Charlotte stood perfectly still, rather like a mouse exposed in a field with an owl closing in. If there was nowhere to run, why not greet death with silent dignity?
Of course, she wasn’t dying, although her heart had stopped and her knees threatened to unlock and send her crashing to the floor.
“Wolfgang…” Even a fool could tell that no good would come from interrogating a drunken man, and yet… “How can you say I broke your heart?You’rethe one who—”
“Don’t throw yourself away on that damned Russian. He’s too unhappy—can’t you see? He drowns himself in pleasure. Find a man who makes you larger, one who wants you to be the most Charlotte.”
Charlotte stood speechless as the force of Warrick’s feelings pushed him up and he began slowly to rise. The sheets slid down and pale light spilled over his naked chest, as if the moon itself were tracing silvery fingers along the thick slabs of muscle at his shoulders and down across his torso, and even lower still, to where a ladder of muscle led to his…
“Stop!” Charlotte cried, and he lowered himself back down obligingly, the sheet pooling at his waist as she pressed her hands to her burning cheeks. “Good God, aren’t you wearing any… nightclothes?”
Warrick closed an eye, thinking hard. “D’you know, I couldn’t tell you. Perhaps if I stand—”
“No! Stay right where you are!”
A little devil lived on her shoulder, and that statement woke him up. He peered over at the angel on her other shoulder, and they both gave a shrug and agreed.Oh, let him stand! What could it hurt to take a peek?
Warrick lurched to his feet.
Charlotte’s eyes dipped instinctively downward and widened. Oh goodLord. Gran had said the average was about five inches, but Warrick wasmuch—
Warrick staggered and fell back against the bed, pulling her down with him.
Once again she found herself sprawled out across his chest, but this time there were no bedclothes between them. Her hands were full of bare male muscle begging for her inspection.
Warrick might look as if he were hewn from granite, but his skin was warm and alive.
She slid her hand up his flank. God, he felt like tight-woven silk.
Warrick growled his approval into her hair. “Christ, yes, touch me. I’ll die if you don’t.”
“You’re drunk!” she cried, as much to remind herself as to remind him. But it was hard to keep anything in her head when his hand tightened gently in her hair to tilt her neck back so he could lick his way down the length of it.
“Damn it, Charlotte.” He dragged his cheek along her collarbone, like a big cat marking her. “You light me up. You always have.”
Warrick turned with her in his arms, pressing her back against the mattress so he could trace the slopes and curves of her face with his thumbs.Just a minute more, Charlotte thought, her eyes fluttering closed.Just a minute more, and then I’ll leave.
He cupped her chin, dragged his hand down her throat as if he couldn’t stand to miss any part of her. Even drunk he was gentle, his fingertips skimming over her as if she were infinitely precious. She shivered in response and her traitorous heart galloped, each beat both pain and joy.
When his broad palm reached the edge of her pink dressing gown, his patience frayed and he pushed it aside roughly, bringing his mouth down to tease her nipple through the thin silk of her nightgown until Charlotte arched up into him and keened low in her throat.
Oh! Oh God!
“That’s right,” he said thickly, pulling her arms up around the hard muscles of his shoulders. “It’smeyou want. No one but me.”
Charlotte dragged in a breath, trying desperately to get her brain functioning even as her insides melted. “Warrick, I—”
“Wolfgang.” He raised himself up to bite her bottom lip, dragging it slowly through his teeth. “Call me Wolfgang when you’re in my bed.”
Charlotte’s arms tightened around the heavy muscles of his neck and her nails worked their way into the thick scruff of his—
“No!” she cried.
The word had an instant effect. He let her go and she scrambled off the bed, her heart skittering round in frantic circles.
God, she wanted him, but he wasdrunk, andwrongfor her.
Wolfgang meant too much confusion.
