Suzi Love Read Online Free PDF Page B

Grosvenor Square, at precisely ten o’clock.”
    “So, if my inquisitiveness is to be satisfied, I must obey — without question — your ever-so-sweetly worded request? Despite the fact that I’ll obtain no rest tonight. Due to lying awake worrying about you being slaughtered in your bed.”
    Leaning forward, he angled his face closer until she was forced to scrunch into the corner. His nose came close enough to her neck that she could feel the warmth of his breath. It blew across her skin below her ear and goose flesh rippled in its wake. He inhaled deeply before giving a long and sensual moan.
    Her throat constricted and her pulse raced. “Wh … what … a … are … you … ”
    She couldn’t finish her stuttered question. After five years alternately cursing him or forgiving him over his rushed departure and her consequent misery, she’d recently been congratulating herself on her more mature attitude. She spoke of the
incident
between Cayle and her cousin
as a strengthening exercise every young and naive girl should experience if she was expecting to find a suitable marriage partner.
    “What am I doing? Why am I near you?”
    She shook her head, vigorously, and resisted the childish urge to cover her ears so she didn’t have to listen to his reasons. Her declarations to her sisters that seeing Cayle wouldn’t upset her had quickly been proved to be false bravado. After this brief time in his presence, her head spun, her senses reeled, and old yearnings had revived with a vengeance.
    “I remember your smell. Like the wildflowers you gathered. Strong and wild.” His voice purred in her ear, a well-remembered seduction. She swallowed and prayed her shivers would pass unnoticed.
    “Being near you calms my shattered nerves.”
    “More nonsense! Your nerves were always rock solid.”
    The tip of his cool tongue touched her heated skin. Shock, surprise, and wonder turned her into a wide-eyed statue.
    “I also want to know if you taste the same.”
    She wriggled away and jumped to her feet, tugging to free her skirt from under his leg. “Of course I taste the same.”
    The wretched man stayed seated but lifted his hand towards her.
    “If I touch your skin, will it still feel silky smooth? Soft like velvet?”
    “No, no, no.” She held up her hand, palm out, and backed away. “You cannot touch me. And you certainly cannot taste me. We may have been close in the past, but you severed our relationship. Rather cruelly, in fact.”
    He sighed. “I prayed that you’d understand why I had no choice. My father convinced me that leaving England would ensure that your family, and mine, could still hold their heads high. It was the only honourable thing to do. I hoped you’d forgive me. Eventually.”
    She nodded with as much emphasis as she’d shaken her head minutes before. “No. I mean, yes. I no longer care about the past. I learned from my mistakes. Moved on.”
    He flinched. “Is that all I was, Becca? A mistake?”
    “Our kissing was a mistake. One never to be repeated.”
    He smirked. “On the contrary, my little innocent, we will repeat it. Soon, very soon.” Rising to his feet, he gave her a taunting look. “Though I remember a lot more than kissing.”
    Memories had her body stirring and awakening. She clenched her fists and scowled but words failed her.
    “Naturally I was referring to dancing and riding. Perhaps you mistook me to mean certain other things?”
    Her face heated. Dratted revealing complexion! “If I recall anything else,’ she said, moving backwards to prevent their torsos touching, “it merely reminds me that men are untrustworthy.”
    He groaned. “My intentions were honourable, Becca.” He reached for her. “I could blame it all on bad timing and scheming women but I should never have left.” He pressed nearer until her nostrils filled with his well-remembered aroma of musky spices. His lips hovered a scant breath from hers. Dark eyes pierced her soul. “Please accept my