Page 54 of Captive of the Crime Queen

She perches tentatively on the edge of the bed and I feel my brows furrow as I look more closely at her. "You look concerned. Has something happened?"

"No," she says quickly. "But I…" She looks up at me from beneath her lashes. "I wondered if you'd thought about my request, to see my mother again."

"Oh, that." I yawn. "I already sent word to her, last night after I left the garden. I'm just waiting for a response."

Aurora's smile lights up her features. Impulsively, she reaches for my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. I freeze at the unexpected contact, the simple gesture launching a riotous storm within me. She seems to sense the shift, pulling back.

And I instantly miss her touch.

"I should get up." My voice comes out hoarse. I gesture lamely at the tea service and Aurora stands quickly, removing the tray she just set over my lap. She does it without Mrs. Graves' finesse, so that the china rattles alarmingly, particularly when she sees that I'm completely naked.

"That will be all, Aurora." It comes out terser than I intended, but if she stays much longer I'll find myself kissing her, and…somuch more. But Aurora just stands there, uncertainty shading her eyes. "It was a—a pleasant surprise to see you," I add, trying and failing to inject a note of warmth into my voice before escaping into the bathroom.

Her hurt look haunts me and the click of the lock only accentuates the silence. I brace myself against the vanity, steadying my suddenly unsteady legs. Foolish, foolish…I berate myself for the charged moment, for allowing her nearness to unravel me so easily. I avoid my reflection in the gilt mirror as I step into the shower, hoping the scalding water will re-center my scattered thoughts.

But it's no use. She permeates my thoughts, my dreams, my carefully cultivated walls thinning day by day.

I am losing myself, and I am terrified.

I shut off the shower abruptly, and glare at my foggy reflection in the mirror as I dry myself roughly. But when I emerge, wrapped in a silk robe, Aurora is still in my bedroom, seated on the bed, hands folded neatly in her lap.

She looks up as I enter, eyes wide. I halt dead. She rises slowly, but she says nothing.

"What do you want?" I ask eventually. "What do you want from me, Aurora?"

The desperation in my voice surprises me, and Aurora just worries at the hem of her sleeve. Finally, she raises her eyes tentatively to meet my own. "I want to ask you something."

I nod, not trusting myself to speak. Aurora takes a steadying breath.

"When you…when we're…together—" She clears her throat. "Does it mean anything to you?"

"Ah, Sunshine…" My voice shakes. I can't stop it. I close the distance between us before I can think better of it, taking her hands in mine. "It means fartoomuch. That's the problem." Isqueeze her hands gently. "I'm sorry if I've upset you. That was never, ever my intention."

Aurora lets out a shaky laugh, and her face reddens. "But then how can you be so cold toward me, after—after?—"

Oh, God.

I reach up to cup her face. "I'm cold because…because that's who Ineedto be. It would be too dangerous for me to let anyone…" I trail off, cursing myself. There's an obvious end to that sentence, and I hope she doesn't find it.

"Into your heart?" she murmurs, and turns her head, pressing a feather-light kiss to my palm. My breath hitches. Slowly, cautiously, she guides my hands to her hips, her body molding against mine. "Then if not your heart…your bed?" Her request is scarcely a whisper.

I know I should pull away, put up my walls once more. Instead, I draw her closer still, fingers tangling in her hair as my lips find hers. She responds tentatively at first, then with growing fervor until my whole body is thrumming with the desperateneedfor her. There is no Syndicate, no threats beyond these walls, no expectations to uphold.

There is only her, only me, only the truth of what lies between us.

Aurora leads me toward my own bed, our kisses growing feverish. My hands roam her body as I push her back on the silk sheets and crawl over her, my lips blazing a trail down the column of her throat.

The way we make love tonight is different again to the previous two nights. This time, my touches walk the line between tender and intense. I'm attentive to each hitch of breath, everywhispered plea, careful not to push too far, but I still indulge in my need to possess her completely as I make her beg for release, beg to my full satisfaction and then a little beyond, so that her orgasm, when it comes, has her screaming the damn house down.

But in the aftermath, limbs entwined and hearts still racing, my mind is unsettled once more. Without the haze of desire, doubts begin creeping back in, worries about this new precipice we're standing on.

My people must be wondering where I am, but no one dares disturb me. No doubt Mrs. Graves is refusing entry to anyone, since she must be very aware that Aurora is still with me. Well, business can wait. Haven't I earned a few hours of downtime? I push aside my worries as a lazy sense of satisfaction crawls over me, turning my limbs to liquid, until Aurora's soft voice pulls me back to the present.

"Can I ask you something?"

I stiffen slightly but keep my tone even. "Of course." Please, not something to ruin this perfection. Not now.

Aurora tilts her head up to meet my eyes. "Why do you try so hard to prove yourself to them?"

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