Page 69 of The Moonstone Pirate
Chapter Eleven
Imogen licked herlips and stared up at Draco.
Dear heaven, this man is gorgeous.
He had asked her questions, she had responded with more questions and smug retorts, but for the life of her, she could not remember what he had said or what she had said. How could she think while her back was pressed against his bedchamber wall and he was leaning half naked over her?
She could feel the heat radiating off his magnificent body.
She knew he had muscles, but to actually see them in all their Greek god splendor, taut and rippling, was making her heartbeats spike. “I cannot breathe when you are this close,” she whispered.
Every time she did breathe, she caught the delicious scent of bay spices on his skin, a scent that was quite familiar to her now. She wanted to inhale him and kiss him and,dear heaven again, lick him.
Would he mind if she ran her tongue along the sinewed cords of his neck?
He growled low in his throat, a beastly sound Imogen thought was quite thrilling even though it was probably meant to scare her. “You should not have come in here.”
“Well, to be accurate”—she gave her dry lips another lick—“I only came to your door. You are the one who pulled me in here.”
“I suppose,” he muttered, his expression appearing to soften just the littlest bit. “If your eyes pop any wider, they are going to fall out of your head.”
“I have never been this close to a naked man before.” She was going to faint if she did not get her breathing under control. She was also going to wind up married to him if he did not let her out of here before Deandra realized where she had gone.
“I am not naked.”
“Nuances, Draco. You are showing far too much skin, and my face is right in it.”
He laughed and eased away, but still kept her trapped between his gloriously muscled arms. No wonder women threw themselves at him.
“Imogen, forget what you saw in the cove earlier. How much did Deandra see?”
“Just that ship in the distance. I only allowed her one quick look through the spyglass to appease her curiosity. I can exercise good judgment when necessary. Your cousin is too excitable to be trusted. I told her it wasn’t a pirate attack at all, just a vessel out of Moonstone Landing that might have been following a large fish, perhaps a shark or a whale. They are a valuable delicacy, I told her.”
“And she believed you?”
“Yes, because I made a jest about calling them pirates, and wasn’t it more romantic than thinking of them as merely seamen? I told her that you seemed friendly with the captain and that you probably knew each other. That calmed her down, although I was terrified inside. But I hid my fear well.”
He chuckled at that. “You? Hide your feelings?”
“Yes, I managed quite well. Not only with Deandra but with your staff. Since I remained calm, the others followed my lead. Anyway, Deandra and I made a little game of it and resolved tocall them pirates from now on. This is also why she did not get hysterical. She thought it was all a fine jest.”
He grunted. “Well done, Imogen. Thank you. So Deandra is all right?”
Imogen nodded. “Yes, you mustn’t worry about her. After dealing with the ship’s captain, you returned unharmed, albeit soaking wet. There were no shots fired, and your staff remained alert but went about their business as usual. They ought to be commended, by the way. Deandra would have been running around like a chicken without her head had anyone panicked and run for the gun cabinet. But I did my best to allay all fears while also making certain we were prepared for any surprises.”
“So everyone stayed on alert but continued to go about their duties?” He ran his finger gently along the line of her jaw. “You surprise me, Butterfly.”
“Why? Because I handled the incident responsibly?” She laughed lightly. “I surprised myself as well. But it was important to keep my wits about me. All turned out well, thank goodness. I had better go before this victory turns into a scandalous defeat.” She looked up at Draco again, ignoring the flutters in her belly as he eased closer so that his lips almost met hers. “Deandra will tattle to my aunt and uncle if she finds me in here.”
“Areyougoing to tattle?”
“And claim you have compromised me? I’ve told you, I would never do such a low thing. I want a love match, not a marriage of convenience that would be most inconvenient for both of us. But you really ought to tell me what is going on between you and that Irishman.”
“No. Go back downstairs and put your supplies in order. You’re to take them home with you today. Do not think our kiss or your honorable actions toward my staff will change a thing. From now on, Deandra goes to Westgate Hall to visit you, and you are banished from Woodley Lodge until further notice.”
“Draco! That is cruel and completely uncalled for.”
He shook his head in disbelief. “Out, my lovely butterfly.”
