suitable match given your reputation.” She gasped, horrified. “It would not be any hardship to pretend to be captivated by your beauty,” he added, his voice a husky entreaty.
“Daniel will no doubt read more into your proposition than you’d like. When you leave, he’s unlikely to take your ‘use’ of me quietly. He’s a marked swordsman, by the way.”
“He’s a mere boy, hardly a threat. You’re right, though. I wouldn’t want to cause your brother any further shame.” He looked at the ground and tugged his cuffs. Finally, he turned back to her. “I shall ensure that I give you a very public reason to refuse my offer and to douse any expectations. The sin will be mine. Satisfied?” If he could clear his father’s name, he’d not have to worry about a maligned courtship.
She heard him talk but didn’t hear his words. Her gaze focused on his lips. He had a beautiful mouth, she thought. The very idea of kissing him sent her nerves fizzing.
“Now shall we seal our deal? With a kiss, sweetheart?” His smile full of teasing couldn’t shock her out of her dreamy state. “I need practice in my courting skills.” Caught in his hypnotizing stare, she stood as still as the night while he bent slightly to bring his mouth into delicate contact with hers. It was a mere brushing of flesh against flesh, barely that, and yet she felt the sensation like a burning brand. Abruptly she shivered.
When he lifted his gaze, she could see satisfaction in his warm brown eyes.
With a casual finger, he stroked down her back and over the crease where her trousers molded her bottom. She felt his finger all the way through her clothes.
“While I much prefer my women naked, you do look enticing in trousers. Remind me to make you wear them another time so that I may have the pleasure of stripping them off you while I kiss down your long slender legs. You have the legs of a gazelle if I remember correctly.” His voice was husky, a low caress.
Alarm rose within her; he was so sure of himself. So sure she’d succumb to his skills as a lover, and that was definitely not part of their deal.
She couldn’t hide the tremble in her voice. “Have we finished here tonight, my lord?”
“Please, call me Rufus.”
She ignored him. Already her heart raced with a mix of trepidation and excitement. She did not wish to become more familiar with this man—except on her terms. What her terms were, she hadn’t quite decided.
Guilt raced through him. What was he doing? He’d never been this cold-blooded, this—dishonorable. Could he live with himself if he ruined her reputation irrevocably when she might not be guilty of anything but sharing a smuggled brandy barrel? For one moment a curl of doubt formed deep in his gut. But then he remembered Marguerite’s face as she slid the knife into his side. He remembered the pain of his wound and the agony of Andrew’s death.
He looked at the beauty before him and felt only loathing. She could be in league with an outlaw and mayhap traitor.
Yet, he could not lie to himself. Part of his desire to keep Rheda under his control was that he wanted her. He wanted her too much. He needed to remember to keep his mind firmly on the mission. He gave her one final concession.
“I will endeavor to be so convincing that Daniel and the rest of Kent’s local inhabitants will believe my pursuit of you is honorable.” So convincing, in fact, that the minx standing before him would give him the information he needed and end up in his bed.
She extended her hand. “We shall shake on it then.”
He took the small delicate bones within his and lifted her hand to his lips. The touch of skin-to-skin sent another jolt of desire pulsing through him. She watched him, and Rufus was satisfied when he felt her pulse speed up.
“I never shake hands with a woman.” So saying he turned her hand and kissed her open palm, very pleased at the shiver of response she could not hide.
She snatched her hand
“Daniel will no doubt read more into your proposition than you’d like. When you leave, he’s unlikely to take your ‘use’ of me quietly. He’s a marked swordsman, by the way.”
“He’s a mere boy, hardly a threat. You’re right, though. I wouldn’t want to cause your brother any further shame.” He looked at the ground and tugged his cuffs. Finally, he turned back to her. “I shall ensure that I give you a very public reason to refuse my offer and to douse any expectations. The sin will be mine. Satisfied?” If he could clear his father’s name, he’d not have to worry about a maligned courtship.
She heard him talk but didn’t hear his words. Her gaze focused on his lips. He had a beautiful mouth, she thought. The very idea of kissing him sent her nerves fizzing.
“Now shall we seal our deal? With a kiss, sweetheart?” His smile full of teasing couldn’t shock her out of her dreamy state. “I need practice in my courting skills.” Caught in his hypnotizing stare, she stood as still as the night while he bent slightly to bring his mouth into delicate contact with hers. It was a mere brushing of flesh against flesh, barely that, and yet she felt the sensation like a burning brand. Abruptly she shivered.
When he lifted his gaze, she could see satisfaction in his warm brown eyes.
With a casual finger, he stroked down her back and over the crease where her trousers molded her bottom. She felt his finger all the way through her clothes.
“While I much prefer my women naked, you do look enticing in trousers. Remind me to make you wear them another time so that I may have the pleasure of stripping them off you while I kiss down your long slender legs. You have the legs of a gazelle if I remember correctly.” His voice was husky, a low caress.
Alarm rose within her; he was so sure of himself. So sure she’d succumb to his skills as a lover, and that was definitely not part of their deal.
She couldn’t hide the tremble in her voice. “Have we finished here tonight, my lord?”
“Please, call me Rufus.”
She ignored him. Already her heart raced with a mix of trepidation and excitement. She did not wish to become more familiar with this man—except on her terms. What her terms were, she hadn’t quite decided.
Guilt raced through him. What was he doing? He’d never been this cold-blooded, this—dishonorable. Could he live with himself if he ruined her reputation irrevocably when she might not be guilty of anything but sharing a smuggled brandy barrel? For one moment a curl of doubt formed deep in his gut. But then he remembered Marguerite’s face as she slid the knife into his side. He remembered the pain of his wound and the agony of Andrew’s death.
He looked at the beauty before him and felt only loathing. She could be in league with an outlaw and mayhap traitor.
Yet, he could not lie to himself. Part of his desire to keep Rheda under his control was that he wanted her. He wanted her too much. He needed to remember to keep his mind firmly on the mission. He gave her one final concession.
“I will endeavor to be so convincing that Daniel and the rest of Kent’s local inhabitants will believe my pursuit of you is honorable.” So convincing, in fact, that the minx standing before him would give him the information he needed and end up in his bed.
She extended her hand. “We shall shake on it then.”
He took the small delicate bones within his and lifted her hand to his lips. The touch of skin-to-skin sent another jolt of desire pulsing through him. She watched him, and Rufus was satisfied when he felt her pulse speed up.
“I never shake hands with a woman.” So saying he turned her hand and kissed her open palm, very pleased at the shiver of response she could not hide.
She snatched her hand
Similar Books
