A Trap So Tender Read Online Free PDF

to him right there on the cold stone
floor of his ancestral castle.
    But he pulled back. His hands slid from her waist and his lips
slipped away from hers. An icy chill seemed to replace his touch. She opened her
eyes—how long had they been closed?—and found herself blinking in the cold light
of the empty hall.
    James’s eyes were narrowed, his face hard. “I hadn’t intended
for that to happen.” He shoved a hand through his tousled hair. “Yet.”

Three
    F iona smoothed the front of her black
shirtdress. She hadn’t changed since getting off the plane so it was probably
rumpled even before James started roaming his hands over it. She couldn’t
believe she’d let him smooch her before she’d been here one entire day.
    The word yet said it all. She now
knew he’d fully intended to enjoy her in his bed, but after a suitable preamble
of flirtation. Apparently, he’d grown impatient, and she’d fallen right into his
arms like the fawning girls who no doubt cooed over him on every continent.
    “I didn’t intend for that to happen at all.” She tried to look
calm. “In fact, I’m still not sure what did happen.”
    “I think they call it kissing.” His narrowed gaze showed only
the coldest glint of humor. “And it’s entirely too early in the day for it,
apart from any other objections.”
    Her body still pulsed with arousal. Her fingertips itched to
touch his hard body, and her lips ached for the crush of his mouth. Who was he
to suddenly announce it was a big mistake? “You started it.”
    Her childish retort hung in the air for a moment and she wished
she could take it back. It was true, though.
    His eyes widened very slightly. “I didn’t notice you fighting
me off.”
    “Maybe I was just trying to be a polite guest.” This was
getting sillier every moment.
    One side of his arrogant mouth tilted in a wry smile. “Your
manners are impeccable.”
    Irritation surged inside her, mingling with the almost painful
desire that had sensitized her whole body. She raised herself to her full, not
very impressive height. “I don’t know about yours.”
    He raised a brow. “I have to agree with you.” Then he frowned.
“I’m not sure whether an apology is in order or whether that would be downright
rude under the circumstances.”
    She drew in a shaky breath. “Maybe we should just act like it
didn’t happen.”
    “I don’t think so.” His gaze drifted lower. Not to anywhere
obvious, like her breasts, but to her collarbone, which felt singed by his hot,
dark gaze, then to her hands, which were now knotted in front of her.
    “I’m not good at pretending.”
    He laughed. “Me, either. Okay, it happened and damn it, I
enjoyed it.”
    She fought a smile that wanted to rip across her mouth. “No
comment.” Her enjoyment was so obvious there was no need to encourage him to
gloat with triumph. “So, the cup. Where were we?”
    James glanced around the room, as if wondering where exactly
they were. “I confess I’m not entirely sure. Certainly not where I thought we
would be.”
    She laughed. Couldn’t help it. It was probably all the
tension—sexual and otherwise—that had built in the air around them. “Let’s keep
moving forward, shall we? And try to stay focused this time?”
    “I like a woman with a good head on her shoulders.”
    “I can tell.” She lifted her chin. “What’s through that door?”
She marched forward, determined to have some say in where this was going.
Drifting along, allowing James to lead the way, was obviously dangerous.
    “Try the handle.”
    She reached out, wondering what could be the worst-possible
scenario for what they’d encounter on the other side. “What if it’s a closet
full of your family skeletons?”
    “If one of them is clutching a cup, we’re well on our way.”
    “If the Drummonds in New York found the stem, and the ones in
Florida found the part you drink from, there isn’t much cup for skeletal fingers
to wrap around.”
    “Are you