She felt a bit barbaric, better understanding his need to punch Camberley. She could easily see herself yanking on some lady’s hair if she was granting him favors.Mine, she wanted to claim when he wasn’t that at all. Serendipity had brought him to her, and it could just as easily take him away. He wasn’t committed to her. He was a man determined not to be bested in any action he undertook. His resolve was the reason behind his success.
“And if I have no intention of being kissed by you?” she asked, putting a bit of steel in her tone to indicate she wasn’t going to rely on only him to grant her wishes, and also perhaps to make him a little envious, if he wasn’t already.
“Why would you deny yourself what you so obviously enjoy?”
Because she was in danger of becoming addicted to that mouth. “Could Camberley deliver what I soobviously enjoy, do you think?” She wasn’t certain it was wise to taunt him. He looked quite capable of committing murder at that moment.
“No.” The word came out like a bullet fired from one of her family’s pistols, with an accuracy designed not to miss its mark. It slammed into her doubts and shattered them. He was the only one with the ability to give her what she wanted. Anyone else would fail miserably at the attempt.
“You’re quite sure of your prowess.”
A corner of his mouth curled up, a touch of arrogance sparkling in his eyes. “Aren’t you by now?”
Oh, yes.Not that she was going to admit it.
They’d almost completed their circle.
“At your earliest convenience, make your way into the garden. I’ll find you.”
His low, sensual delivery had anticipation arcing through her like the electricity in a demonstration her father had once taken her to. She found it difficult to breathe, and she sounded slightly winded as she spoke. “My dance card is once again full.”
“Then once again someone is bound to be disappointed. I sincerely hope it isn’t you.”
Without missing a step, he smoothly handed her off to Camberley and disappeared into the crowd of onlookers. She wanted to follow him now, this minute. Instead, she offered a weak smile to her dance partner. “I feel I should apologize for his atrocious behavior and interrupting our dance.”
He laughed. “Don’t. I’m relieved to have my debt at the Dragons paid off. It’s a shocking amount, so I’ll have a bit of revenge when he goes to pay it.”
“What is the Dragons?”
“It’s a gaming hell, and its membership includes women as well as men. I’ve seen your brother there.”
“Oh, have you?” Maybe that was where Sam was spreading the word about his need for investors. Or perhaps he was following Camberley’s example and working up a debt. Sam did enjoy his entertainments.
The final strains from the music began drifting away, and they came to a stop.
“Thank you for the dances, my lord.”
“Entirely my pleasure, Miss Garrison.”
After he escorted her to the chalked edge of the floor, she didn’t bother to look at her dance card to see who she was going to disappoint. She knew only that she wasn’t going to disappoint Rook... or herself.
She had no idea how Rook would do as he’d promised. How he would find her. The garden was massive. And dark. So very dark away from the torches that burned along the path. But she hadn’t wanted to remain in the light and risk being seen sneaking about among the lush greenery.
But just when she thought she was on a fool’s errand, she became aware of a presence stepping out of the shadows at her back. She recognized the fragrance, the faint lemony-orange scent that was his, the one she’d been searching for, the one she’d wanted to find.
Without saying a word, he placed his hand, fingers splayed, on the small of her back and directed her toward thicker bushes. They carried on in silence for several minutes. She hadn’t known that various shades of darkness existed, but the farther they walked, themore inky the shadows became until she began to wonder if they would be able to see each other at all.
Then she spotted a narrow beam of light filtering through the abundant trees and the heavy foliage. It was only a tiny sliver, but it was enough. He led her to it, pressed her back to the brick wall that waited there, and took her mouth as though he were a starving man finally offered a bit of sustenance.
No gentle persuasion this time. Only hunger, only need. The hunger hers as much as his. She had the insane thought that she wanted to devour him. She wanted to taste every inch of him. That mouths and lips and tongues were not enough. She needed more. She needed all of him.
He eased her a fraction away from the wall. His powerful hands stroked her back, climbed up to her nape where he kneaded the tight, light muscles for a moment before gliding down, around to the curve of her backside, squeezing. It was heavenly. To sense how badly he wanted her. Unlike their journey here, he wasn’t quiet. He was growls, groans, and moans.
She dragged her hands down his chest, inside his jacket until she reached the waistband of his trousers. Daringly she tugged on his shirt, pulling the hem free of its confines, and slipped her hands beneath the fabric to touch the warm skin of his belly. She was aware of him going still a heartbeat before he broke away from the kiss to press his lips against the soft, sensitive spot beneath her ear. “Good girl. Carry on,” he urged before bringing his lips back to hers.
While he plundered her mouth as though it might be stolen away from him before he had his fill, she leisurely moved her fingers up over his taut stomach andthen along his ribs one by one until she felt the outline of his nipples. Slowly she circled her thumbs around the silky skin, surprised to find the hardened peaks. He groaned low and deep, like she was using a medieval torture device on him. It shouldn’t have made her feel so happy. She considered asking if she was hurting him, but he was no shy creature. He would stop her if he didn’t like what she was doing. Thus, she continued to taunt and tease, wishing he wore no shirt or waistcoat so she could run her tongue over one of the stiff pearls.
She had never felt so powerful.
