Page 70 of Historical Hotties
Truth be told, Dacia was stunned. She didn’t know what to say. She stared at the man, gorgeous and glistening, bandages over his damaged body, and she could only think of one thing.
It was on her tongue before she could stop it.
“I love you,” she said, barely audible. Then, she slapped her hands over her mouth. “God’s Bones, I cannot believe I said that.”
He laughed, low in his throat. “Did youmeanit, lass?”
She hesitated before nodding, so firmly that her hair came out of its braid. It was waving all around her face. “I do,” she whispered. “I do mean it, but I should not have said it like that. No one has ever said such things to me, Cassius, so I have never had any practice on how to respond. I may have impeccable manners, but sometimes my social graces are raw and honest. I should have at least told you how I felt before telling you that I loved you. But… it simply came out. It is the truth.”
He crooked his finger at her, beckoning her to come near. She shook her head, staying planted in the chair. Cassius started to laugh, a joyful and giddy sound.
“So you do not intend to come near me, ever again?”
“Nay.”
He laughed harder, then suddenly put a hand over the wound in his torso as if the movement hurt. “Damnation,” he said. “I think I felt something snap.”
Dacia was off her chair, running over to the bed to check the bandages. But the moment she drew near, a massive hand shot out and grabbed her. Before she realized it, she was on the bed, laying half on him. She was laying over the bandaged left arm and shoulder, but Cassius was so strong that he didn’t need two arms to hold her with.
Just one.
She was trapped.
“When one is trying to catch the elusive Dacia, one must use the right bait,” he murmured, his face very close to hers. “The right bait is evidently a Cassius.”
Dacia tried to pull away, briefly, but she quickly gave up. “You are a trickster, Cassius de Wolfe,” she said, feigned disapproval in her tone. “I shall remember this.”
He pulled her closer, his lips seeking hers. “I hope you do,” he purred. “Tell me again that you love me.”
She could feel his hot breath on her face and it made her feel weak all over. “Why?”
“Because I want to know that I mean something to you.”
“You mean everything to me.”
His mouth slanted over hers hungrily. After the first small kiss before Rhori had arrived, Dacia was more than willing to explore a deeper and more passionate kiss as her emotions swept her away. She welcomed it, in fact, knowing that Cassius was feeling something more for her than simple friendship.
You are the woman I am considering giving everything up for.
It was too good to believe.
But surely… it was impossible. They had only known each other a matter of days. But, oh, what days they were! Dacia had never known such monumental days and even though they’d only known each other a short period of time, she felt as if she’d known him forever. As his hand wound itself in her hair and his lips suckled hers, she felt as if she’d always known him. As if she had always been meant to be here, in his arms. By his side.
Loving him.
But things were getting heated. He had positioned her so that she was across his body and he was cradling her against him. She was somewhat trapped by his right arm as his mouth did wicked things to her neck, suckling on a little earlobe and making her gasp. The moment she opened her mouth, he was on her again,his tongue licking at her, demanding entry. The thrill of his tongue licking at her, of his lips suckling on her tongue when she finally opened her mouth, was nearly too much for her to bear.
She was starting to feel faint.
“Cassius,” she whispered in between his heated kisses. “You must let me up. Someone might come in and see us.”
He slowed his pace, eventually pulling back to look at her with smoldering eyes. “You are correct, of course,” he said, carefully pushing her up so she could find her feet on the floor. “Forgive me, angel. I could not help myself.”
She wiped his saliva off her mouth, grinning sheepishly. “I seem to have suffered a lack of control myself,” she said. “But… but it was worth it.”
He smiled broadly, reaching out to touch her cheek. “It was,” he agreed softly. “Will you let me court you, then?”
She couldn’t keep the smile off her face. “Was your kiss part of your scheme to coerce me into agreeing?”
