very much.
Somehow he mustered the fortitude to ease himself away, to slow down, then stop.
What must she think? She was sprawled beneath him, gazing with astonishment—and a bit of alarm—and he couldn’t blame her. He was a tad alarmed himself. Obviously there were mysterious forces directing them, the universe furnishing a physical chemistry that needed very little spark to ignite. If they weren’t careful, they’d burn themselves to death.
“Oh, my,” she murmured.
“You’re dangerous.”
“ I am dangerous. I was minding my own business when you started in.”
“It’s your own fault.”
“How could it be?”
“Apparently I can’t resist you.”
“You should try though. This seemed especially shocking.”
“Shocking, yes. I agree.”
She flashed a smile as old as Eve’s, and there was an enormous amount of jeopardy for him in that smile. It was a siren’s smile, a vixen’s smile, and it called to him in a manner that he was certain would lure him to his doom.
He straightened and stared down at her, wondering if he hadn’t been bewitched. He wasn’t normally superstitious, but if someone had strolled up and told him she’d cast a spell on him, he wouldn’t have doubted it.
She frowned. “What’s happening to us?”
“I can’t describe it, but it’s bizarre.”
“I think I like you more than I should.”
He tamped down a laugh. “Of course you like me. I’m the most likeable fellow in the world.”
“But I shouldn’t. I can’t.”
“You’re an adult, Kat. You can do what you like.”
They were nose to nose, their lips a short inch away from connection again, and in a thrice, they could be back in the throes of a serious embrace. Yet it was clear when he was around her, he couldn’t rein in his worst impulses. He had many carnal encounters under his belt, but he’d never been so thoroughly aroused, and he had no intention of becoming embroiled with a stranger in Egypt.
He planned to earn his salary, then purchase passage on the first ship heading for London. He couldn’t waste time in a torrid affair that might entangle him in exhausting ways.
Then and there, he decided it was the last kiss he’d ever share with her. He understood boundaries, understood class distinctions. While supposedly he’d been born an earl’s grandson, he’d never felt as if he was, and any aristocratic blood he’d once carried had been drummed out of him during the lonely life he’d led after his parents had vanished.
Whatever Kat’s actual identity, he was sure her position was very high. She couldn’t entangle herself either. She’d warned him, so it was pointless to consort with her and only heartache would result. And it would probably be on his part.
He liked women too much. He liked her too much, and he was positive he’d eventually learn she was untouchable and unattainable. That very second, she likely had an angry father or brother rushing to reclaim her, so he couldn’t be caught in a messy scandal.
But as she grabbed his shirt and pulled him near, he couldn’t see any reason not to kiss her again, except that someone said, “Kat?”
They froze, and Kat mouthed, “My sister.” She called, “Yes, Isabelle, what is it?”
“Where are you?”
“I’m in the shadows, gazing at the stars. What’s wrong?”
“I can’t sleep. Would you lie down with me? Would you tell me a story about home?”
“Yes, I’d love to. You go down. I’ll be there in a minute.”
“Do you promise?”
“Yes. I’ll be right there.”
They waited, listening as her footsteps faded down the ladder. Bryce stepped away, concealing himself so he wasn’t observed as Kat walked off.
“You make me happy,” she whispered.
Then she left, and he dawdled like a fool, worried over what the hell he’d gotten himself into and how he’d ever get himself out of it. Why would he want to get himself out of it? He had no idea. He’d ride the adventure to the very end and hope he wound up
Somehow he mustered the fortitude to ease himself away, to slow down, then stop.
What must she think? She was sprawled beneath him, gazing with astonishment—and a bit of alarm—and he couldn’t blame her. He was a tad alarmed himself. Obviously there were mysterious forces directing them, the universe furnishing a physical chemistry that needed very little spark to ignite. If they weren’t careful, they’d burn themselves to death.
“Oh, my,” she murmured.
“You’re dangerous.”
“ I am dangerous. I was minding my own business when you started in.”
“It’s your own fault.”
“How could it be?”
“Apparently I can’t resist you.”
“You should try though. This seemed especially shocking.”
“Shocking, yes. I agree.”
She flashed a smile as old as Eve’s, and there was an enormous amount of jeopardy for him in that smile. It was a siren’s smile, a vixen’s smile, and it called to him in a manner that he was certain would lure him to his doom.
He straightened and stared down at her, wondering if he hadn’t been bewitched. He wasn’t normally superstitious, but if someone had strolled up and told him she’d cast a spell on him, he wouldn’t have doubted it.
She frowned. “What’s happening to us?”
“I can’t describe it, but it’s bizarre.”
“I think I like you more than I should.”
He tamped down a laugh. “Of course you like me. I’m the most likeable fellow in the world.”
“But I shouldn’t. I can’t.”
“You’re an adult, Kat. You can do what you like.”
They were nose to nose, their lips a short inch away from connection again, and in a thrice, they could be back in the throes of a serious embrace. Yet it was clear when he was around her, he couldn’t rein in his worst impulses. He had many carnal encounters under his belt, but he’d never been so thoroughly aroused, and he had no intention of becoming embroiled with a stranger in Egypt.
He planned to earn his salary, then purchase passage on the first ship heading for London. He couldn’t waste time in a torrid affair that might entangle him in exhausting ways.
Then and there, he decided it was the last kiss he’d ever share with her. He understood boundaries, understood class distinctions. While supposedly he’d been born an earl’s grandson, he’d never felt as if he was, and any aristocratic blood he’d once carried had been drummed out of him during the lonely life he’d led after his parents had vanished.
Whatever Kat’s actual identity, he was sure her position was very high. She couldn’t entangle herself either. She’d warned him, so it was pointless to consort with her and only heartache would result. And it would probably be on his part.
He liked women too much. He liked her too much, and he was positive he’d eventually learn she was untouchable and unattainable. That very second, she likely had an angry father or brother rushing to reclaim her, so he couldn’t be caught in a messy scandal.
But as she grabbed his shirt and pulled him near, he couldn’t see any reason not to kiss her again, except that someone said, “Kat?”
They froze, and Kat mouthed, “My sister.” She called, “Yes, Isabelle, what is it?”
“Where are you?”
“I’m in the shadows, gazing at the stars. What’s wrong?”
“I can’t sleep. Would you lie down with me? Would you tell me a story about home?”
“Yes, I’d love to. You go down. I’ll be there in a minute.”
“Do you promise?”
“Yes. I’ll be right there.”
They waited, listening as her footsteps faded down the ladder. Bryce stepped away, concealing himself so he wasn’t observed as Kat walked off.
“You make me happy,” she whispered.
Then she left, and he dawdled like a fool, worried over what the hell he’d gotten himself into and how he’d ever get himself out of it. Why would he want to get himself out of it? He had no idea. He’d ride the adventure to the very end and hope he wound up
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