big sycamore outside her window. Before retiring, she had gone upstairs to check on Jared, but found him already fast asleep.
She looked down at the book she was reading, Hideand Seek , a mystery by a prominent author named Wilkie Collins, but the print began to blur. She was tired, but not sleepy, tense and edgy and worried. She set the book aside, thinking that perhaps if she climbed into bed she might fall asleep. She turned in that direction and heard a light knock at her door.
Surely Gilda wasn’t up at this late hour of the evening.
A trickle of fear went through her. Perhaps it was Mrs. Garvey. Dear God, had something happened to Jared?
Elizabeth hurried to the door, her white cotton nightgown billowing out behind her. She stepped back in shock as Reese walked into the bedroom.
“What is it? Has something happened? Is Jared all right?”
“Everyone is fine as far as I know.”
Relief trickled through her, followed by a shot of uncertainty. “What do you want?”
His incredible blue eyes made a leisurely perusal of her body, from the top of her head to the bare feet peeking out from beneath her white nightgown.
“It’s good to see you in something other than black. Though I would prefer you in violet or perhaps a bright sapphire-blue.”
She looked down at herself, realized the thin cotton fabric clung to every curve, and heat roared into her cheeks. Turning, she reached for her blue silk wrapper, but Reese caught the fabric and drew it gently from her hand.
“You don’t need that. I saw your lovely breasts years ago, as you recall. But I’d rather see you in nothing at all.”
Elizabeth stood motionless, trapped by the heat in his gaze, the faint tilt of amusement at the corner of his mouth. Her breathing quickened. Her pulse kicked up.She watched in wicked fascination as he bent toward her and gently captured her lips.
She wasn’t sure how it happened, how, suddenly, she was there in his arms. She only knew that he was kissing her, his mouth claiming hers in a leisurely manner she hadn’t expected, as if he had all the time in the world, as if he meant for the kiss to go on forever.
Sensation poured through her, heat and dampness and a rapidly building need. His lips melded perfectly with hers, softer than they appeared, warming her as they took control, taking and giving all at once. They alternately coaxed and then demanded, took possession then retreated, insisted she open to allow him entrance until she seemed to have no choice. His tongue slid erotically into her mouth, tasting her, claiming her, forcing a response.
Elizabeth whimpered. She told herself to stop him, to insist he leave her bedroom. Instead her arms slipped around his neck and her fingers curled into his silky black hair. He wore only a pair of fitted black trousers and a full-sleeved shirt. Through her thin cotton nightgown, she could feel the strength of his lean, hard body, the muscles across his chest, the ladder of sinew that banded his flat stomach, and the powerful erection that told her what he wanted.
She should have been frightened. Might have been if there had been anything the least bit threatening in his manner. But there were only tender kisses, sweet and coaxing, and deep, saturating kisses that made her head spin. There was only the heat of their bodies and the fierce attraction she had always felt for him.
She moaned as she pressed herself against him, let her head fall back to give him better access as his mouthtraveled leisurely along her throat and he took an earlobe between his teeth. Gooseflesh washed over her skin and desire burned like fire through her veins.
“Reese…”
Sun-browned fingers worked the buttons on the front of her nightgown. He parted the fabric and his mouth moved to her shoulder. A moist trail of kisses scorched over the flesh he bared. Her skin seemed to catch fire wherever he touched, and her body wept with desire for him.
She gasped as the gown slid lower, baring one of
She looked down at the book she was reading, Hideand Seek , a mystery by a prominent author named Wilkie Collins, but the print began to blur. She was tired, but not sleepy, tense and edgy and worried. She set the book aside, thinking that perhaps if she climbed into bed she might fall asleep. She turned in that direction and heard a light knock at her door.
Surely Gilda wasn’t up at this late hour of the evening.
A trickle of fear went through her. Perhaps it was Mrs. Garvey. Dear God, had something happened to Jared?
Elizabeth hurried to the door, her white cotton nightgown billowing out behind her. She stepped back in shock as Reese walked into the bedroom.
“What is it? Has something happened? Is Jared all right?”
“Everyone is fine as far as I know.”
Relief trickled through her, followed by a shot of uncertainty. “What do you want?”
His incredible blue eyes made a leisurely perusal of her body, from the top of her head to the bare feet peeking out from beneath her white nightgown.
“It’s good to see you in something other than black. Though I would prefer you in violet or perhaps a bright sapphire-blue.”
She looked down at herself, realized the thin cotton fabric clung to every curve, and heat roared into her cheeks. Turning, she reached for her blue silk wrapper, but Reese caught the fabric and drew it gently from her hand.
“You don’t need that. I saw your lovely breasts years ago, as you recall. But I’d rather see you in nothing at all.”
Elizabeth stood motionless, trapped by the heat in his gaze, the faint tilt of amusement at the corner of his mouth. Her breathing quickened. Her pulse kicked up.She watched in wicked fascination as he bent toward her and gently captured her lips.
She wasn’t sure how it happened, how, suddenly, she was there in his arms. She only knew that he was kissing her, his mouth claiming hers in a leisurely manner she hadn’t expected, as if he had all the time in the world, as if he meant for the kiss to go on forever.
Sensation poured through her, heat and dampness and a rapidly building need. His lips melded perfectly with hers, softer than they appeared, warming her as they took control, taking and giving all at once. They alternately coaxed and then demanded, took possession then retreated, insisted she open to allow him entrance until she seemed to have no choice. His tongue slid erotically into her mouth, tasting her, claiming her, forcing a response.
Elizabeth whimpered. She told herself to stop him, to insist he leave her bedroom. Instead her arms slipped around his neck and her fingers curled into his silky black hair. He wore only a pair of fitted black trousers and a full-sleeved shirt. Through her thin cotton nightgown, she could feel the strength of his lean, hard body, the muscles across his chest, the ladder of sinew that banded his flat stomach, and the powerful erection that told her what he wanted.
She should have been frightened. Might have been if there had been anything the least bit threatening in his manner. But there were only tender kisses, sweet and coaxing, and deep, saturating kisses that made her head spin. There was only the heat of their bodies and the fierce attraction she had always felt for him.
She moaned as she pressed herself against him, let her head fall back to give him better access as his mouthtraveled leisurely along her throat and he took an earlobe between his teeth. Gooseflesh washed over her skin and desire burned like fire through her veins.
“Reese…”
Sun-browned fingers worked the buttons on the front of her nightgown. He parted the fabric and his mouth moved to her shoulder. A moist trail of kisses scorched over the flesh he bared. Her skin seemed to catch fire wherever he touched, and her body wept with desire for him.
She gasped as the gown slid lower, baring one of
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