Part 31 (2/2)

Again, the fact that he knew she wore only her undergarments unsettled Anne. Her plans must be abandoned now, all things

considered. ”I've changed my mind about a midnight ride,” she said. ”I'll just gather my things and go.”

The glowing tip of the cigarillo fell to the ground. It disappeared a second later, Anne a.s.sumed beneath his boot.

”No need to go... without.”

What did he mean by that? Anne groped in the darkness for her discarded clothing. When she straightened, she felt him at her

back. His heat penetrated her chilled skin. He pulled her hair over one shoulder.

”Your lover will be sorely disappointed.”

His familiarity with her stunned her, or Anne a.s.sumed that was the reason she stood rooted to the spot. ”It makes no matter to

me,” she managed to say, her voice breathless.

Ever so soft, his lips brushed the side of her neck. ”Then it makes no matter to me, either, la.s.s.”

A s.h.i.+ver raced up her spine. Her face flamed. ”What do you think you're doing?” she demanded, her voice stronger.

”I don't think I'm doing anything,” he answered. ”I know what I'm doing.”

He pulled her against him. Shocked, Anne dropped the clothing she had gathered. His body was hard... everywhere. He was

taller than her; she could judge that much. Taller. Bigger. Stronger.

”I insist that you release me this instant,” she warned. ”I am not the sort who-” Anne abruptly cut her sentence short. She'd told

him she was a maid, had not corrected him when he'd a.s.sumed she was off to meet her lover. She'd lied to him. What should she do now?

”Do you know how sweet you smell?”

The deepness of his voice raised the fine hairs on her arms. Anne had never heard a voice quite like his. Deep yet soft, lilting. It

was hypnotic.

”I'm wondering if you feel just as good.”

Slowly, his hands slid up her rib cage. Anne swallowed loudly, but again, she did not struggle. She wasn't certain if she was

hypnotized or frozen with fear. His hands stopped just below the lower fullness of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. A second later he cupped her firmly. Anne gasped. No man had dared touch her intimately before. She turned her head to protest, but he captured her mouth before she could utter a word. While his mouth boldly claimed hers, his scent found her, almost as physical as his touch.

It was an earthy scent, musky, male, mesmerizing. The scent filled her head with visions of naked bodies entwined upon rumpled sheets-of sweat-slick skin and quiet whispers. She moaned softly against his lips, and never breaking contact, he turned her to face him. His mouth pressed against hers until she opened to him. Then his tongue slipped inside.

Anne had never had a man's tongue inside of her mouth, and if anyone had told her men were wont to do such things, she would have thought it repulsive. But it wasn't repulsive. His slow invasion made her breathless. He tasted of mint and a hint of tobacco. His scent fogged her mind as his mouth worked against hers and stirred feelings she had never felt before. What was happening to her? Why couldn't she push him away? Bite him, do whatever she must to be free of him? Why didn't she want to?

”Please,” she whispered.

”Please what? Do this?” He stopped kissing her long enough to press his warm mouth to her ear and nibble her earlobe. His thumbs brushed across her nipples and sent a jolt all the way down to her woman's core. Her knees shook beneath her petticoat. She ached in places she should not ache. None of this should be happening.

Sin had come to live in her stable and Anne was allowing it to have its way with her. She had wanted to do something daring tonight, but never had she imagined this. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind. It was if he'd cast a spell over her and she couldn't break free. But she must.

”You take liberties,” she managed to say, and thank G.o.d her voice sounded stronger.

”I take what I can get,” he countered. ”I take what you will give me, and I'll give you all that you desire in return.”

It took almost more strength than she had for Anne to step away from him. His hands dropped away from her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, and still they tingled from his touch. ”And what do you have to give me?” she asked, her voice too snooty to be that of a maid. It was, in fact, a tone Anne never used. She wasn't the type to lord it over the servants.

The man reached forward and pulled her back into his arms. ”Enough to satisfy a little thief out for a midnight tryst with her lover. Enough to bet you'll be back for more of the same tomorrow night.”

His hips pressed against her, and innocent or not, Anne thought she understood what he offered her. She also understood that what he offered her was quite a lot. A maid for one night and she had been set upon and kissed for the first time in her life, touched in places no other man would dare touch her, and promised something she had no idea if any woman should or would want. At least Anne thought she knew what he had offered her.

”What is it you think to give me again?” she asked, staring up at him, although she couldn't make out a single feature upon his face.

He bent close. ”Pleasure beyond your wildest imagination. You wanted a midnight ride. I'll give you one you won't forget.”

When she swallowed, Anne was embarra.s.sed to hear the gulping noise she made in the silence. No other man had dared to speak to her in such a manner. ”You are arrogant,” she said.

”Just confident,” he argued. ”There's a nice straw mattress in the loft overhead.” His mouth brushed her neck and she s.h.i.+vered. ”Come with me.”

Anne had carried being bad too far. But she had trouble thinking when he stood so near, when he put off that intoxicating scent, when he whispered foul things in her ear. She realized she wanted to go to the loft with him. Whatever he was doing to her, she wanted more of it. But Anne was not a serving maid in truth, she was a proper young woman, and she was on the verge of making a mistake that could ruin the rest of her life. She found the sense to push him away and take a step back.

”I must return to the house. Maybe another maid will happen along shortly and you can try your luck with her.”

He pulled her back into his arms. ”I don't want another. She couldn't be as beautiful as you are to me. Or smell as sweet, or taste as good, or fire my hunger as no woman has fired it before.”

Anne had been complimented by men, but never so boldly. This man was obviously trying to seduce her. And it was working. She was so very close to surrendering. Her will, usually too strong for her own good, seemed to melt away in his arms. This was ridiculous and she had carried the game too far.

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