anyway.”
“People will think a lot more than that,” he said grimly. “If I kiss you, they’ll be right.”
Monumental disappointment crushed her. He tried to let her down lightly, but rejection was still rejection. She went back to trying to escape. “Please forget I said anything.”
Despite her best efforts, tears clogged her voice. She’d never invited a man’s attentions before. After today’s debacle, even if her life depended on it, she’d never invite them again.
But, oh, how it smarted to hunger so desperately, and know Channing felt nothing in return.
“Bess, you make it so impossible.” He sounded like she tested him to the ends of endurance.
Still she wouldn’t look at him. “I promise I won’t embarrass you again.”
“What?” The few inches she’d managed to claim back between them disappeared as he caught her with ruthless hands and shoved her onto her back. He loomed over her, big and powerful and, unless she was mistaken, fuming. She ought to be frightened. But she’d sunk so far into sin since she’d met Channing that her wanton blood surged with female excitement. And a much overdue return of spirit.
“You’re to blame. You made me think you like me.”
He stared at her as if she was losing her mind. “I do like you.”
She raised her chin and glared at him. “I mean…
like
me.”
“I do.”
He clearly didn’t understand. Which was odd. He was one of the most perceptive people she knew. “You kissed me.”
“I did.”
She frowned as her temper spiked. “If you’re not attracted to a girl, it’s wicked to kiss her.”
“It’s wicked to kiss her anyway.”
“Exactly,” she said, so desperate to score a point against him that she hardly knew what she agreed to. “And it’s wicked to single her out, and call her pretty, and…and make her feel special.”
“You
are
special.”
Bess immediately dismissed that as another attempt to soothe her hurt feelings. “It’s wicked to touch her, and take her arm, and look at her as if you want to kiss her again.”
“The way I’m looking at you now?”
Something in his voice choked any answer in her throat. Confused, she stared up into his face. The unwavering regard of those deep green eyes had her heart performing drunken cartwheels.
Channing indeed looked as if he intended to snap her up like a bonbon between his straight white teeth. He leaned over her, caging her between his impressive chest and the arm he propped on the pillow near her head. Against her side, his body was pleasingly heavy and hot.
“Y…yes,” she finally forced out between lips that felt as dry as sand. Her pulse throbbed so hard, it shook her whole body. She began to tremble, not to her shame with fear, but with frantic anticipation. “Just like that.”
His eyes darkened in sizzling concentration. Nobody in Bess’s whole life had looked at her with such burning focus. Her breath hitched and her head swam until all she saw was his face. His lips curled in a smile that made her giddy with longing.
If this was more teasing, she’d never forgive him.
“At last, a right answer.”
“Does that mean…” she stammered, as without conscious command, one hand slid up his arm to shape his shoulder.
“That I’m about to compound all the wickedness you accuse me of by being very wicked indeed? Aye, it does.”
“Oh…” she said faintly, then didn’t speak again because Lord Channing’s lips stole her breath.
This was shatteringly different from the last time he kissed her. That had been a question. This was a conquest. He lashed his arms about her and rolled to the side so they lay face to face. His warmth and masculine scent surrounded her. That rich essence flooded her senses with the promise of excitement and adventure and daring. And home and lifelong sustenance and safety.
She shouldn’t feel safe. After all, he was a pirate and a seducer, and she’d known him less than a week. But none of those good sensible
“People will think a lot more than that,” he said grimly. “If I kiss you, they’ll be right.”
Monumental disappointment crushed her. He tried to let her down lightly, but rejection was still rejection. She went back to trying to escape. “Please forget I said anything.”
Despite her best efforts, tears clogged her voice. She’d never invited a man’s attentions before. After today’s debacle, even if her life depended on it, she’d never invite them again.
But, oh, how it smarted to hunger so desperately, and know Channing felt nothing in return.
“Bess, you make it so impossible.” He sounded like she tested him to the ends of endurance.
Still she wouldn’t look at him. “I promise I won’t embarrass you again.”
“What?” The few inches she’d managed to claim back between them disappeared as he caught her with ruthless hands and shoved her onto her back. He loomed over her, big and powerful and, unless she was mistaken, fuming. She ought to be frightened. But she’d sunk so far into sin since she’d met Channing that her wanton blood surged with female excitement. And a much overdue return of spirit.
“You’re to blame. You made me think you like me.”
He stared at her as if she was losing her mind. “I do like you.”
She raised her chin and glared at him. “I mean…
like
me.”
“I do.”
He clearly didn’t understand. Which was odd. He was one of the most perceptive people she knew. “You kissed me.”
“I did.”
She frowned as her temper spiked. “If you’re not attracted to a girl, it’s wicked to kiss her.”
“It’s wicked to kiss her anyway.”
“Exactly,” she said, so desperate to score a point against him that she hardly knew what she agreed to. “And it’s wicked to single her out, and call her pretty, and…and make her feel special.”
“You
are
special.”
Bess immediately dismissed that as another attempt to soothe her hurt feelings. “It’s wicked to touch her, and take her arm, and look at her as if you want to kiss her again.”
“The way I’m looking at you now?”
Something in his voice choked any answer in her throat. Confused, she stared up into his face. The unwavering regard of those deep green eyes had her heart performing drunken cartwheels.
Channing indeed looked as if he intended to snap her up like a bonbon between his straight white teeth. He leaned over her, caging her between his impressive chest and the arm he propped on the pillow near her head. Against her side, his body was pleasingly heavy and hot.
“Y…yes,” she finally forced out between lips that felt as dry as sand. Her pulse throbbed so hard, it shook her whole body. She began to tremble, not to her shame with fear, but with frantic anticipation. “Just like that.”
His eyes darkened in sizzling concentration. Nobody in Bess’s whole life had looked at her with such burning focus. Her breath hitched and her head swam until all she saw was his face. His lips curled in a smile that made her giddy with longing.
If this was more teasing, she’d never forgive him.
“At last, a right answer.”
“Does that mean…” she stammered, as without conscious command, one hand slid up his arm to shape his shoulder.
“That I’m about to compound all the wickedness you accuse me of by being very wicked indeed? Aye, it does.”
“Oh…” she said faintly, then didn’t speak again because Lord Channing’s lips stole her breath.
This was shatteringly different from the last time he kissed her. That had been a question. This was a conquest. He lashed his arms about her and rolled to the side so they lay face to face. His warmth and masculine scent surrounded her. That rich essence flooded her senses with the promise of excitement and adventure and daring. And home and lifelong sustenance and safety.
She shouldn’t feel safe. After all, he was a pirate and a seducer, and she’d known him less than a week. But none of those good sensible
Similar Books
