why did you set it up ... and turn him down?”
“That isn’t what happened.”
“I already told you, I heard it. I trust my own ears more than a woman’s lies. I just doona’ understand why you did it. Enlighten me.”
“I don’t have to say another word to you.”
“Do you wish to be free?”
The fingers locked further on both of her hands, imprisoning her against his queue. Her eyes went wide before she could help it. Then she had to shutter them and blink before he saw it. She’d been stupid earlier, she realized. Instead of trying to work her fingers loose without disturbing strands of his hair, she should have been pulling them out.
“Were you trying to make him pant for you more than he already does?”
“I beg your pardon!”
He grinned, and the gesture destroyed every bit of her constructed personae. She knew he saw it, too. He wasn’t leaving her in any doubt as he winked. “Trust me, lady. You heard it exactly as I said it.”
“If you say another word, I’m going to hit you.”
“With what? I’ve got your hands.” He tensed the one hand behind his head again, proving it.
“My knee.”
She went to move it, but the legs she’d already compared with iron bands flexed, sealing off any move. That put everything that was male about him against everything that was female about her. Elise’s gasp wasn’t heard above the absolute roar of sound in her very own ears.
“Care to try again?” he asked. His eyebrows were raised, and when he was amused, his eyes were definitely more green than brown.
Elise swallowed, but it was more a gulp.
“So ... are you ready to enlighten me?”
Tell him about their siblings and Rory? Now? Elise nodded. She gulped the excess moisture from her mouth, then had to suck more moisture in when it dried too much to speak.
There was another loud shout, followed by several more. The duke moved his head, craning his neck to listen, moving Elise with it. Her eyes fell to where his button placket had come undone. He was a tan color, even where the skin disappeared beneath his shirt. Something happened. Something twinged deep inside her, and Elise surprised herself by actually catching the gasp that was accompanying it. She’d never felt the like, but if it was what she suspected it was, there was absolutely nothing worse in the world that could happen!
He had bands of sinew going from his jawline, down his neck, and right into where his shoulders were still hidden beneath his shirt and jacket. Elise went limp before she embarrassed herself forever by putting her lips to the flesh he was displaying for her.
“You keep looking at me like that and we’re going to be in an even more compromising position when we’re found.”
Like what? She instantly wondered it, but already knew.
His voice had echoed from the chest she was perched atop. Everything in her wanted to put her head down, snuggle against that neck, bury her nose against the heartbeat she could see pulsing through the skin, and experience everything he’d made her feel the first time he’d kissed her. None of which she was ever going to show.
Elise closed her eyes, found the core of strength she’d always had deep inside of her, and counted to ten before opening her eyes. She was labeled The Ice Goddess for a reason. She looked into those greenish brown eyes with the coldest expression she could manage and hoped it worked.
“I don’t think I like you very much, Your Grace,” she said.
“The feeling’s mutual. Does this mean you will na’ be expecting a proposal of marriage after this ravishment?” he asked.
Marriage proposal? Ravishment? Her mind replayed the words. Her heart decided it would continue beating, and she’d have given anything to be able to stop the blush that was heating all the way to her forehead and back.
“Oh, I forgot. It’s unequivocally, inescapably, and a few other fancy, big words . . . no.”
“I’ll . . . never marry.” She had a voice. It was
“That isn’t what happened.”
“I already told you, I heard it. I trust my own ears more than a woman’s lies. I just doona’ understand why you did it. Enlighten me.”
“I don’t have to say another word to you.”
“Do you wish to be free?”
The fingers locked further on both of her hands, imprisoning her against his queue. Her eyes went wide before she could help it. Then she had to shutter them and blink before he saw it. She’d been stupid earlier, she realized. Instead of trying to work her fingers loose without disturbing strands of his hair, she should have been pulling them out.
“Were you trying to make him pant for you more than he already does?”
“I beg your pardon!”
He grinned, and the gesture destroyed every bit of her constructed personae. She knew he saw it, too. He wasn’t leaving her in any doubt as he winked. “Trust me, lady. You heard it exactly as I said it.”
“If you say another word, I’m going to hit you.”
“With what? I’ve got your hands.” He tensed the one hand behind his head again, proving it.
“My knee.”
She went to move it, but the legs she’d already compared with iron bands flexed, sealing off any move. That put everything that was male about him against everything that was female about her. Elise’s gasp wasn’t heard above the absolute roar of sound in her very own ears.
“Care to try again?” he asked. His eyebrows were raised, and when he was amused, his eyes were definitely more green than brown.
Elise swallowed, but it was more a gulp.
“So ... are you ready to enlighten me?”
Tell him about their siblings and Rory? Now? Elise nodded. She gulped the excess moisture from her mouth, then had to suck more moisture in when it dried too much to speak.
There was another loud shout, followed by several more. The duke moved his head, craning his neck to listen, moving Elise with it. Her eyes fell to where his button placket had come undone. He was a tan color, even where the skin disappeared beneath his shirt. Something happened. Something twinged deep inside her, and Elise surprised herself by actually catching the gasp that was accompanying it. She’d never felt the like, but if it was what she suspected it was, there was absolutely nothing worse in the world that could happen!
He had bands of sinew going from his jawline, down his neck, and right into where his shoulders were still hidden beneath his shirt and jacket. Elise went limp before she embarrassed herself forever by putting her lips to the flesh he was displaying for her.
“You keep looking at me like that and we’re going to be in an even more compromising position when we’re found.”
Like what? She instantly wondered it, but already knew.
His voice had echoed from the chest she was perched atop. Everything in her wanted to put her head down, snuggle against that neck, bury her nose against the heartbeat she could see pulsing through the skin, and experience everything he’d made her feel the first time he’d kissed her. None of which she was ever going to show.
Elise closed her eyes, found the core of strength she’d always had deep inside of her, and counted to ten before opening her eyes. She was labeled The Ice Goddess for a reason. She looked into those greenish brown eyes with the coldest expression she could manage and hoped it worked.
“I don’t think I like you very much, Your Grace,” she said.
“The feeling’s mutual. Does this mean you will na’ be expecting a proposal of marriage after this ravishment?” he asked.
Marriage proposal? Ravishment? Her mind replayed the words. Her heart decided it would continue beating, and she’d have given anything to be able to stop the blush that was heating all the way to her forehead and back.
“Oh, I forgot. It’s unequivocally, inescapably, and a few other fancy, big words . . . no.”
“I’ll . . . never marry.” She had a voice. It was
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