Enchantment & Bridge of Dreams by Christina Skye Page A

eyes of a stranger.
    The man he had been two hundred years ago?
    Nicholas’s eyes smoldered silver, scouring her face. “But you’re mine, do you hear? You were always meant for me. I won’t let Adrian hurt you anymore, and I’ll see to it that you have thethings he would never give you. I’ll give you the security of my name—a home. A family.” His voice turned raw and hoarse. “Oh, God, Katharine, how I want to see you heavy with our child.”
    His eyes narrowed on her face, and Kacey had the feeling that he was more than a little mad at that moment. Desperately, she lashed out with her foot and struck him soundly in the ankle.
    Draycott flinched. With a start, his eyes refocused. For long moments, he simply stared down at her, frowning. “What did I—” He shook his head sharply. “Do you still think you’re the only one with questions, Kacey? There are other kinds of ghosts, you know. Do you want to hear about those?”
    â€œLet me go, Nicholas,” she gasped, trying to ignore the heat seeping through her shirt. Trying to ignore the hot hard length of his body, which was doing crazy things to her pulse.
    â€œNot until you answer a few questions for me, I think.”
    â€œ Now, Nicholas. I’m tired of these games. I’ve an immense amount of work to complete tomorrow before—” A tiny, breathless sound escaped her drawn lips as his thumb rose to trace her cheek.
    Once again, Kacey caught the fleeting scent of roses. The air around her seemed to hang heavy with regret and the acrid bite of sadness.
    He is your life now, the darkness seemed to whisper. Let the rest go. Forget how it ended all those years ago. Teach him to trust you, Katharine. Then take this happiness and never look back.
    Kacey shivered as Nicholas’s finger slid along the arch of her lower lip. “Why do you fight it? Is there a boyfriend waiting somewhere back in the States?”
    Kacey stiffened instantly.
    â€œAh. A no. Are you married?”
    â€œNever!”
    â€œNow that, my sweet Kacey, would be a terrible waste.” His eyes fixed on her lips.
    â€œWhat in the—are you—” She swallowed and tried again. “Just what do you think you’re doing?”
    â€œDoing? I’m asking some questions of my own, Kacey. Like how you can feel so bloody soft. How that sexy mouth of yours can rip me apart. And I’m going to find out just what excites you in turn.” Even as he spoke, Nicholas’s thumb teased the locked line of her lips.
    Kacey shuddered. First had come Adrian’s revelations. And now she was caught in dark sensations stronger than anything she’d ever known. Were they both going mad?
    â€œGet—get away from me,” she whispered, her mind reeling. “You promised not to—”
    â€œI promised to do nothing you didn’t want me to do, Kacey. And you’ve been wanting me to touch you like this since the first moment you got here. Which is just as long as I’ve wanted to do the touching,” Draycott added hoarsely.
    â€œThat’s a lie!”
    â€œIs it?” he growled. His fingers brushed the line of crimson staining Kacey’s cheeks. “This heat says no.” His hands moved to the pulse point just behind her ear. “This skittish pulse says the same.” His eyes searched her face. “There’s no need for lies between us, Kacey. We’re both adults. I’ll make it good between us—incredibly good. I’ve thought about this since the first moment I set eyes on you. Maybe even before that,” he muttered, half to himself. “Maybe I’ve been waiting my whole bloody life for this moment.”
    Kacey tried to steady her plunging pulse. What was he up to now? Or was this Adrian’s doing?
    With a groan, Nicholas splayed his fingers open over her ribs, measuring her resistance ridge by ridge before coming to a halt just