Page 199 of Storm of Bells

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I didn’t want to be in the shoes of LordDaniel Eugene Dalgliesh right then and there.

But before I could ask what the hell he washinting at, chattering voices approached from beyond the door. Oneseemed to be particularly insistent.

‘It doesn’t seem as though we’ll get a chanceto talk about it now,’ I stated.

Mr Ambrose’s eyes flashed. ‘Damn mysister!’

Eyes softening, I reached up to touch hishand. ‘Don’t damn her. She loves you.’

He swallowed. There was silence. Silence forso long, I almost thought he’d never speak again. And then…

‘She does?’

The way he said that, so unlike any wordshe’d ever spoken…

So…uncertain. Open. Vulnerable.

It nearly broke my heart. I gazed up at him,and as I looked, reflected in his eyes I saw a family picturestashed under a secret floorboard in a dusty little room.

Oh, what am I to do with you?

Simple, really. Give him what he reallyneeded.

‘Of course she does.’ Smiling, I stood andstretched up on my toes until the tip of my nose brushed his. ‘Asdo I, by the way.’

His gaze went from vulnerable to fierce in aninstant. Hands taking firm hold of my face, he drew me evencloser.

‘Tell me again!’

‘I love you.’

‘Again!’

I couldn’t help smiling. ‘Greedy, aren’tyou?’

‘For you? Always. Now—again!’

‘I love you!’

‘My littleifrit!’ Taking my mouth ina ravenous kiss, he pressed me back down into the chair. His handsslammed down onto the armrests, trapping me in a prison of warmthand wanting. Wanting more. Wanting him! His mouth slowly travelledfrom the corner of my mouth, down across my jaw, to a spot behindmy ear that…

‘Oh…Oh my…!’

‘My love.’ His whisper completed my words. Iwanted to say something in return, anything, but all that came outwas an unintelligible moan.

‘That’s it!’ Whistles and cheers came fromoutside the door. A door which, by now, was standing open just alittle bit. ‘Go for it, girl!’

Mr Ambrose froze.

‘You really,’ he told me in a voice as coldas ice, ‘need to get some new friends.’

At the moment I couldn’t help but agree.

‘Amy!’ I yelled.

‘Yes?’

‘Buzz off!’

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