Page 16 of Buon Natale, My Wicked Rogue
Now, his expression had become not quite guarded, but she could see nothing but his surface charm.
And his sensual appeal.
A wave of heat made her want to retrieve her fan and wave it in front of her face. But how could she? The chilly breeze would make such an action seem silly. Or too revealing.
Well, she could hide behind charm as effectively as he could. She could also use her own sensual appeal to tease him. Dare she hope to put him off his balance and ruffle that appearance of cool control?
Perhaps.
She did pull her fan out of her reticule. “Oh please, Evan, I am famished and longing to have a rest. Couldn’t we leave all these arrangements for the luggage with the servants?”
She casually placed her folded fan’s handle to her lips.
Kiss me.
It had been years since she had used her fan to convey such tempestuous messages. Would he be able to decipher such a coded request? Was the language the same here in England as it had been in her youth in Italy?
The way his body seemed to suddenly freeze. The way he stared at her. The way his pupils had enlarged, making his green eyes as dark as agate. It all made her heart rate increase, her mouth went dry, and her belly felt lighter than air.
Apparently, he could read her message, or at least something close to her meaning. Tingles rushed through her at her daring, at the thrill of this game.
He grasped her hand.
The strength of his grip sent a renewed rush of tingling anticipation through her that made her gasp. Her legs were so weak that she found herself stumbling a little as he led her towards the hunting lodge. At the steps, he stopped. She looked up into his eyes, and he stared down at her, his eyes still darkened with passion.
Not just lust but passion. She was sure of it. A bolt of joy spread through her, and she gasped with the intensity. She was trembling so hard now, all over.
Surely, he wouldn’t kiss her here so publicly.
Her legs left the ground, and her belly seemed not only lighter than air, but it seemed to float as he lifted her into his arms. She had sucked her breath in, and looking into his face, seeing the skin stretch tight over his cheekbones and his jaw held tightly as well, she forgot to breathe again.
He looked so fierce.
Another thrill raced through her at her ability to make him react like this. Carrying her, he took the steps two at a time, rushing towards the door to his lodge so quickly that she bounced, and he held her tighter against his hard, warm body.
Apparently, the butler had left the door open, and they entered. He carried her through the entryway, his boots echoing on the polished tile floor until they reached a small chamber. He entered the chamber and then kicked the door closed. Large south-facing windows caught the afternoon sun, but the furnishings were a blur to her as he quickly lowered her onto a chaise longue, and she fell against the plush cushions. A soft place to fall for sure. All else remained a blur as her attention stayed focused on his face.
He spread his body over hers, pressing her into the pillowy softness. At the sudden contact with his hard, long, lean, muscled body, she gasped. He stared down at her; the tightness of his skin over his cheekbones and the firm clench to his jaw made him look as fierce as a hawk. She trembled harder than ever, weak all over. She gasped louder and more sharply. He brought his mouth over her open lips. The heat of his whisky-scented breath told her that he had opened his mouth as well,and the touch of his tongue on hers, all wet, heated silkiness, sent shocks of fire through her.
This was no gentle kiss of sweetness. He thrust his tongue against hers again and again. The shock of the fierce kiss sent wave after wave of fire through her. His erection pressed against her midsection, hard and hot, even through their clothing. Or was that heat from the fiery desire surging through her own lower belly, down into her intimate flesh?
She wasn’t sure.
He touched her cheeks, cupping her face and angling her mouth to suit himself. Weak with need, she groaned deep in her throat and thrust her tongue back against that blade of flame that his tongue seemed to have become. A tingling ache in her nipples caused her to arch her back until her breasts pressed into his chest.
His erection seemed to grow harder, larger. He lifted his head and turned away, then gasped deeply for air. His body shook against hers, and his cock throbbed. “My God,” he said.
His words seemed more like a prayer for mercy than an exclamation.
As much as his rough kiss had excited her, it proved to fall a little short of her previous idea of being wooed. She placed her hands on either side of his face and turned his head so that he faced her. “Kiss me again, my lord. But properly this time.”
Chapter Six
Evan seemed to gape at her, his eyes dazed, his expression uncomprehending. Then he grinned, his eyes still hooded with passion. “With pleasure, love.”
That one word. Love. It sent currents of delight through her. How silly. It was an endearment that a man like him must have said to many women. How many? She didn’t wish to contemplate actual numbers. It was sobering enough to remember just who she was with.
An experienced seducer who knew how to make a woman feel exactly as he had just made her feel. It was earth-shattering to her.
