Page 26 of Along Came a Rogue

Unable to bear the uncertainty any longer, she gave a little wiggle. Just a small, teasing movement of her bottom against his hard thighs to test his reaction—

With a curse beneath his breath, he grabbed her waist and forced her to sit still. But she felt him tremble, his breath growing shallow and shaky. And she knew for certain…she knew—he wanted her! After all these years, she could barely dare to believe it, but the rush of empowerment was intoxicating, the electric thrill that pulsed through her simply delicious. For the first time in two years she felt alive and feminine, alluring and beautiful, and all because of him.

“Nathaniel,” she whispered.

“Mrs. Crenshaw,” he forced out between clenched teeth.

She smiled at the contradiction of this man, of the gentleman and the rake warring inside him. So this was how it was going to be, was it? The gentleman in him was clinging to some misplaced vow he must have made to Thomas not to touch her or to some code of honor among army comrades. But the rake wanted her, she saw it in his eyes—for God’s sake, she felt it pressing hard against her bottom!—but he wouldn’t let himself act on that desire.

Perhaps, she admitted to herself with a pang of disappointment, it was better if he didn’t. No matter how much she wanted him, she couldn’t reveal herself completely. The danger to all of them was still too great.

But that didn’t mean she couldn’t tease him just a bit and make him finally admit that he’d been wrong to ignore her for the past five years, that she was far more now than just the girl he’d kissed in the garden and so quickly forgot. And anyway, they were in a carriage, for goodness’ sake; it wasn’t as if anything truly intimate could happen here.

Oh yes. It was time for another lesson.

“Emily,” she corrected, then audaciously slid her fingers through the hair at his nape. Goodness, how soft it felt when the rest of his body was so gloriously hard. “My name is Emily.”

“Mrs. Crenshaw,” he returned tightly.

Fighting back a smile of amusement, she twirled his hair around her fingers and asked with false innocence, “Am I too heavy for you?”

A pained expression of half desire, half annoyance darkened his face. “No.”

“Did I hurt you when I fell on you?” She trailed her fingers along his jaw to his chin.

“No,” he repeated, but this time, his voice hitched.

“Hmm.” Her eyes stared at his sensuous mouth as she daringly brushed her thumb across his bottom lip, earning her a sharp inhalation of his breath. The ache inside her grew hotter, and all the blood in her body seemed to pool between her thighs. She was doing this to teach him a lesson, but if she wasn’t careful, she’d be schooled herself on the lessons of playing with fire. “Is it uncomfortable having me on your lap?”

“Very,” he bit out.

Laughing softly at that, she leaned against him to lightly brush her breasts against his chest, and when he shuddered, she thrilled with her newfound power over him. She knew she should stop, knew she was flirting with danger even now, but she’d wanted this moment too much, and for too many years, to stop now.

She pressed her lips to his neck, to that spot she’d longed to kiss since last night when he entered her sitting room with his shirt neck falling open, and rained soft kisses across his skin. He groaned, and she couldn’t help but wonder…who would win, the gentleman or the rake?

“If I’m making you uncomfortable,” she taunted against his neck in a sultry whisper as she yearned for his kiss, to be in his arms as his lips captured hers, “then perhaps you should do something about it.”

“All right.”

Without warning, he lifted her from his lap and set her down on the opposite bench with a teeth-jarring thud.

“There.” He sat back and folded his arms across his chest, glowering at her. “Now I’ve done something about it.”

Gaping in astonishment, Emily stared at him. She couldn’t believe he’d done that!

Then a bubble of laughter escaped her. Her hands flew over her mouth to keep it back. But she was unable to stop it, and soon her shoulders shook with uncontrolled mirth.

She laughed with abandon. It felt good, oh so very good! All the fear and worry of the past five months lifted from her chest. Her body seemed to float with the emotional release, and all the relief made her absolutely giddy. For the first time in two years, she felt happy and free, and she dared to let herself hope that perhaps, just perhaps, the future wouldn’t be so bleak after all.

“Brat,” he warned, his voice low and angry.

“I’m sorry—I didn’t mean—” she choked out between laughs.

Her life was in danger, her future uncertain, and the man she’d adored since she was sixteen just physically rejected her—their situation was so ridiculous, so ludicrous that she simply couldn’t help laughing! Even with Grey glaring at her from across the compartment.

“But you have to admit that we’re quite a pair, aren’t we?” She shook her head as her laughter faded into soft giggles. “You’re a rake who won’t touch me, while I’ve been longing to kiss you again since I was sixteen.”

“You’re not sixteen anymore,” he snapped out.