Gregory, Lisa by Bonds of Love

invisible current seemed to
leap from him to her, tensing her muscles, making her nerves stand on end. She
felt as if she were being drawn toward him against her will, pulled by the very
intensity of his gaze. He didn't speak, but his eyes caressed her, disrobed
her. Thoughtfully he ran his fingers slowly across his lips, and she, watching
him, was reminded of the feel of his smooth, warm lips on hers. Unconsciously,
she moistened her lips with her tongue, and he smiled, his eyes glinting. She
flushed hotly and tried to turn her attention to the work on her desk.
    "I'm
afraid you'll have to wait, Mr. Hampton. Father has taken the major and the
lieutenant on a tour of a new ship."
    "I
don't mind waiting," he said in his soft drawl. "In fact, I enjoy it.
You've done your hair a new way, haven't you?"
    "Yes,
I—I'm surprised you noticed."
    "I
notice everything about you, Miss Devereaux." His voice caressed her name,
making it sound more intimate than if he had called her by her Christian name.
Katherine, feeling strangely warm and uncomfortable, avoided meeting his eyes
and instead stared fixedly out the window. She was not the only one to feel
uncomfortable—Teddy could feel tension in the air, though he was mystified as
to why. He shifted uneasily on his feet.
    "Why
don't I go get Mr. Devereaux and tell him you're here?" he volunteered,
struck by inspiration. He was out the door almost before Katherine could open
her mouth to tell him to stay, and Katherine was left staring at the closed
door. She froze—what was she to do?
    "Have
you any idea how lovely you are?" he asked, and his husky voice sent
prickles down the back of her neck.
    She
shook her head a little, afraid to answer, afraid to listen to him, afraid not
to hear what he said. He continued in his quiet, smooth voice, "I want
you. I want to kiss you, to feel your sweet tongue in my mouth. I want to
undress you, to touch you, to fondle you."
    Uncontrollably,
she trembled at his voice. She heard him rise and come rapidly toward her, but
she didn't dare look at him. He stopped beside her, gently grasped her arms and
pulled her to her feet. With one hand he tilted up her face, and she was forced
to look at him. Mesmerized, she stared into his gray eyes, now strangely alight
with something she did not recognize or understand.
    "Please,"
she whispered, not knowing what she was asking for.
    His
head moved down to hers, his lips taking hers, softly, tenderly at first, then
increasingly more greedily. He tore his mouth from hers and began to kiss her
face, her neck, her ears. His tongue probed her ear and she stiffened, strange
darting flashes of warmth assaulting her.
    "Oh,
no," she murmured.
    "Oh,
yes," he mumbled, nibbling at her earlobe. "Oh, God, yes."
    Fiercely
his lips swooped down on hers again and he wrapped his arms around her,
pressing her against him as if he wanted her to melt into him. His tongue
ravaged her mouth until instinctively she responded and her tongue crept timidly
into his mouth. A violent shudder shook his frame and a half laugh-half groan
sounded deep in his throat. He crushed her to him harder and kissed her
hungrily, his tongue teasing hers, first retreating, then thrusting deep,
lightly caressing. She felt dizzy and faint from his kisses and wrapped her
arms around his neck, clinging to him as to a rock in an unsteady world.
    His
lips left her, and she gasped at the loss, but he kissed her face, her ears,
nuzzling and nibbling at her neck until he evoked little involuntary whimpers
from her throat. "My little girl, my sweet little girl," he murmured
against her ear. "It's been so long, so long. Please." His breath was
hot and swift. "Please." His fingers fumbled at her hair, jerking out
pins until the heavy mass came tumbling down into his hands. He groaned and
buried his face in her hair. Again he kissed her lips; then his mouth began to
travel down her throat. Limply she let her head fall back, leaning securely
against the steel band of his