Page 77 of Lord Ashley's Beautiful Alibi
“I will.” She felt under the covers. She was naked. Had been all night. Had they made love more than once? Or was it all just one long, glorious episode of that shimmering tingling? No! She scrambled, clutching at the sheets. Where were her clothes? Had she no clothes? She pushed up on both elbows to examine the bed, the chair, the floor.Ah.The floor.
“Gus, listen to me.”
She shook her head.
He had her cheek in his hand, turning her face toward him. “Please look at me.”
She seared him with her despair and her anger at herself.
“All right. I won’t touch you.” He backed off. “We must talk.”
“We’ve said enough.”
“Evidently, we have said nothing.”
There was no recourse. She’d have to arise from this bed naked to retrieve her shift.
“Gus!” He caught her arm just as she would have stood, but he pulled her back to him and cuddled her against him. One leg over her hip, he held her to him.
She shut her eyes. She could not block him out. The sinuous power of him was as erotic to her as his kisses to her ear and her shoulder. “Please don’t do that.”
“Listen to me. What happened last night was inevitable. All our days and nights together brought us here.”
Foolish to believe it so.“I did not care for you on the road to Malmaison.”
“No. But in Paris, from the start. You knew who I was then. What I was about.”
“Not all, I’m afraid. You did not tell me you were here to find Amber.”
“How could I? I hoped you would confide in me about anything you knew of her whereabouts. But I could not reveal all I wanted and chance what your contacts were. I had to learn who you were, truly. Just as you had to learn who I am. Trust began the journey. Friendship brought us together. Desire sealed the pact.”
She could not argue with that.
“Yesterday, you even forgave me my omissions.” He pressed his lips to her nape.
She shivered. “I still have to punch you in the nose.”
He snorted. “You do.”
“But now we return to Paris. And this,” she said, and curled her shoulders, “this is done.”
“I don’t want it done.”
She shook her head.
He cupped her shoulder and rolled her to her back. “You were right last night when you said Amber is safe with Ramsey for now. But we know not what they plan to do.”
“She will not abandon her role.”It is too dear to her.
“We don’t know. But whatever she does, she does it with the full knowledge of Ramsey. And one thing I do know is that my friend will not let her from his sight until he believes she is safe from Vaillancourt and anyone else who might wish her ill.”
Gus could trust in that, but then Kane might question her decision about her future. “I will not abandon my role either, Kane.”
“I would never ask it of you. But realize: you have been followed from St. Denis to Montmartre, discovered in Varennes, and attacked one of Vaillancourt’s men.”
“I killed him, let us not forget.” How she hated to admit that.
“Perhaps. We do not yet know if he lives. One fact is certain: if the man does not report for duty, Vaillancourt will seek the reason. We don’t know if anyone witnessed that scene yesterday. Plus, if heisdead, there is a body to be identified and buried. If and when Vaillancourt comes for you, I will not let him hurt you.” Kane sighed. “And he will come. You know it as well as I.”
