Page 69 of Ruthless with a Rogue
“Yes, I’m sure you were quite wild with the pup,” he drawled.He leaned forward.His teeth grazed the sensitive skin of her neck, and she shivered.He hovered just over the shell of her ear.“But have you ever been wild with a man?”
She inhaled sharply, the sound rocketing through the quiet of the room.
He pulled back until their eyes met, and he gently coasted his knuckles over her cheek.Thecheek.Rage burned its way up his veins.And ignited when he saw the pale beige face powder the movement left on his black gloves.
“Does it hurt?”he managed past the fury festering in his chest.
Her eyes searched his, and she shook her head slowly.“It looks worse than it feels now.”
“May I?”
A question flashed across those blue irises.
“See it,” he clarified.
She dipped her chin in a nod of acquiescence.
He placed his whisky down on the tea table and quickly undid his cravat.He dipped the edge in the amber liquid and stepped back in front of Livy.“There were no open cuts?”he checked, his neck cloth hovering above her cheek.
Her lips curved lightly.“None.You’re safe to cover me in alcohol, my lord.”
A bolt of lust streaked through him.“Careful with what ideas you put in my head, minx.I might just follow through.”He began gently wiping away the face powder.
“Promises, promises.”
His gaze shot to hers.A challenge glimmered back at him.He blew out a slow breath and resumed his task, revealing skin tinted a greenish-yellow hue.A bruise healing.But a bruise, nonetheless.
“The fucking bastard.”He’d kill him again if he could.
She gripped his wrist and carefully extracted the cravat from his shaking fist.He hadn’t even realized he’d been shaking.Then she removed his gloves.Undid the buttons of his coat.Pushed it off his shoulders.All while he stood there dumbly and let her undress him like a doll until he stood in just his lawn shirt, breeches, and dress shoes.
“He isn’t allowed here, Derek.”She spun and presented her back.Her chin grazed her shoulder, and she looked back at him, giving a meaningful glance down toward the buttons at her back.“Just you and me.”
He stepped forward and brushed a kiss to the nape of her neck, while his fingers made quick of the buttons running down her gown.He knew what she was saying.And for all he crowed earlier about taking what she was offering, his gut twisted.He rested his forehead against her shoulder, his hands freezing.
“Is something amiss?”
“I don’t want to make you… After what happened… Push too far too fast…” He squeezed his eyes shut.“I don’t want to take advantage.”
She spun in his arms, and her hands cupped his face, grip firm.Sure.“You won’t.”Her voice dropped to a whisper.“It haunts me.That night.Even knowing he is gone…” Her nostrils flared.“I recoil at every touch.”Her fingers tightened on his face.“Except yours.”
His chest lit up just as she pressed her lips to his.
She pulled back, and an unsteady breath fled him.But nothing about the woman in front of him was unsteady.
Resolve stared back at him.Hard.Unyielding.“Make me forget, Derek.”
His pulse beat an erratic rhythm in his neck.She wanted to forget.He could—would—do this for her.He’d give her something to remember instead.
He gave a small nod and pulled her to him, lips falling on hers.
36
Livy
Thekisswasn’twhatLivy expected.
It wasn’t gentle, but the sentiment behind it was.The roll of Derek’s tongue over hers, the way his teeth tugged on her bottom lip, the continuous flex of his hands on her back—there was a confused desperation behind it.As if he needed her like his last breath.But he couldn’t possibly admit that.Not to himself, not to her.
