Seducing the Knight by Gerri Russell

light closer.”
    She stepped beside him as he carefully lifted the lid from the chest. Inside were twelve formed and polished colored stones.
    “What do they mean?” She set the lantern on the floor beside them.
    With a grin, he sat back on his heels and pulled theleather book from the folds of his robe. She moved to peer over his shoulder as he flipped the loose pages. When he came to a drawing of what appeared to be a ceremonial garment, he stopped.
    “What is that?” she asked. “How does it relate to what we found?”
    “These stones might not be the Ark of the Covenant, but they are a worthy find in and of themselves.” He lifted his gaze to hers. Excitement brightened his eyes. “These twelve stones are what were referred to in the Old Testament as the stones of fire. They represent the twelve tribes of Israel and were at one time set into the breastplate of the high priest. That high priest would have worn the breastplate to control the divine fire that was said to emanate from the ark.”
    “So whoever controls the stones of fire controls the ark?” Jessamine cupped her hands over his. A spark passed between them at the intimate contact. It brought a soft gasp to her lips. She should pull her hands away, stand, anything to break the contact between them. Instead, she gazed into his piercing blue eyes and felt a strange lightness at her core.
    “Aye,” he said softly. “But suddenly it’s not the ark or the stones that interest me, but something else entirely.” He abandoned the chest on the ground and stood, pulling her up with him until they faced each other, their bodies only a hairbreadth apart.
    “Jessamine. We are entering dangerous territory.” The words seemed dredged up from his very soul as he pulled her even closer, his gaze on her lips.
    She knew he didn’t mean the dangers of following the prophecy, but the dangerous way desire flared each time they touched.
    “I like adventure,” she breathed.
    No sooner had the words shivered past her lips thanhis mouth descended. Shock trembled through her body. All her senses were centered on the feather-light pressure of his mouth, on the teasing, taunting dalliance of his tongue as it lingered against her lips, tasted, prepared her for what was to come.
    He drew her closer, molding her to the hard contours of his body. His arms tightened and his lips slanted more forcefully over hers. Jessamine felt her knees weaken as her body became heavy and fluid as molten lead. The sensation slithered further into her with each silky, probing caress of his tongue.
    Of their own accord, her fingers spread across the rough texture of his robe and inched higher, until she clung to the powerful breadth of his shoulders. She’d never experienced the surge of liquid heat that robbed her of anything but the desire to melt against him. She wanted more of this delicious madness. Her body grew tauter, tighter, with each stroke of his tongue.
    With a groan, he broke free.
    She inhaled sharply at the abruptness of his release. He didn’t pull away, just stood there with his face poised above hers. She couldn’t see much in the shadows of the room, but she sensed a shared feeling of surprise. She wondered if the thud of his heart meant he, too, had experienced a rush of warmth and pleasure.
    She stared in fascination as he brought his fingers to her mouth, his index finger tracing the curve of her lower lip. “I apologize. I couldn’t resist.”
    A shiver of desire tumbled through her at his confession. She pressed into his touch, seeking the warmth of his flesh on hers. “Kiss me again.”
    He dropped his fingers from her lips and took a step back as if he no longer trusted himself to remain near her. “That wouldn’t be wise,” he said.
    She nodded and took two steps back, wishing thedistance would quell her desire. Her heart hammered in her chest as she fisted her hands. “Because you’re a monk?”
    “That is the last thing on my mind at the