Page 10

CHAPTER 10

I t was not her fault.

It was hard enough to resist him when he was fully clothed. Difficult when a reasonable distance separated them and when others were nearby. Alone in the enchanting night, in front of the desirable man without his shirt, she was helpless.

She’d imagined what he looked like under the fine clothing, yet it had never been like this. He was power defined, sculpted muscles of raw masculinity. He’d hidden his true power behind a gentleman’s facade, yet now his strength was clear.

She could not resist this wonderland .

He tasted like fruit punch, brandy and pure male. Desire fired as she touched his expansive chest, powerful muscles jumping under her hand. If the beverage had been chilled, now he was pure heat.

Never one to surrender power for long, Damien immediately took control, pressing into the kiss, at the same time he pulled her nearer. She moaned her surrender, and he dipped his tongue through her lips. She matched him move for move, swollen lips tangling in hot possession.

Her movements became more frenzied, as thoughts scattered like snowflakes in a winter storm. All she could do was feel, yet it was not enough. She wrapped her arms around him, pressing into his bare chest. Fire surrounded her.

Still not close enough.

“Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?” Damien peppered kisses down her neck, over her shoulders, across her décolleté. Her entire body felt lit by lightning, streaks of sensation covering every inch. Awareness seared her most feminine of spots, as he branded her with fiery possession. Yet she wanted more.

Why shouldn’t she have it?

The future was uncertain, her path unwritten. With every moment, Damien drew her to a bond that was irresistible. Perhaps this would allow her to unlock the emotions that swirled underneath.

But more than anything, she just wanted to be with him.

“Don’t stop,” she whispered.

He kissed her deeply. “I won’t,” he promised.

“No–” She drew back ever-so-slightly. “I wasn’t referring to the kiss.”

He gave a sharp intake of breath. His gaze darkened, as unvoiced hunger sparked. “I am a gentleman.”

“That you will remain, no matter what we do,” she whispered. “But this is right. Can’t you feel it?”

He paused, his heavy breathing audible over the fire. “I do feel it, yet this isn’t how it’s done. If you wish, we can attain a spec–”

“I don’t want to wait.” She gazed into his eyes, allowing her need to show. “Please, Damien.”

A million emotions passed through his eyes, before they settled on one: Triumph. “You belong to me now.”

She opened her mouth to protest the presumptuous words, yet he took her lips before she could utter a syllable. And then she was lost in a world of sensation, where she moved without thought, instincts guiding her in a timeless dance. This time, he did not stop.

He kissed a breast.

She sucked in a breath, arching into him. He kissed the other breast, then palmed them both, flicking his finger over puckered nipples, sensitizing them until they were achy and swollen. She pushed into his hands.

“We should get you out of these clothes,” he murmured.

She answered without words, reaching for her laces. Yet he gently pushed away her hands, loosening them himself. Her breasts grew heavy as their support disappeared, as the dress was lifted over her head. In seconds her undergarments followed, and suddenly, she was completely exposed.

His gaze took in everything . Her skin pinkened in the fire’s amber light, and she turned away, yet he cupped her cheek. “You are perfect.”

She swallowed, and somehow kept her hands by her sides as he continued his perusal. Her body sweltered under his scrutiny. Then…

From the absence of feeling to endless touches, he was everywhere. He teased her nipples into hard beads, splayed his hands on her stomach and kneaded every muscle she didn’t know she had. When he touched her in her most intimate of spots, she cried out.

He swallowed her cry with a kiss, before pulling away. She opened her mouth to protest, but stopped when he grasped his pants.

Oh. My. Goodness.

The words repeated in her mind again and again as he removed his clothing. If he had been magnificent with clothing, he was glorious now, his strength undeniable, his force unparalleled. Then that power returned to her, as bare skin touched bare skin, endless muscles to feminine strength. He was everywhere all at once, his lips, hands and body taking possession. He demanded her surrender, and she gave it.

A bond formed, a connection unlike anything she’d ever felt before. A mere moment of pain, and they became one, existing in pure harmony. A fever came, in this new world she discovered, and her body knew what to do. It burned hotter and hotter and hotter…

She shattered.

Damien stretched on the satin sheets, as the sun streamed through the wide windows of the master bedroom, where they had slipped after their lovemaking. Everything was the same, and yet everything was different, after a night more amazing than he could ever imagine. It was not merely a new day, but a new life.

His instincts to pursue this woman had been correct, as they formed a connection that came once in a lifetime. It wasn’t just about physical compatibility, but something far deeper. She was extraordinary, his perfect match. Emotions lurked beyond that, yet those he would not examine. He turned over in bed, reached for the object of his desire…

She wasn’t there.

Frowning, he pushed himself up. The bed was still indented, the sheets still warm. He slid off the mattress and travelled to a carved wood chest of drawers. Swiftly donning black pants and a cream shirt, he strode into the sitting room. Sarah stood with her back to him, fully dressed as she looked out the window.

Satisfaction surged. Something was so right about her presence. She turned.

Something was so wrong.

“What’s the matter?” He stepped forward, yet she jumped back. Her eyes blazed fire, her lips curved down, as she clutched a piece of paper tightly in her hands.

He stiffened.

“You read my mail?”

She did not apologize. “I saw Bradenton’s signature and my name. Since you were discussing me, I felt it fair I read it.” The paper crinkled in her hands. “Imagine my surprise when I learned you already asked Bradenton for my hand, and he agreed.”

He tightened. “I did ask,” he admitted. “Yet Bradenton did not agree. He said it was your choice. I’ve been clear about my intention to marry you this entire time.”

“He spoke about specific arrangements in this letter.” Her eyes blazed as she waved the offending paper. “Even gave suggestions on how to use my dowry.”

Blasted! Bradenton assumed his campaign would be complete by now, and he would have won over his reluctant bride. “The dowry is of no importance. I was going to put it in a fund for you–”

“This letter makes your interest clear. It’s never been about me.” Her voice broke. “Bradenton is one of your best friends, so marrying his ward makes sense.”

He stepped forward. “Nothing about how I feel makes sense.”

“I already knew you arranged for me to be trapped,” she snapped. “You believed your scheme would work. You are a powerful man, and there was no question I would be attracted to you.”

“Last night was about more than physical attraction.” He held out his hands. “What we have is more .”

“What we have?” Her stare was unwavering. “What do we have?”

He hesitated. That she wanted his emotions was clear, yet they could not be part of this.

He had to keep control.

“We have many things.” He held up his fingers. “We have amiable companionship, similar likes, compatible personalit–”

“Do you hear yourself?” The pain in her eyes nearly undid him. “Such trivialities are not the foundation for a marriage, at least not the type I wish for.” She held up the paper. “You sought to entrap me through deception, and through it all, you still think only of logic. This is over.”

No. It. Wasn’t. “I am a gentleman, and I compromised you. There is no choice but to marry.”

She paled. “I do not intend to tell anyone. If you are a gentleman, neither will you.” The paper slipped from her hands. “At least I now know Bradenton will arrive any day. The moment he does we shall depart. Until then, I plan to spend my days–” She exhaled. “And my nights alone.”

It took every ounce of strength not to reach out and grasp her as she swept past him. After all they had shared, he could not lose her. Somehow he would find a way to make her his.