[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.She’d visited a menagerie once when she was small and seen a real live lion from Africa.Mane flying wild, rippling strength in each movement, rampant maleness exuding from every pore—the lion in his prime was nothing compared to this man.She couldn’t tear her gaze from him.“I released you from that foolishness.You owe me nothing.” His voice was a low rumbling purr.Would she even care if he ate her alive? “I owe you my life.”“And you’ve thanked me.” His teeth flashed white in the darkness.“Are you come to thank me again, Eve?”“I came because…because you have an hourglass and…because neither of us seems able to sleep.”He stopped an arm’s length away.She’d been an unwilling witness to all manner of sexual congress in the big common cell at Newgate, but she’d never seen a finer example of a man than the one who stood with his cock straining toward her now.“What do you want?” he asked.The tension in his voice stretched so tight.She’d swear he could launch an arrow with it that would fly clear to Bristol.“You promised you would…only touch me.”“And you want me to touch you?” He took a step closer.She nodded, not trusting her voice.He took another step toward her.She planted a palm on his bare chest.His heart galloped under it.“The hourglass,” she whispered.“That’s how it’s to be?”She nodded, starting to remove her wrapper.“Don’t,” he ordered.“I’ll do that myself.”Then he strode across the room and upended the hourglass that sat on his bedside table.He walked slowly back to her.“Remember, you are here because you want to be.You asked for this.” The serrated edge of something dark and dangerous crept into his tone.“If I want to leave—”“You won’t.” His voice fell to a whisper.“But if you do, I’ll not stop you.On all that’s holy, I so swear.”He stood stock-still.She didn’t even think he breathed.Then, though his lips barely moved, she heard one word.“Stay.”It reverberated deep inside her head.But the anguish in that one word was so complete, she drew in a sharp breath.For that slice of a moment, she seemed to feel a little of what he was feeling.The man was in torment.He was on the edge of some precipice, his balance teetering wildly.“What would you have me do?” she asked.Relief rolled off him in palpable waves.“Nothing.Just be.I will do what’s needed.”He didn’t move, but the muscles in his bare forearms twitched beneath his skin.His gaze locked with hers as if he feared looking elsewhere.His mouth lifted in a brief smile.He raised his hands to her face, gently pressing his fingertips to her forehead, her temples.Her eyelids closed as his hands traced over them and on to her cheeks.He brushed a thumb across her parted lips.He’d bathed before retiring.His hand smelled of soap and of him.Eve breathed him in.His hands moved down.She opened her eyes and looked up at him as his strong fingers encircled her throat.She was totally at his mercy and she knew it.He could snap her neck and dump her body over the cliff behind his home.The tide would bear her away and no one would ever be the wiser.Panic curled in her belly.She’d sworn never to let herself be in another person’s power again.And yet, there was something in his face, a look of such tenderness that made her certain he didn’t intend to hurt her.He slid his hands down to her elbows and forearms, taking her wrapper with him as he went.Her skin rioted with pleasure in the wake of his touch.The wrapper slid off and pooled at her feet.When he reached her hands, he grasped one and pulled it between them, tracing around each of her fingers with his forefinger.He was completely absorbed by each of her parts, as if he were committing her to memory.When her right hand had been explored, front and back, her knuckles and palm caressed with unhurried thoroughness, he placed it on his shoulder and met her gaze for a moment as though checking to make sure she agreed with its placement.Against her better judgment, her lips curved up and she gave his shoulder a slight squeeze.He smiled back at her and the moonlight seemed to shift around him, flaring silver with his pleasure.He gave her other hand the same leisurely attention.When he was finished, he brought it to his lips, uncurled her fingers and placed a soft kiss in her palm.Then he took two fingers in his mouth and sucked them.Her belly clenched.If Nick started a riot in her insides just by making love to her hands, Lord help her when he moved on to more sensitive spots.Once her left hand was firmly placed on his other shoulder, he met her eyes squarely once more
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]