If Beatrice had thought of protesting this, she abandoned the thought as soon as his palm caressed her cheek and jaw.
“Put yer arms about me waist, lass,” he urged but then laughed as he found her hands on his chest instead, grabbing handfuls of his shirt rather than pushing him away. “Or that will do too.”
“Leo,” she said softly, her eyes half closed. “I want…”
Lowering his head, Leo took her soft lips with his own in a series of gentle kisses that had Beatrice quickly moaning aloud. Encouraged, his tongue sought hers and he kissed her more deeply, once of his hands sliding to her back to support her as her knees buckled.
A knock on the door shattered the moment and Leo quickly set Beatrice back on her feet and released her. Dazed and startled, she jumped out of his grasp and bolted towards the door, opening it fast and rushing out past whoever was standing in the corridor and presumably waiting for permission to enter.
“Beatrice!” Leo called after her, but she was already out of sight.
He took off in the same direction, unable to see her yet knowing full well where she was headed.
Beatrice didn’t even see who had knocked as she sprinted out of Leo’s study and down the corridor to the courtyard.
The only place she could think to disappear to at the moment was the garden, partially hidden in shadow as the sun still lay low in the sky.
There’s nowhere I can truly get away from him.
There was no such thing as a hiding spot, as long as she was in his domain.
She rested against the cool stone wall of the garden for a moment. She could feel sweat rolling down her back, the hair on her arms standing on end as her flesh went taut and pebbled.
Their first kiss could be written off as a moment of weakness—both of them caught in the hypnotic spell of the twisted hallways and tangling with each other in the dark of night. But what had almost happened in the study was done with clear eyes. If it hadn’t been for the poor soul she was sure got pummeled by the door, she would have melted into Leo’s hands right on the spot.
A rustling noise drew her attention to the entrance of the garden, where she saw the shape of a man made of shadows.
He followed me here.
She felt butterflies flutter in her stomach, the powerful rush of blood in her veins.
He came to finish what he started.
Before she could even turn to him, Leo took her in his arms and spun her around to face him fully. His black eyes reflected her face back to her, and in that onyx mirror, the desire in her features was unmistakable.
She wished she could tell him to stop, remind him that this was all supposed to be a facade, but his hands on her body sucked the air out of her lungs.
“We havenae finished our conversation,” he said.
“There is nothin' left to say,” she shot back.
“Ah, I believe there is, lass.”
Neither of them hesitated this time.
Leo pressed his mouth against hers. Beatrice felt her hands move of their own accord as he kissed her, gripping his shoulders in a bid to stay upright.
If I let go, I’ll fall. I’ll faint dead away and never be able to get back on me feet.
Leo’s fingers trailed over her body, tracing her curves through her dress. Beatrice pressed herself against him as his hands slipped under her skirt, caressing the soft skin of her thighs. He pushed her back against the stone wall, holding her in place as he explored the new territory he had uncovered.
Beatrice tilted her head back, and his mouth journeyed to her throat. He kissed her there, bit the sensitive flesh as she inhaled sharply and arched into him. She felt something throbbing and hard poke against her body from Leo’s groin as he whispered how badly he wanted her.
But I daenae dare admit how badly I want him too. If he demands that I give meself to him right here and now, there’s nay way I could refuse.
She fought the urge to wrap a leg around him and pull him into her. The hard length of what must be his male organ excited her in a way she had never experienced before.
She wanted him to tear her clothes off her and throw her onto the ground and have his way with her. She wanted him to?—
