Page 73 of The Trouble with Anna

She didn’t answer, just looked at him with those wide, dark eyes, full of yearning.

“Anna. Please say yes.”

When it came, it was the faintest whisper. “Yes.”

Julian hauled her against him. His whole body was urgent, each nerve ending alive and intent. The heat of her curled around him and he fisted one hand in the back of her gown as the other hand cupped the curve of her ass and pulled her flush.

Anna gasped, and their lips met. Long, desperate, dragging kisses, full of need and the mangled feelings he’d carried for weeks, trying to say with his body what he could never put into words.

“Christ, Anna!” It was a prayer whispered against her skin. She shivered, and he nipped the base of her neck, again and again, until she exhaled a little breath of encouragement.

She arched her neck and her gown dipped low across her chest, the tops of her breasts moving with each breath she took, her skin so impossibly smooth that his stomach clenched. He slipped his hand beneath the gossamer netting to cup her breast.

Her heart beat so fast.

Everything was fast with Anna.

“Oh!” she breathed, and he swooped down to coax more from her mouth. His need was building fast, the need to touch her, feel her. To make herhis, damn it.

Julian lifted her up, carrying her to the desk and setting her on top of it so he could ease between her legs. Her gown slipped off one pale shoulder and he murmured a prayer of thanks and helped it down, until she was naked to the waist. Her body was compact, strong, and he could see the play of muscle over her rib cage. Her breasts were small and almost flat to her chest, just slight curves with pink nipples rising up at him in challenge. He sucked in a breath, and she watched him, her eyes wide and nervous, as if she might bolt like a runaway horse.

Julian nibbled the sweet lobe of her ear.

“So beautiful,” he whispered.

She yanked back from him, bristled up. “Don’t say such things!”

Damn it.She didn’t believe him and he couldn’t blame her. He hated how long it had taken to see her truly. “You’re beautiful,” he insisted.

She pulled her bodice up. “Stop it!”

Julian shoved a hand through his hair. “Christ, Anna, be beautiful or not beautiful, but don’t be blind! You must see how much I fucking want you.”

The frustration in his voice made her look up, take his measure. Those dark eyes of hers were filled with the suspicion that was so much a part of her… until slowly, they softened.

Anna raised her arms to his shoulders and her bodice fell again. His head descended with it, and he took a nipple in his mouth. She sucked in a breath.

His tongue flicked over the other nipple as one hand lowered to her ankle, sliding up over her calf, absorbing the feel of her silky stocking over the muscles of her leg. He slid his hand higher, slowlyhigher, up over her thigh, over the unbearably delicious feeling of her bare skin.

“Julian!” Her voice was small and shocked and ever so slightly… curious?

“You like that.” He liked it too, so much that his voice shook.

Her hands came up into his hair and she made a noise that nearly killed him.

He smiled against her mouth, his heart light as a feather. “More?”

She hid her face against his neck. “More.”

His hand dipped up the slope of her thigh and under her chemise. He moved slowly, greedy for each small noise, each slight shiver, until finally he reached her center.

“My god.” His blood thundered. Never again, he vowed, would he be without some part of him touching some part of her.

Outside a glass broke and a woman laughed, and Julian jerked to attention. The study door was still unlocked, and Anna’s half-naked form was outlined in the soft light.

What the hell have I done?

The answer was clear, with his hand where it had no business being. Anyone could shove into the room and see them and she’d be compromised. Thoroughly.

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