Page 99 of Kathryn

The women hurried from the room.

“Must you be rude to everyone?”

He looked genuinely confused. “Rude?”

Katie snorted. “You really don’t know what I mean, do you?” Before he could speak, she held up a hand. “Never mind. Just—just forget I said anything.”

“Consider it done.” He cast a speaking look at the chair he’d pulled out for her, and Katie dropped into it with an irritated huff.

Dulverton sat opposite her and commenced to cut a slab off the rare roast beef. When he moved to put it on her plate she said, “I am not hungry.”

He ignored her and Katie seethed as he proceeded to put portions of all the dishes on her plate. Once he was finished, he turned to his food and commenced to eat with the same single-minded determination he did every night at dinner.

Katie flung down her napkin and stood and then gasped when Dulverton’s hand closed around her wrist.

“Where do you think you are going?” he growled, getting to his feet. Still holding her arm, he wiped his mouth with the napkin in his other hand before dropping it to the table.

“Somewhere else. Now, unhand me.”

“What did I just say about you wandering alone?”

“I’m sorry, I was not listening—did you say something about wandering alone?”

His pale blond eyebrows drew down and his nostrils flared. “Perhaps you regret that I interrupted that sordid little scene in the corridor?”

Katie was momentarily nonplussed by his offensive question.

“Or were you trying to make me jealous, Kathryn?”

“Jealous,” she repeated faintly, her heart pounding faster. What was wrong with her that she liked the sound of that so much?

His hand tightened. “That would be a very dangerous game to play,” he said, his voice low and menacing.

“I would never do anything so reckless!”

He raised one eyebrow.

Before Katie could tell him to go to the devil, he gave a negligent tug on her wrist and she stumbled toward him, slamming into his chest.

“Dulverton! What do you—”

His lips sealed over hers and one of his big hands slid around her waist and snugged her tightly against the unyielding wall of his chest while he ravaged her mouth.

His actions were so unexpected that Katie forgave herself for freezing with shock. But she could not forgive her body for melting against him and kissing him back.

Have some dignity!

It took every bit of strength she could muster to pull away from him. Rather than fight her, he instantly loosened his hold, a gesture that, inexplicably, angered her more.

“What do you think you are doing?” she demanded huffily.

“Giving you what you need.” His coldly appraising eyes flickered over her flushed face before sliding down her throat and coming to a halt on her heaving bosom. “What you want.”

“You do not have the first clue about what I need or want,” she retorted, incensed at the quaver of excitement in her voice.

“Lift up your skirt.”

“Wh-what?”