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Four
Daniel rolled over and frowned. He hadn’t meant to sleep as long as he had. When he had laid down, it hadn’t yet been dark in the sky, and now it was pitch black outside. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, then sat up. Clearly he had slept, and soundly, but he felt as if he hadn’t truly rested. His dreams had been so vivid.
All of them had been about Lady Iris Keene. Her on a warm sunny day, then dancing in the rain, that day he broke her heart surrounded by snow, and then a final one. That one he couldn’t quite shake. She had been warm and naked in his bed with the smile of a well satiated woman. The temptation that image left behind was not something he would be able to shake off easily. Hell, the lady herself had a grip on him. If she had any idea how much he wanted her, he feared she would have used it to her advantage. He wanted her and for that reason alone; he kept his distance.
But damn it was hard...
He sighed. His stomach grumbled, reminding him that he had slept through the evening meal. He hated going into the kitchens when the staff was asleep, but he would have to find something to eat. If he had to wake a servant, he would feel like an arse. At least he had the good sense to remove his waistcoat, jacket, and boots before laying down. His shirt was wrinkled, but it would have to do. The collar was open and loose, but that wouldn’t matter either. No one would see him. At least he hoped no one would.
Daniel slipped his feet into his boots, then exited the bedchamber. The kitchen would be his first stop, then he would settle into the library. He didn’t bother with a candle. His eyes had adjusted to the dark, and he visited often enough that he knew his way around the castle. If he could navigate it while inebriated, he shouldn’t have too much trouble now.
He reached the kitchen and fumbled around in the dark until he found something for a meal. He took a small chunk of cheese and the end piece of a loaf of bread. It would do to settle his stomach. When he reached the library, he could help himself to Lindsey’s brandy. Daniel munched on the bread and cheese as he wandered down the hall. When he reached the library, he was surprise to discover some candles were lit along with a fire in the hearth.
“Well that is convenient,” he mumbled to himself. A servant must have forgotten to take care of the candles and the fire. He would do it before he left the room.
Daniel went straight to the brandy and poured a snifter. He drank the contents in one gulp to wash down the cheese and bread, then poured more to savor. Perhaps he would find a book to read. What else did he have to do at this time of night. He blew out a breath and turned to go look at the shelves. He froze when he realized the room was not empty, as he had assumed.
A lady with golden blonde hair knelt before a book shelf studying the tomes on the bottom shelf. She nibbled on her lip and pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. How had she not heard him come in? Daniel took a moment to just look at her. Once she realized she wasn’t alone, her entire demeanor would change, and she wouldn’t look upon him fondly.
He should leave before she noticed him. It would be for the best. Especially considering his earlier dreams about her. They were still there inside his mind, leaving his skin hot and his cock so hard it bordered on pain. He closed his eyes and reminded himself to breathe. There wasn’t enough brandy in the library to help him through this upcoming ordeal. It would be best to fumble through it now in private, then in front of the other guests. He cleared his throat, “Pardon me...”
She moved her head in a fast, jerky motion and when her gaze landed on his... He sucked in a breath and held it. Those blue eyes were as stunning as he remembered. It was like a punch to the gut. His dreams hadn’t done her justice. “What are you doing in here?” she asked. Her tone was filled with irritation.
It was then he realized what she was wearing... He had been so focused on that lovely face that he hadn’t looked beyond that. She had on a wrapper over her shift, and if that shift fell... God, help him. It would be so easy to strip her bare and kiss every inch of her creamy skin. His temptation and his damnation all in one. He lifted a brow. “I could ask you the same thing. Shouldn’t you be hiding in your bedchamber?”
Please go back to your bedchamber...
He quietly begged her to run away from him before he did something foolish. He was so close to the edge, and he couldn’t find one reason not to step over and lose himself in his desire. There were many reasons for him not to touch her, and somehow he had to remember every single one of them. The biggest one, though, was her. She didn’t need him to touch her, and she definitely hadn’t invited him to.
She glared at him. “I haven’t been hiding,” she seethed. “It’s only been one day.” Lady Iris stood and folded her arms over her chest. The action plumped those pert breasts of hers up and his gaze flew to them. He was a man and damn it, how could he not look? Besides, I’m not the one that skipped dinner. Perhaps you are the one that has been hiding?” She took a step forward. “Are you afraid of me, my lord?”
* * *
What the hellwas wrong with her? She should not be goading the earl. It would not help her, and it definitely would not make the man back away. He had a look in his eyes that gave her pause. The way he stared at her...as if he were a starving man and only she could satiate him. It did funny things to her belly, and heat pooled through her entire body.
And his appearance... Iris wanted to fan herself desperately. She had never seen a man so undressed before. His shirt sleeves were rolled up past the elbow, and with his collar opened up. There was so much skin and temptation. God help her, but she wanted him. This desire going through her was more than she could bear.
He took a sip of his brandy, but his gaze didn’t leave hers. “I’m not afraid of you,” he said in a husky tone. “You don’t have that kind of hold on me.”
Of course she didn’t... She meant nothing to this man. This scoundrel who took what he wanted without a care of the damage he caused. Damn her foolish heart for falling for him in the first place. Iris had thought she was finally moving past that infatuation. “Then it shouldn’t matter that I am in the library looking for something to read.” She turned her back to him, but she had a feeling his gaze hadn’t wandered away from her. There was too much intensity in his eyes for her to believe otherwise.
“Perhaps you can help me choose something to read,” he told her. “I find I am having trouble sleeping.”
“Not used to sleeping alone,” she shot back. Someone needed to get her out of the room. Iris was having a hard time holding her tongue.
“Are you offering to keep me company?” The sensuality in his voice as he spoke sent shivers down her spine.
She whipped her head around to meet his gaze. There was definitely desire there. She wasn’t imagining it, and part of her wanted to step toward him and beg him to kiss her. Iris had too much pride to give into that temptation. “No,” she said in a harsh tone. “I deserve far better than what you have to offer.” She shrugged and glanced away from him so he couldn’t see the hurt his words had brought forward. “My worth is more than that and I won’t be a convenient warm body for you to use and forget about.”
“I would never forget you,” he told her.
Iris would like to believe that, but she knew better. He had made it clear a year ago what he thought about her. She yanked a book off the shelf. She had to exit this library and end this farce of a conversation. Her pride had been stung once, and a repeat of that would not be necessary. “Careful, my lord,” she said in an acerbic tone. “Your desperation is showing.”
His lips twitched. “I am quite despondent,” he agreed. “The prettiest lady in the castle is being a shrew.”
She rolled her eyes. Iris placed her hand over her chest and batted her eyelashes. “You think I’m pretty?”
He blinked several times. His gaze focused on her hand, or probably more accurately, her chest. Her wrapper had come undone when she stood up. Her shift wasn’t the thickest of garments, and she feared he might be able to see more of her than she wanted him to. “Absolutely stunning,” he said in a hoarse tone. “Breathtaking...”
