“Are you completely naked?”
“You’re laughing at me. This is not the moment for humor.”
He hadn’t answered her question. Which meant he was. Completely naked. Shivers of anticipation scuttled down her spine.
“How did they manage to catch you so unprepared? Did they drag you out of the tub, or something?”
There was a warning look in his eyes. It excited her.
“Believe me, they did not take me easily. Had it not been ten to one, they would not have triumphed. I’ll know who they are on the morrow—one or two took some heavy blows before they subdued me. Now, I’d appreciate it if you’d stop asking questions, and throw me a sheet or something, so I can make myself decent.”
A pity. She took her time to comply and enjoyed the sight of Kit’s broad back as he stood up to tuck her bed cover around his waist. Hands on slender hips, he surveyed the room.
The cover she’d given him was highly embroidered, very feminine, with bold flowers and charming little birds adorning it. The sight of it swathed around Kit’s intensely masculine body was so incongruous, she couldn’t help but giggle.
He spun around. “You’re still laughing at me.”
“I can’t help it,” she choked out.
His brow darkened. “You’re overwrought after the news of the day. I beg you to control yourself, Madam.”
She just stared at him while her shoulders shook.
He gave her a black look. It made no difference.
“Let’s see if you find this funny,” he muttered darkly, and let the bed cover fall to the floor.
Not funny at all. Shocking. Fascinating. Compelling. Laughter forgotten, she feasted her eyes on him greedily as he approached the bed and settled down on the mattress, dangerously close. No, not close enough. She wanted him with a hunger that took her by surprise.
Their gazes locked, and she spread her arms, welcoming him as he bore her backwards onto the bed.
His lips grazed her ear. “Do you remember the morning after the flood? I told you I wished to finish the business we had begun.”
She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Her head was trapped against the pillow by his hand buried deep in her hair, the heat of his hard body pressing against her making her wish she, too, was naked.
“You have taunted me, tempted me, teased me. You have humiliated and spurned me, Mistress Barchard. Yet despite all this, I find I cannot easily give you up. I’d rather have you laugh at me than hate me.”
She gazed up at his beautifully sculpted mouth, so maddeningly close. But she didn’t deserve his kiss. Not yet.
“I could never hate you. All those things I accused you of—I was wrong.”
Kit shifted his weight so he could look down at her. “You’re not teasing me now?”
“I’m not teasing you now. I’m apologizing.”
“You understand why I refused to take you to Kate?”
“I do now.” She was trembling—but not from fear. “I was being selfish, and I didn’t realize how dangerous she was. But you knew, didn’t you?”
“I have an instinct about people. But you have remained an enigma, in more ways than one. It could take me a lifetime to unravel your secrets. I will delight in uncovering them all.” His mouth widened in a sinful smile.
Yes, oh, yes! She’d delight in it, too. But there was something she needed first. “Will you accept my apology?”
He lowered his body, bringing their faces so close she could feel his heated breath. He ran his eyes suggestively over her body. “I will, but I might demand a forfeit.”
His dark gaze burned with an intense flame of desire. Hoping she’d read his meaning correctly, she tangled a hand in his hair, pulling his head down to hers.
No sooner had her trembling lips touched his than she was on fire. Passion exploded like a furnace as she clutched him to her body, returning his kiss with equal vigor. They kissed for an eternity, their lips locked, their tongues entwined. She forgot to breathe as desire seared her body, and her heart galloped at breakneck speed until Kit released her to take a breath himself. He ran a hand along her flank, stroking her nightgown up above her knees—and she moaned at the touch of his flesh on hers, gazing into his eyes and thinking he’d never looked so beautiful as in this moment.
He kissed her again, and by the time he drew away, her head was reeling, her body begging for more.
“It would be so easy, too easy, to make you mine here and now. I don’t know how I shall bear it, but I must let you go this instant.” His expressive eyes swam with emotion.
“Then why did you start it if you don’t intend to finish?” She twisted her fingers into his hair.
“Hussy.” He turned his head aside and kissed the inside of her wrist. “You cannot know how provocative you are.”
She squeezed her legs together in delicious wantonness and knew from the widening of his eyes he’d felt it. “Perhaps I would like to find out.” Her voice was husky, seductive.
A slow smile spread across his mouth. He was beautiful as life itself, leaning above her with the candlelight playing across his velvety skin. His eyes held a promise that made her shiver with expectation. But still, he held back.
Maybe he didn’t care for her enough, didn’t want to be shackled to her. “Do you love me?”
He threw his head back, laughing. “Haven’t I told you yet?”
She shook her head. Without warning, he took her in his arms and rolled over, pulling her on top of him. She could feel the hardness of his manhood against her belly and knew she needed to feel him properly, skin to skin. “I hope you’re going to,” she muttered, wriggling out of her nightgown and lying over him, propped
