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He paused and arched a brow. “And out here? Is there no one out here you care to dance with?”
Felicity had never flirted in her life, but there was something about this man that brought out an imp in her. Suddenly all emotions were swept away except one: a sense of pure joy in his presence. “There might be.”
With a smile he glanced around, then brought his gaze back to her. “I don’t see anyone else. Could it be me, Miss Andrews?”
When she didn’t respond, he made a gallant bow and said, “Miss Andrews, may I have the honor of this dance?”
She steeled herself for his touch, and for the warmth she knew would follow. But instead of drawing near, he stood apart from her. Amazingly, even from that distance, she felt his arms encircle her. Nothing could have prepared her for the potent feelings that raced like wildfire through her. At the touch, she saw the haze of heat around him begin to shimmer and vibrate and knew that he felt it too.
Music filtered through the closed doors. Soft, muted, it seemed to play only for them. She closed her eyes, imagining him holding her close. As one they moved, their bodies swaying, touching. His warm breath feathered the hair at her temple, and he drew her even closer, until she could feel his heartbeat in her own chest.
How safe she felt here in his arms. How right.
She glanced up at him and saw that he wasn’t smiling now. As he looked down at her, the look on his face was so fierce, so intense, she felt her breath catch in her throat.
“What is it, Gareth? What’s wrong?”
“I must leave you soon.”
“Leave? But why? Why now, when I know who is causing all the evil at Falcon’s Lair? It’s only a matter of time until I find a way to stop them. And what about us, Gareth? We’ve only just discovered each other.”
“Oh, my sweet Felicity. How the gods must laugh at their creations. We mortals are such foolish creatures.” The look on his face grew pensive. “I wish…”
“What?” she demanded. “What do you wish?”
He shook his head. “I was thinking that, just for tonight, I would give anything if…”
When his words trailed off, she clutched at him, desperate to know his thoughts. “If what?”
His voice was rough with feeling. “If only you could go back in time. Or if I could go forward. But it’s impossible. The dice were tossed long before either of us was born.”
She sighed and drew her arms around his waist, pressing her lips to his throat. “But we have now. We have this time. Isn’t it enough?”
He held her at a little distance, wondering if he should tell her that each time he allowed himself to touch her, he lost a little more of himself, a little more of his power.
“Do you know how desperately I want you?” he whispered.
Felicity’s heart nearly stopped. Never before had she wanted to be with a man. She’d never even been tempted. But with Gareth everything was different. With this man she had no rules, no guidelines. The mere touch of him left her trembling, wanting things—wanting them, yet fearing them. But, despite her fear, she found herself speaking boldly.
Her voice trembled, as did her body. “Is it possible?”
“What are you saying?” He couldn’t hide his astonishment. “Would you let me love you? Truly love you, as a man loves a woman?”
Slowly, shyly, she nodded.
He cupped her face in his big hands and stared deeply into her eyes. His lips brushed her mouth, his breath mingling with hers as he murmured, “Oh, my little happy face. With love anything is possible.”
7
They stood apart,not touching. Yet as soon as Felicity closed her eyes, she could feel Gareth lifting her in his arms. In quick strides he crossed the brick paving and halted in a circular stand of trees that bordered the gardens. Setting her on her feet, he tossed his cloak to the ground. She opened her eyes. He seemed to be several paces away, yet that was impossible, for in that instant she was crushed roughly against him, her mouth savaged with kisses until she was breathless.
She sensed the change in him, an urgency and a barely controlled tension. Was this anger? she wondered. Or a darker side of passion she didn’t understand?
“Wait. I…” She took a step back.
As if regretting his earlier lapse, his touch gentled. When she closed her eyes, he kissed her again, lingering over her lips. His voice, when at last he spoke, was rough. “There is still time to change your mind, Felicity. I’ll understand if you walk away. I won’t hold you.” A lie, he knew. He would beg, even crawl, to have her. But he would not hold her against her will. He was determined to fight the needs that cried for release, if she but said a single word of refusal.
She took a deep breath. “I won’t go, Gareth.” Standing on tiptoe, she pressed a kiss to his lips. “I can’t. I’ve tried to deny what I feel. But I know now that we were fated to meet and to love. Oh, Gareth, hold me. Love me.”