Every thought scattered to the four winds, and she felt like she was falling—fallingupand into him.
She dug her fingers into his waistcoat, trying to find her bearings as his firm, warm lips brushed over hers. Then she stopped trying because, well, Kade waskissingher. And it was the mostwonderfulkiss, so tender and alluring that her anxieties and frustrations faded away. His caress was everything she’d imagined it would be in the foolish dreams of a schoolgirl, and in the quiet longings of a woman grown. His mouth seduced her with softness and heat, and a gentle passion that stole into the depths of her soul.
When Charlie sighed her pleasure against his lips, he slid a big hand to the nape of her neck, gently cradling her. At the touch of his fingertips, she shivered. Kade murmured deep in his throat and moved his other hand down to her waist, pulling her closer. And thank God for that, because every one of her muscles had gone weak with a yearning so intense it made her dizzy. For a silly, delirious moment, she imagined she might faint from the sheer wonder of it all.
Kade’s tongue slid along the seam of her lips, silently asking permission to enter. Then Charlie forgot all about fainting and focused on feeling instead. When she opened to him, he swept in with a bold, possessive kiss. She melted against him, desperately eager to take as much as he wanted to give.
But when she stretched up on her toes, reaching for more, Kade began a slow retreat. His lips wandered over to press a kiss to her cheek, before returning to briefly nuzzle her mouth one last time. Then he straightened up, although his hand still rested gently against her neck.
Charlie sucked in a deep breath and gazed up into his eyes. They glittered like blue flame. How could something so hot make one shiver? Then she realized that she was gaping at him like a booby, her eyes no doubt as round as saucers. She clamped her mouth shut, and she and Kade stared at each other for several long seconds before he ticked up an eyebrow.
“All right, lass?” he asked, his voice holding a hint of a Highland growl.
She frowned, slightly perplexed by the question. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
His other brow went up.
God, she was acting like a complete nincompoop. “Yes, I’m perfectly well, thank you. Splendid, in fact.”
His mouth—his truly wonderful mouth—suddenly split into a grin. “Excellent. Now, Charlie, as you pointed out some minutes ago, it’s very late, so it’s off to bed with you. I’ll snuff out the candles and follow in a few minutes. That way, we should escape detection.”
She tried to gather her wits. “Yes, that makes perfect sense.”
He tapped the side of his head. “Master spy. We think about these things.”
His joke brought her problems roaring back. That kiss had knocked them right out of her head, but now they loomed as hideous as before.
“But what about my brooch? And what about—”
He swooped down and pressed a brief, firm kiss to her lips. The man was ridiculously good at deflecting her questions.
“You’re not to worry about that tonight,” he said. “We’ll regroup in the morning and come up with a plan.”
Then he took her by the shoulders and walked her to the door. He cracked it a few inches, listened, and then nodded his head.
“Can you see without a candle?” he murmured as he opened the door wider.
She peeked down the hall. Moonlight filtered through the windows that lined the corridor, providing a soft illumination.
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Off with you, then.”
He gave her a gentle push to get her started, but his voice stopped her a few moments later.
“And, Charlie?”
She turned and took in his mysterious, tender smile. She stood fast, resisting the urge to throw herself into his arms.
“Yes?” she managed.
“Sweet dreams.” Then he quietly closed the door.
Charlie forced her feet to move. If she did dream tonight, her dreams would be only of him.
CHAPTER12
“Ye’ll find breakfast in the small dining room today, Mr. Kendrick,” said the footman waiting for Kade at the foot of the central staircase. “I just brought a fresh pot of coffee.”
