to be standing on end.
Whatever had possessed her to hide the dolls in Lucian’s room? It had to have been one of those moments of sheer lunacy masquerading as genius.
At his door, she held her breath, listening. Perhaps she hoped to hear a reassuring snore. Silence echoed loudly.
She tapped on the door.
Her knees threatened to give out on her.
“Mr. Pendar,” she whispered, her mouth close to the door.
He would misunderstand her reason for knocking on his door in the middle of the night. She could back away fast if he opened the door.
Only silence greeted her.
She tapped again and managed to squeak out, “Mr. Pendar.”
In an agony of indecision, she waited for the door to open. It didn’t.
Perhaps he was a heavy sleeper. Perhaps she could sneak inside and retrieve Eve. Perhaps she would come out of this unscathed. Taking a deep breath, she reached for knob and ever so slowly turned it.
The door jerked open and pulled her with it.
“If you’re going to come to my bedroom, I’d think you could at least call me Lucian.”
Chapter 7
L ucian wasn’t about to question Velvet arriving in his room. His sleep had been fitful, and her image intruded on his rest. He needed her, and then she was at his door, like an answer to prayers he wouldn’t have dared to pray.
He tugged her to the side and clicked his door shut. He caught her face in his hands.
“I’m here to—”
He cut her words off with a kiss. Her lips were as soft as he expected, her mouth warm and sweet. Her muffled response amused him.
Her cool hand landed against his bare chest. His skin jumped and a rush of sensation scorched straight to his groin. Could she feel the way his heart pounded? Deepening the kiss, he pushed closer.
Heat surged in him, lengthening and raising his manhood with each heartbeat. Her skin was velvety soft, and he splayed his fingers along her neck. He wanted to touch every inch of her, her breasts, her derriere, and explore her hidden cleft. Desire plowed through him.
Yet, other than her hand now fisted in his dressing gown lapel, her response had been nonexistent.
“Kiss me back,” he growled against her mouth.
They thumped against the wall and he invaded her mouth. Her tentative response, the tip of her tongue touching his, brought a new surge of want coursing through him.
The realization that he was rushing her intruded on his driving need to have her. She didn’t know that he wouldn’t be selfish. He’d give as good as he got. The years of abstinence just had built his need to a tidal wave of lustful ache.
He gentled his kiss, pulling back to suck on her lower lip. Trailing kisses to her neck, he slid his hand down the curve of her throat, over her shoulder and down her spine. Cupping her bottom, he pulled her hips against his. How well her body fit with his.
“I—” she began.
“Don’t worry, I’ll pleasure you,” he coaxed.
“Oh!”
She sounded so surprised by the idea that he smiled against her neck. Was the idea so novel to her?
“I . . . I . . . I—”
He found her mouth again, ending her stuttering.
A shudder rippled through her.
He pushed harder against her and swallowed her gasp of surprise. He wanted her here, against the wall. Now.
His mind raced ahead. His open dressing gown was no barrier, but Velvet wore a dress, and she wasn’t indicating she was ready. Her response was uncertain, hesitant, as if she was trying to soothe him.
Why was she wearing a dress?
He slid his hand to her side, up over her ribs. A dress, but no corset. His doubts slid away.
He cupped her breast. Her willowy form was not generous, but to have her softness in his hand was a treat. Brushing his thumb across her nipple, he swallowed her whimper as the beading tip betrayed her body’s response.
Passion clouded his mind and made him only aware of her. Her softness, her scent, swirled and cast a spell on him. He couldn’t remember wanting a woman as much as he wanted her. Her mouth matched
Whatever had possessed her to hide the dolls in Lucian’s room? It had to have been one of those moments of sheer lunacy masquerading as genius.
At his door, she held her breath, listening. Perhaps she hoped to hear a reassuring snore. Silence echoed loudly.
She tapped on the door.
Her knees threatened to give out on her.
“Mr. Pendar,” she whispered, her mouth close to the door.
He would misunderstand her reason for knocking on his door in the middle of the night. She could back away fast if he opened the door.
Only silence greeted her.
She tapped again and managed to squeak out, “Mr. Pendar.”
In an agony of indecision, she waited for the door to open. It didn’t.
Perhaps he was a heavy sleeper. Perhaps she could sneak inside and retrieve Eve. Perhaps she would come out of this unscathed. Taking a deep breath, she reached for knob and ever so slowly turned it.
The door jerked open and pulled her with it.
“If you’re going to come to my bedroom, I’d think you could at least call me Lucian.”
Chapter 7
L ucian wasn’t about to question Velvet arriving in his room. His sleep had been fitful, and her image intruded on his rest. He needed her, and then she was at his door, like an answer to prayers he wouldn’t have dared to pray.
He tugged her to the side and clicked his door shut. He caught her face in his hands.
“I’m here to—”
He cut her words off with a kiss. Her lips were as soft as he expected, her mouth warm and sweet. Her muffled response amused him.
Her cool hand landed against his bare chest. His skin jumped and a rush of sensation scorched straight to his groin. Could she feel the way his heart pounded? Deepening the kiss, he pushed closer.
Heat surged in him, lengthening and raising his manhood with each heartbeat. Her skin was velvety soft, and he splayed his fingers along her neck. He wanted to touch every inch of her, her breasts, her derriere, and explore her hidden cleft. Desire plowed through him.
Yet, other than her hand now fisted in his dressing gown lapel, her response had been nonexistent.
“Kiss me back,” he growled against her mouth.
They thumped against the wall and he invaded her mouth. Her tentative response, the tip of her tongue touching his, brought a new surge of want coursing through him.
The realization that he was rushing her intruded on his driving need to have her. She didn’t know that he wouldn’t be selfish. He’d give as good as he got. The years of abstinence just had built his need to a tidal wave of lustful ache.
He gentled his kiss, pulling back to suck on her lower lip. Trailing kisses to her neck, he slid his hand down the curve of her throat, over her shoulder and down her spine. Cupping her bottom, he pulled her hips against his. How well her body fit with his.
“I—” she began.
“Don’t worry, I’ll pleasure you,” he coaxed.
“Oh!”
She sounded so surprised by the idea that he smiled against her neck. Was the idea so novel to her?
“I . . . I . . . I—”
He found her mouth again, ending her stuttering.
A shudder rippled through her.
He pushed harder against her and swallowed her gasp of surprise. He wanted her here, against the wall. Now.
His mind raced ahead. His open dressing gown was no barrier, but Velvet wore a dress, and she wasn’t indicating she was ready. Her response was uncertain, hesitant, as if she was trying to soothe him.
Why was she wearing a dress?
He slid his hand to her side, up over her ribs. A dress, but no corset. His doubts slid away.
He cupped her breast. Her willowy form was not generous, but to have her softness in his hand was a treat. Brushing his thumb across her nipple, he swallowed her whimper as the beading tip betrayed her body’s response.
Passion clouded his mind and made him only aware of her. Her softness, her scent, swirled and cast a spell on him. He couldn’t remember wanting a woman as much as he wanted her. Her mouth matched
Similar Books
