Whirlwind Affair

Allie stared up at him and swallowed hard. He was angry. And hurt. The sentiments all but radiated from his eyes and his body, both of which were too close. Both of which held her captive. She tried to hold on to her own anger, but it began seeping away, like sand sifting through an hourglass, to be replaced by twinges of guilt for hurting him. She fisted her hands. She did not want to feel this way… this softening of her indignation. He'd lied to her. She was right; he was wrong.

Yet she was struck by the irony that, while she had indeed compared him to David, he was now behaving in a way David never would have. She could not recall David ever admitting he possessed faults. Or apologizing. And she certainly could not imagine him ever openly admitting he'd lied.

A fissure of shame wound through her. She did not like what he'd done, but his well-intentioned sin could in no way compare to David's transgressions. And while she could not disregard those shadows that lurked in Robert's eyes, could not overlook the fact that he hid secrets, it was increasingly difficult to credit that those secrets involved anything sinister or illegal or bad-not from a man who had the integrity and honor to look her in the eye and admit his mistakes, then apologize for them.

But these realizations… that he was a good, decent man, and one who clearly cared for her, filled her with a knee-weakening fear. For if he was all those wonderful things she was beginning to suspect he was, how could she hope to guard her heart against him? Even now her body was betraying her, overwhelmed with the desire to lean into the heat emanating from him, to bury her face against his broad chest and breathe in his clean, masculine scent that teased her senses. He is your lover. Nothing more. Will never be anything more.

But if nothing else, she at least owed him the same courtesy he'd afforded her. Lifting her chin, she said, 'I appreciate your apology, and hope you will accept my own. I did not mean to insult or hurt you. It was not my intention to insinuate you are a cheater, thief, or blackmailer.'

His expression remained fierce for several seconds, then softened a bit. 'Thank you.'

'Now, about the gowns-'

He cut off her words by laying his fingers over her lips. 'Accept them, Allie. Please. In the spirit in which they were intended. The black gowns as a gift from a friend who cares about you.' He leaned forward and whispered against her ear. 'And the gold gown as a token of the deepest regard from your lover.'

Heat whooshed through her as if he'd set her clothing on fire. He flicked the tip of his tongue over her sensitive earlobe, and she squeezed her eyes shut against the pleasure.

'Are you normally so generous with your lovers?' The instant the question passed her lips, she wished she could recall it. His behavior with other lovers did not matter. Yet her inner voice taunted, It should not matter, but it does. God help her, she did not want to think of him with other lovers, past or future. Did not want to feel this irrational jealousy pumping through her.

He leaned back and gave her a long, searching look, his eyes serious and intent and questioning. Clearly he wondered why she would ask him. Finally he said, 'I'm not certain I understand what you mean by 'generous.' I cannot deny I have given lovers gifts, but they've always been impersonal. Flowers, or the occasional bracelet. Never something as personal as clothing. And never something that I wanted a lover to have more.'

She tried to ignore the way her heart jumped at his words, but it was impossible. Even more so when he slid his hands down her arms and entwined their fingers. The warmth of his palms pressing against hers sent rivulets of heat through her veins. He stepped closer. Less than a foot separated them, and his body seemed to surround her like a velvet cloak.

'You say you don't want to insult or hurt me,' he said in a husky voice, his gaze steady on hers, 'but refusing my gifts will do both. If you do not wish to accept them for yourself, do it for me. Because knowing you don't have to worry about replacing your garments destroyed in the theft makes me happy. Because I want so very much to see you wear that golden gown.' He lifted her hand and pressed a kiss against her fingers. 'And because I greatly anticipate slipping that shimmery material from your body and making love to you.'

Her limbs turned to liquid, and she stiffened her knees to keep from sliding to the floor. 'I… I don't know what to say.' Good lord, it amazed her she was able to even form a coherent word.

'Ah. I am more than happy to help.' A flicker of mischief gleamed in his eyes. 'Say 'Thank you, Robert.' '

A tiny answering smile jerked at her lips. She should say no. But she simply could not. 'Thank you, Robert.'

'Say ‘I’ll wear the golden gown tonight.' '

'I'll wear the golden gown tonight,' she whispered.

'Say 'and all evening long I'll think about how you are going to take it off me, then make love to me.' '

God help her, how could she refuse to say something that was so completely, undeniably true? Yet how could she verbalize such a confession… words such as she'd never uttered before? Still, almost of their own volition, her lips moved. 'And all evening long I'll think about how you are going to take it off me, then make love to me.'

His eyes darkened with a naked heat so raw she felt engulfed in flames. Releasing her hands, he slipped his arms around her, pulling her closer, until his hard body touched her from chest to knee.

As he lowered his mouth toward hers, she planted her hands against his chest to halt his progress. 'Robert, I feel compelled to point out that this is probably not a good idea.'

'On the contrary. I think it is an excellent idea.' A mixture of heat and mischief sparkled in his eyes. 'And really, quite unstoppable. I simply must kiss you.'

'But what if Caroline returns with the children?'

'She won't. They're having biscuits, then picking flowers. Believe me, once Emily and James are in the conservatory, they'll run about the rows of plants for hours playing hide-and-seek. Lily has her own private nursery, near Elizabeth's bedchamber. And the door here is locked. We are very much alone.'

'I see. Well, in that case…' She rose up on her toes and their lips met in a lush, openmouthed kiss. He tasted of coffee and heat, of man, and his own unique flavor that stirred her senses, bringing a purr of pleasure to her throat.

Everything faded away but him and the delight she felt under the onslaught of his sensual kiss… A kiss that quickly burned into so much more. His hands caressed down her back, then forward to cup her breasts. Her nipples beaded into aching points of need, and she pressed herself closer to him, seeking more of his touch.

Her fingers became restless, frantic things, fluttering butterflies seeking a place to land in a windstorm. His erection pressed against her belly, coiling need straight to her core. She slipped her hand between them and stroked her open palm down the front of his breeches, over his hard ridge of flesh.

He broke off their kiss and sucked in a sharp breath. 'Allie…' He rested his forehead against hers, his ragged breath beating warm against her face. Feeling wicked and bold and empowered by his response, she ran her hand over him again, slowly. A long, low moan rumbled in his throat.

'I feel it only fair to warn you,' he said in a voice rough with arousal, 'that if you continue to touch me like that, you will not get out of this room… unscathed.'

'Oh, my,' she breathed, deliberately tickling her fingertips over the head of his erection. 'What exactly do you mean by… unscathed?'

'God help you, you're about to find out.' And with those few words, he simply took her over. His mouth came down on hers with devouring intensity. His tongue slid past her lips, stroking her mouth deeply, slowly, with a devastating rhythm that perfectly mimicked how her body ached to join with his.

Breaking their kiss, he pressed a trail of kisses down her neck, while his hands made quick work of removing her fichu. His lips wandered lower, over the tops of her breasts, and she bit down hard on her lip to keep from crying out in frustration at the barrier of clothing between them. Her hands wreaked havoc with his hair, pressing him closer, while she drowned in sensation.

With a low groan, he lifted her against him, then strode quickly to the sofa where he lowered her to the cushion, following her down. His impatient hands tugged at her bodice, freeing her breasts, and she gasped when he immediately drew one of her aching nipples into his heated mouth, his tongue swirling over her sensitive flesh.

She tried to catch her breath, but it was impossible with his mouth and tongue teasing her breasts while his hand worked its way under her gown and slid up her leg. She squirmed beneath him, spreading her thighs, lifting her hips to give him easier access, while her hands clutched at his shoulders. Her feminine flesh felt hot and heavy