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E mma strolled out to where the gentlemen had built the two separate forts for the upcoming snowball fight.

At the base of each fort, a flag, or rather a ribbon, had been secured.

Everyone could hide behind the stacked wood that had been built as a barricade.

As for the armory… A neat pile of snowballs had been packed and formed.

All the participants had to do was grab one and launch.

After the preformed snowballs were depleted, then they would have to build their own.

“I think this will work,” she told the marquess. “I suppose we can start picking teams.”

“As long as you are on mine,” he said. “By all means start your selection.”

She narrowed her gaze on him. “You’re enjoying this far too much, my lord.”

He tilted his head to the side and studied her.

“I may be, but trust me on this, I haven’t nearly begun.

” Then he tilted his lips up into a wicked smile that did funny things to her belly.

That smile made a promise. One filled with every sin imaginable, and she would like falling in with the devil that beckoned her.

The marquess was a temptation she could not indulge in. Even when she desperately wanted to.

Emma shrugged. “Then I shall leave you to it.” She turned toward the rest of the guests that they had convinced to participate in the snowball fight.

“All right, everyone.” She had an idea suddenly.

It was perfect. The only problem, if one would consider it such, was the marquess would be quite irate with her.

“I’ve decided this snowball fight is going to be more challenging.

I hope that you all will appreciate how much.

” She grinned. “There are only a few rules. Once whichever team captures the other’s flag first wins.

If you’re captured while attempting to retrieve the flag, you must remain in the other team’s prison.

There is always an opportunity to switch sides, if the other teams allows it. ”

“Sounds fair,” Lord Clouston said. “How do we decide what teams we are on?”

“It will be simple.” She grinned. “All the men will be red, and all the ladies will be green.”

“What?” The marquess said. “That’s not…”

She ignored him and clapped her hands. “Everyone, go to your fort and prepare for the battle. Once the bell is rung, it will begin.”

Ardmore clasped her wrist. “This isn’t over.”

She met his gaze and tilted her lip up into a saucy smile. “Indeed, my lord. It has only just begun, as you so aptly remarked earlier.” She winked. “Man, your battle station, my lord. I intend on winning.”

He glared at her, but then spun on his heels to join the rest of the men.

Emma had been correct. He was quite livid.

But she couldn’t allow him to distract her from her plans.

She needed those two nitwits on her team.

How else was she going to control their actions and those of the two fops she’d been cajoling to do her bidding for the past couple of days?

“All right ladies,” she said with a grin. “Are you all ready to win?”

“I do not see how that is possible,” Lady Arabella said. “We’re but women against men that have far superior strength than us.”

She narrowed her gaze on her. “If that is how you feel, then perhaps you would like to walk over and surrender now.”

Lady Arabella lifted her chin defiantly. Good. She’d done as Emma believed she would. “I do not give in. I never will.”

“Then prepare to throw those snowballs.” Emma motioned toward the pile. Then she turned to the rest of the women. “Arm yourselves ladies.”

While they grabbed their snowballs, Emma retreated to the back.

Then she rang the bell, signaling that they were to begin.

Snow started to fly and mayhem ensued. Emma ducked behind the wall and took something out of her pocket.

She’d hidden something special there before she’d come outside.

She pulled out the slingshot and put a snowball into the small pouch.

Emma peeked over the wall and surveyed everyone.

Where was Ardmore? Snowballs were launched with regularity, but he was nowhere to be seen in the fray.

She could not waste any more time trying to find him.

Her plan had to be set in motion. She slid behind Lady Arabella and then selected her target.

The snowball flew through the air and hit Lord Marlinton in the face.

It splatted perfectly. She knelt down and loaded the slingshot again.

This time she got behind Miss Harriett Smythe, then launched again.

This time it hit Lord Clouston. Splendid.

Both men reacted how she’d expected. They turned their attention to the ladies.

Good. Lady Arabella had set her cap for Lord Marlinton.

She was just helping them along. Harriett had fallen for Clouston, but he never noticed her.

Well, he did not, and definitely not in the way she had hoped.

The look on her face when he threw that snowball at her. Nothing would ever compare to that.

Emma circled back and considered the next place to send a snowball.

She never got a chance to launch it. She was pulled back against something warm and solid.

“Hello, love,” he said and he wrapped his arms around her.

He put a hand over her mouth and dragged her away from the fort.

“Time to join me and the others. You are my prisoner now.”

Drat. He had taken the part about capturing prisoners to heart. At least she’d gotten off two volleys before he’d done his own form of damage. Her plan was still in place. Emma didn’t really care who won the battle. She’d already won hers.

Ardmore didn’t take her back to the fort as she had thought he would.

Instead, he took her into the woods and away from the snowballs still flying through the air.

He spun her around and pinned her against a tree.

“Now,” he said, as he trailed a finger over her jawline.

“that I have your attention. You owe me a forfeit.”

“I do not,” she glared at him.

“You do,” he said. “You agreed that we would be on the same team. Then you went and changed the rules as though there would be no consequences. There are, and you’re about to find out exactly what they are.”

B lake had never been so angry and aroused at the same time in his life. What was it about this woman that drove him to do things he normally would never have considered? He wanted her. Desperately. What the bloody hell was wrong with him?

All he knew was he had to kiss her. It was a driving need in him that he couldn’t ignore. Just one little kiss and once he had slaked his need, he could walk away from her. It would be enough. It had to be enough.

She pushed at him. “Let me go.”

“Not yet, love,” he told her.

He grasped her wrists in one hand and lifted them above her head.

She wiggled against him and he groaned. His cock hardened almost painfully.

The little minx had him acting like a young cub, about to get a taste of his first woman.

He had to slow down, seduce her. Somehow, he would find his finesse and give Emma pleasure.

Because only with her pleasure could he find his own.

Blake prided himself on never being selfish with women.

He lowered his head and brushed his lips over hers.

Gentle, coaxing, and sweet… He forgot everything around him.

The cold disappeared. It was just her and him, and this moment.

Blake licked at her lips until she opened for him.

Then he pushed his tongue inside and tasted heaven.

He moaned and deepened the kiss. Emma was all in with him.

Her passion overtook her as she brushed her tongue over his.

They were lost in that kiss, and he could have her.

He wanted her. But he would not take her.

Not like this out here in the cold. But, oh, he wanted to.

It would be so easy to lift her skirts and take her against the tree.

Somehow, he found the strength to pull away.

His breathing was heavy, and she panted just as hard.

Her lips were plump and her cheeks red. He doubted that had been from the cold.

Her blonde hair had come undone. He didn’t even remember mussing it.

She had never looked more beautiful. He let her hands go.

Emma stumbled and almost fell, but he caught her in his arms. Blake was tempted to kiss her again.

“I suppose that was my forfeit,” she said. Her tone was husky and reminded him of a well pleasured woman. What would she sound like after she climaxed? He would bet it would be even more arousing to hear her then.

“Perhaps,” he said. “I have not decided.” Blake didn’t know what he was going to do from one moment to the next. His every waking thought had been consumed by him. She had even started to haunt his dreams. He didn’t know what hold she had over him, but he didn’t like it.

“How about I decide for you, then?” She lifted her hands and pressed them on his chest. Emma didn’t push him away as he had expected her to.

Instead, she lifted her hands and pushed them through his hair, then grabbed on to them and yanked his head forward.

She pressed her lips to his, then slid her tongue into his mouth.

She had learned what he liked quickly and used it to her advantage. Blake was once again lost to her.

He slid his hand up to cup her breast. If she wanted to play with fire, then he’d ensure she burned.

He tweaked one of her nipples, and she moaned into him.

Blake took off his glove. He had to feel her flesh beneath his fingers.

He pulled at her skirts and slid his fingers over her things.

Blake pressed his knee between her legs and spread them for him.

Then he found her core and started to stroke as he kissed her.

Emma squirmed beneath him. She was close.

He lowered his head and sucked one of her earlobes into his mouth.

Her gasps grew louder as he stroked her.

When she reached her peak, she opened her mouth to scream.

Blake covered her mouth with his and swallowed her cries.

They didn’t need the other guests to hear her reach her pleasure.

He had thought her beautiful after a kiss, but this…

It was so breathtaking he almost forgot how to draw air into his lungs.

He gasped for breath. His cock was still so hard that he never thought he’d know any other feeling.

If they were in any other place, he might have taken her innocence.

Blake wanted to make her his, but that was impossible.

He wasn’t the marrying kind and she deserved so much more than he could ever give her.

Pleasure, he could easily offer her, but nothing else. He wished he were a better man, but he never would be, never could be, anything other than what he was—a rogue, a scoundrel, a consummate rake.

“We should go back inside. I think the battle has been won.”

Her lips twitched. “Yours or the snowball fight?”

He grinned at her. “Can’t it be both?” She was still so utterly beautiful.

She shrugged. “You may have won this time, my lord, but I promise, I’ll prevail in our next skirmish.”

He closed his eyes and groaned. Blake suddenly had the image of her riding him as she climaxed, and he desperately wanted to have that.

Life was cruel because she could never truly be his.

He put his gloves back on and led her out of the woods.

They had to get back inside. Blake needed distance from her and the sooner, the better.

It was time that he left her alone. Because if he spent any more time with her, he would have her, and that would be disastrous.