Page 43 of The Mech Who Loved Me
Pushing open the door, he gestured her inside, then followed. Ava felt a hand press against her back, and suddenly she was flush against the door as he closed it, staring up at the pulse in histhroat.
"It's called seduction, Ava." His breath whispered against her temples, and his thumb brushed beneath her jaw. "I told you I wanted you to be aware of what you should expect, of just what you're agreeing to. This is your last chance tosayno."
She swallowed, uncertain what sort of thing might make her consider backing away from this bargain. She wanted it so very much, after all. "Just what sort of art galleryisthis?"
Kincaid had the sort of smile that might have graced Lucifer himself. "I wouldn't want to spoil thesurprise."
Without another word, he pushed away from her, greeting the red-liveried servant who was hovering circumspectly. Kincaid paid him, and then held out a handtowardher.
If you dare,his eyes seemedtosay.
Ava stared across the sumptuous red carpets, taking in the gilt on the ceiling and the dark mahogany panels on the walls. Kincaid stood amongst it all, dressed in black, looking like some feudal warlord. He'd always had rough-hewn, somewhat savage features. The only thing lacking was an axe in hishands.
It felt a little like stepping into temptation itself, but she was curious.One last chance to turn around....Heart kicking a little in her chest—or perhaps skipping a gear—Ava swept toward him. She was tired of her sheltered existence. Tired of always being overlooked. Surely Kincaid wasn't leading her too far astray—she trusted him to look outforher.
Kincaid took her hand, staring down into her eyes. Not surprised, so much as viciously pleased with her decision. "Didn't think you'ddoit."
"I'm a woman ofmyword."
"Yes, but we're skirting dangerous territory in your eyes, Ava." His voice roughened. "You're the type of woman who likes to know what lies ahead, and in your worldview, we just stepped off the edges of the map. Here be dragons,kitten...."
Dragons. She almost smiled. "It's a good thing I'm avirginthen."
Startled blue eyes locked on hers, and then his smile dissolved into something smug. "Not for long, sweet Ava. Not if I have my waywithyou."
He handed her a guidebook, took her hand in his, and led her along the plush redcarpets.
"What is this?" she whispered, for the front cover depicted a naked woman draped in red cloth, one who glanced over her shoulder at the viewer with a naughtyexpression.
"You've seen anatomical diagrams, yes? I thought we could at least start with something you had some experience with. The owner of the gallery is a man I know. I created a piece of artwork for him several years ago—a private, very wicked commission fused of metal. I've paid him for the hour. Nobody will disturb us. It's the sort of place that offersexclusiveentertainment."
"Just how much did you pay him?" she whispered, glancing over her shoulder to find the servant. He'dvanished.
She was all alone with a man who intended toravishher.
Ava couldn't wait. A burst of excitement floodedthroughher.
"You don't want to know." Kincaid pushed open a door and led her into ahallway.
Windows further along the hallway let in a wash of gray light, but the carpeted path was silent and empty. Candles flickered as Kincaid shut the door behind them—andlockedit.
"There's nothing here," she whispered, staring at the red velvet curtains on thewalls.
Kincaid reached for the nearest velvet covering, and then hauled it away from a painting with aflourish.
It wasn't adiagram.
Ava sucked in a sharp breath as her mind made sense of what she was seeing. Rich dark colors splayed across the canvas, highlighting its main focus, and the framewasgilt.
There was a naked woman on her knees, the pale globes of her breasts luridly graphic. A man knelt behind her, one hand curled around the woman's hip and the other clenched in her hair, forcing her head back until the woman's spine arched in an almostobscene—
It all hit her at once. What the man was doing to the woman in thepainting.
And every inch of her wentstill.
Every inch of her was hot and cold allatonce.
Kincaid watched her, clearly digesting her every thought. Ava swallowed hard, gaze flickering from the painting to Kincaid, then back to the paintingagain.
