Page 71 of When a Lady Dares
A sudden realization gripped her, washing over her like a rogue wave—she wanted him. More than she’d wanted anything in her life. She needed to taste his kiss, to feel his fingertips against her skin, to imprint the passion of his touch on her memory.
Her desire was a sweet, heady madness. What harm would there be in surrendering to passion, a fleeting taste of surrender?
Her heart thudded against her chest. Could she truly be so bold?
Slowly, she pivoted away and walked to the door. “So, it’s a challenge you want, is it?”
His eyes darkened to the color of a midnight sea. “Always.”
“In that case,” she managed to utter, “I toss down the gauntlet.”
He watched her, the pupils in his eyes flaring. “You’re sure of this, Sophie?”
“Yes.” Amazing, really. She uttered that single syllable. She’d really done it. She would open her arms to him. She would open her heart.
Slowly, he released her and moved to the door. He turned the key in the lock. “In that case, privacy is of the utmost importance.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Sophie crossed the floor with slow, deliberate steps. Each footfall pressed lightly into the plush Aubusson rug. She pulled in a breath, then another, shoring up her courage. She’d faced armed men with less trepidation. She wanted this…wanted him…so very badly. Yet, harboring a delicious fantasy was quite a different proposition than being intimate with the man who’d made her feel so very exposed, as if her heart was his for the taking.
She felt so very alive.
Gavin approached her and paused, still as if carved from marble, regarding her with a look that blended desire and a hint of disbelief. Did he suspect she would not be as bold as her provocative words had implied?
My, she had spoken impetuously, hadn’t she? Her desire for Gavin was a sweet, decadent hunger. Did she dare to give in to her need, dare to allow her desire free reign?
Her desire for Gavin was impetuous. Ill-advised. Illogical. She could not even profess a fondness for the man. He’d driven her to distraction with his sly ways and outrageous, teasing humor. He was a rogue. Perhaps even a scoundrel. And that was by his accounting. If she indulged her thirst for him, there could be no enduring bond.
And what would be the harm in that? It wasn’t as if she sought promises to love, honor, and cherish. It wasn’t as if she desired a band of gold upon her finger.
It wasn’t as if she wantedforever.
No, a man who’d offer his name and spoken vows would expect far more than she was prepared to give.
Devil take it, she would not succumb to doubt. There would be no harm in loving him, even if only for this one delectable interlude.
The toes of her slippers touched his boots. A hint of desire curved his mouth. Ah, how she longed to taste his kiss. His caress would be wanton and tantalizing and oh-so-very-sweet.
And it would be only the beginning.
Standing head and shoulders taller than Sophie, he didn’t reach for her, didn’t touch her. Rather, he waited for her to make the first move, to make it indelibly clear that she sought pleasure only he could give. This powerful man held his strength in check, allowing her to set the pace.
He awaited her touch with tender patience. The simmering fire in his eyes emboldened her. A heady craving coursed through her veins. How she wanted him.
Wanted Gavin.
She ached to learn the texture of his skin, to explore his male body, to discover how to bring him pleasure with a mere touch—as he had done to her.
If only she could convince herself one wicked seduction would be enough…
Rising on her toes, she tenderly pressed her lips to his full mouth. Tentative, at first. Seeking affirmation of his passion, of his desire.
A low groan escaped him. His arms enfolded her, drawing her to his heat and his strength. She deepened the kiss. Her tongue parted his lips, engaging him in a sensual thrust and parry, each tiny flicker of contact more electric, more heated than the last.
His hands slipped lower, cupping her bottom, holding her gently, even as his kiss branded her with a fierce longing. The undeniable proof of his hunger pressed to her belly. What would it be like to harbor him within her, to draw him deeper and deeper, until the two had truly become one?
Her arms curved around his neck, and she pressed her body closer. Canting her hips with a newfound wantonness, she cradled his erect length. A surge of awareness coursed through her, setting her nerves ablaze.
