Page 19 of Seducing the Knave

She had no idea why, but his words diffused a great deal of her outrage. His little ploy had worked, after all.

And as soon as her body wasn’t fully focused on her anger, it began to feel other things. Other extremely unsettling things.

As if the warm slide of his breath bathing the side of her neck wasn’t enough, the coarse texture of stubble along his jaw created a tingling contrast whenever it brushed gently against her ear or cheek. His chest was strong and broad at her back—an unrelenting wall—but his shoulders curved almost protectively around her.

The effort it took not to rest her head back against him was confusing and...unexpected.

She suddenly realized that her cloak was no longer tied beneath her chin. In fact, the encompassing garment seemed to have fallen away completely during her earlier struggles. As his legs tensed around hers, she also noted that at some point she’d braced herself by gripping firmly to his hard thighs. And for some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to release him.

“Next time, I must insist you apprise me in advance of any plans to use me in such a way,” she noted in a tone that was embarrassingly breathless.

“Can’t promise that,” he replied, his voice smooth and dark. “But while ye’re with me, I can promise no one else’ll get their hands on ye.”

A spark lit deep within her. “Anyone else? Did you intentionally exclude yourself?”

“I might’ve.”

She thought she detected amusement in his tone, suggesting he was back to teasing her. But there was something else as well. Something darker. Richer. Something that made her low belly tighten and quickened her heart to a frantic rhythm.

Parting her lips, she drew in a deep breath, but it did nothing to dispel the swirling heat that had invaded her core.

As if sensing the turmoil inside her, he adjusted his hold to splay his large hand against her trembling abdomen. The warmth—the pressure—of his touch there was shockingly intimate. Her breath grew short and her insides twisted and fluttered. Despite the almost panicked urging inside her to move, she remained utterly still.

His mouth lowered to a sensitive spot just beneath her ear as he whispered, “What’s the matter, luv? I can feel ye shaking.”

Tingling shivers cascaded over her skin and her spine threatened to soften. She bit her lip in an effort to resist the odd shifting inside her. “If I am, it’s from shock and anger at being offered like a prize to a ruthless brigand.”

He chuckled. “I thought I was the ruthless brigand.”

“You are,” she insisted as her thoughts seemed to grow more and more confused. “Ruthless. Mercenary. Infuriating.”

He exhaled and as his breath bathed the side of her throat, it was all she could do not to let her head fall back against his shoulder.

He lowered his head beside hers and his next words slid like a caress across her collarbone. “Infuriating in only the best way,” he suggested in that smoky voice before he pressed his mouth to her bare shoulder.

Elle held her breath. The velvety firmness of his lips on her tingling skin felt heavenly and sinful at the same time. She both needed it to stop and wanted it to go on forever. But he didn’t keep his mouth in place as his lips smoothed up the side of her neck, back to that shiver-inducing spot beneath her ear. As his hand pressed more firmly to her belly, pulling her closer into the curve of his body, she felt the flick of his tongue at her earlobe.

The shocking heat and wetness of it drew a gasp from her lips. Lightning shot through her blood, spreading delicate sparks of sensation to every awakening nerve.

He responded with a soft growl of appreciation. “D’ye like that, luv? Are ye wondering what I’ll do next?” he asked thickly.

She was, but she had no intention of admitting it. Since she couldn’t deny it either, she simply said nothing.

Her next breath was cut short as he lifted a hand to drift his fingertips along the top edge of her low-cut bodice, trailing over her exposed cleavage, teasing with the lightest touch before sliding upward to encircle her throat, just beneath her jaw. Completely under his thrall, she allowed him to tip her head back and to the side. Then he lowered his head to place an open-mouthed kiss on the sloped muscle that ran from her neck to her shoulder.

A warm, melting rush of pleasure flowed through her to pool with heated insistence between her legs. Her fingers curled into the muscles of his thighs and her spine rolled without her conscious direction, pressing her hips back until she felt a growing hardness against her bottom.

A harsh grunt caught in his throat and his voice sounded rough and raw as he asked, “Ye enjoy having me mouth on ye?”

She did. She definitely did.

“What else do ye want me to do to ye?”

The question was dark and dangerous. The wicked tone of his voice tempted her with the promise of further delicious pleasures if she’d just allow herself to melt into the dreamy seduction of his lips and hands.

The hot flick of his tongue against her pulse sent a shock through her system. Her gasp slid into a sultry moan when he sealed his mouth against her neck and gave a harsh sucking tug.

Fiery licks of pleasure chased along her veins. “Oh God.”

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