Read Online Midnight Kisses (Midnight Series) by Emily Bold - Free Book Online

crackling of the fire further increased her discomfort, for she was very much aware of the relaxing warmth in this cozy room. A big, plush sofa; a thick rug in front of the fireplace; and the pleasant, steady tick of a grandfather clock in the corner all contributed to a snug and comfortable atmosphere. Tasteful oil paintings on the walls and long, heavy curtains only added to it. Devlin’s absolute calm, on the other hand, almost drove her out of her mind. Her body was still shaking from the aftermath of their kiss, and she wasn’t entirely sure what any of this was supposed to mean.
    Devlin turned around to the woman who confounded him more than any other woman ever had before. In the dancing amber light of the fire, she was as beautiful to him as she had been that morning in her study, and just as then, the sight of her stoked his desire. But everything he had learned about her during these last few hours forced him to hold back and not, as he usually did, recklessly satisfy his own carnal needs—for her sake. He was surprised at how important it suddenly was to him to not hurt her again, even though his desire to have her had reached immeasurable heights ever since he learned the truth about her and Langston. With an encouraging smile, he handed her the brandy.
    “Danielle, are you afraid of me?” he asked when he saw her eyes widen.
    “And you find that surprising? You take whatever you want without considering the consequences.”
    “Really? You think that? I don’t think I do.”
    She seemed to straighten up, getting ready for a fight. He liked it much better than her being afraid. And besides, it suited her so much better.
    “Well, I think you’re wrong!” she insisted.
    He walked over to the door and turned the key in the lock.
    “Danielle, ma chère, I have only ever given you that which your heart desired. You can deny it all you want, but it’s the truth.”
    He looked over the rim of his glass directly into her eyes and took a sip. Their eyes locked. She had noticed him locking the door. The fact that she didn’t ask him to immediately unlock it was like a victory already. She knew what he was going to do—knew it, and yet she stayed in the room with him. Was it possible that she desired him as much as he desired her?
    “Did you know that I haven’t been able to forget about you all these years? That I’ve always wondered whether you, too, were perhaps remembering me from time to time?” he said hoarsely under his breath.
    His eyes darkened with desire, and Danielle found it harder and harder to breathe. His presence was unnerving!
    “You’re lying!” she blurted out. “How could you possibly have remembered me? I saw the woman you were with. She was very beautiful! And I was a child. A pale, skinny child!”
    Devlin raised a hand up to her hair and pulled out a hairpin.
    “You need to take a look in the mirror, Danielle,” he said softly, loosening another hairpin. “It is true. The woman I took out to the garden was very beautiful. But she was no match for you. When I saw you, I couldn’t stop looking. Your big, sparkling eyes reflected the fireworks, and your hair was glowing like a thousand candles. You were the innocence in a cesspool of sin. An untainted wellspring locked within a stinking swampland of money and greed. You were the single ray of sunshine breaking through the fog of depravity of this our venerated high society, and you bathed it all in a golden, purifying light.”
    Another hairpin clinked to the floor. Danielle closed her eyes. “All these years I have kept this image of you in my heart, Danielle.” He buried his hands in her hair, pulling her close. “The way you stood before me with your flowing, golden hair and your quivering lips. I will not make the mistake again of letting you go, my sweet Venus,” he whispered before begging for her approval with a soft, tender kiss.
    Danielle floated on air. Devlin’s kisses, delicious and full of promise, awakened a