“What did he mean by pervert?” she demanded. “Lady Ravenshaw said that to me too, that you’re depraved.”
“She spoke to you?!When?What did she say?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It does! Whatever she’s spreading about London—”
“Can be handled,” she shot back. “Is thereanythingbetween you now?”
“No,” he responded at once. “We’re through.”
“Do you love her?” Jasmine asked, terrified of the answer.
“No.” He held her gaze, and he enunciated each word, “I never loved her.”
“Do you loveme?” The words slipped out of her mouth before she could take them back.
“I’m not answering that right now.” He shook his head hard. “Not like this.”
“You have a portrait of me in your watch, Matthew. This isn’t nothing between us.” He flinched, but she continued, “Your past doesn’t matter if we’re having a future together—”
“What do you mean‘if’?!”
“If you’re going to change your mind, do it now,” she ordered. “You can walk away, and—”
“Don’t you dare release me from my obligation again!” His eyes flared and his voice rose. “Areyouhaving second thoughts?”
“No, my thoughts are clear.”
Jasmine stomped to the door, closed it, and turned the key in the lock with aclick.
Matthew’s eyes widened.
“Jasmine, what are you—”
She marched forward, grabbed the collar of his coat, yanked him down, and kissed him.
Chapter Twenty
Matthew groaned into Jasmine’s mouth and ruthlessly deepened their kiss. His tongue battled with hers, and he backed her against the wall. Pressing his full weight into her, he trapped her body with his.
He needed to stop. ByGod, hehadto stop. But all thoughts of that fled when she dipped her tongue into his mouth. Threading her hands through his curls, she gripped his hair and pulled hard.
Taking a handful of her hair, he gently tugged, tilting her head up to face him. He brushed his thumb over her lips, parting them. With his eyes trained to her mouth, his voice deepened, commanding. “Tell me you want me.”
She kept her eyes on his, licked the tip of his thumb, and let him feel every word. “Te deseo.”
He crashed his mouth onto hers. A breathless moan escaped her. Sucking his bottom lip into her mouth, she breathed, “Quiero más.”
She shifted her hips into his, igniting adeliciousfire through him. He lifted her skirts, touching her bare skin. Above her garter, onto the curve of her inner thigh, an inch away from her center. And how hewantedto close that distance, slip his finger inside of her and show her the pleasure he could give.
But they were in her parents’house.
He wrenched his mouth away.
“Damn it, Jasmine—we can’t do this here.” He pressed his head against the wall. Every part of him shook. Jasmine choked on a sob and gripped his shirt in a tight fist.
“We can’t do thishere,” she repeated. Her chocolate eyes met his, and she dared him, “Take me to your factory and show me whatdepravedmeans.”
