Rough Surrender Read Online Free PDF

sweetheart. Tell me the truth this time, before I let you go. Did you like that?”
    Before I let you go That matter-of-fact statement shook her. Her eyes swept up, found his–so striking, so intense. She searched for a word to describe them. Animalistic? When eyes were given out, he’d been given the wrong ones–those of a hawk or wolf.
    She considered lying but couldn’t, not while he held her still in place. “Yes,” she whispered. “I did.”
    His knuckles feathered over her lips and, on impulse, she licked at them. His eyes darkened.
    A hiss escaped from between his teeth. “You tempt me too much.” Then he stood, moved back and gestured at the door.
    It took a moment for her to adjust to the loss–of feeling his body on hers.
    By the time he slid back the door and guided her toward the motorcar with his hand low on her back, she’d done some thinking. If she’d doubted his effect on her, she now knew for certain. He’d given her an entirely new understanding of kissing. Mr. Meisner...Leonhardt, could own her without doing anything more than saying a single word.
    He opened the passenger door. Their eyes met.
    Well, two words. She wasn’t that easy.
    Don’t move . The memory of her response scalded her. Like a cat on heat, she wanted to lie down at his feet and arch her back. Whatever am I going to do?
     

 

 
    Chapter 4
     
    The two-minute drive to the hotel allowed Leonhardt more than enough time to curse himself.
    Forget his vow in London, he needed to make a new one tonight–to never touch Faith again. Control was the foundation of his life and he’d completely lost it back there at the workshop. So she’d liked what he did–most women liked kissing. They just didn’t always admit to it. Ah, but he had pushed just that little bit further, enough to see she liked him restraining her. Enough to make him speculate how far she’d let him go.
    From the lack of anything except Mrs. Willoughby’s snoring from the back of the car, he wondered if Faith was having as many second thoughts as he was. Damnation. He’d probably scared her.
    Mrs. Willoughby woke as he curved the car in to bump across the tramline and park on the circular drive at the front of the Heliopolis Palace Hotel on the Boulevard Abbas. “My word!” she squeaked. “What an extraordinary sight!”
    “Only recently finished, Mrs. Willoughby. Kings, princes, heads of state–they’ve all been guests here.” The facade of the hotel seemed to stretch forever to each side. The mix of Moorish, Islamic and Neo-Classical architecture and the grandiose minaret at the back gave it a unique appearance he’d not seen matched anywhere, including the French palaces. It was the showcase of Heliopolis. From the lights shining on every story, most of its four hundred rooms must be occupied. The air show had drawn people from all over the world.
    He tapped his fingers on the hard steering wheel and shifted in his seat, about to say something innocuous to Mrs. Willoughby.
    “It’s quite beautiful, Mr. Meisner,” Faith murmured, without emerging from the pool of shadow immersing her.
    He smiled. “Not as beautiful as the two ladies I see before me.”
    Faith made no reply. He resisted looking closer. Scared? Tired? Or simply playing her hand close to her chest? He couldn’t say. Anyone who could contemplate taking off in a flying machine must have a pretty sturdy backbone...though, he felt his amusement spread...her backbone seemed mighty pliable when he had her under his hands.
    “Beautiful? Mr. Meisner! You do go on.” The older woman sputtered a moment and played with the drape of her dress. “Of course, I cannot stay here. It’s far beyond my means. Far beyond.”
    “The director, Herr Doerhoefer, is a close friend. I assure you the rate will be reasonable. Our company has a room permanently reserved for guests. I work for the Heliopolis Oases Company.”
    “No. No, I simply cannot, sir. Must insist you return me to my hotel. No