Thomas. His men. Not on this woman. He was becoming drawn into her game of mystery. And he couldn’t allow it.
The evening had been a fiasco. He’d learned nothing. It only made matters worse that she’d pressed herself against him with the most perfect pressure over the engorged head of his cock and stared up at him with open curiosity.
Jésus-Christ . The urge to seduce her into indulging in the stunning desire that burned between them was so powerful, he’d all but run from the room.
And he’d never run from anyone.
He couldn’t even trust himself to kiss those lush lips just once without surely deflowering her. What the fuck was
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