Read Online The Lady and the Lion by Kay Hooper - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kay Hooper
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fought and reined, and that gave her far too much time to become aware of other much deeper feelings.
When their food came, she ate as automatically as she'd ordered, and couldn't have said later what she had eaten. He was as silent as she, but she could feel his eyes on her almost continually, and she wondered what he was thinking.
That was the most difficult part of this entire situation, not knowing what was driving him. She could feel his emotions sometimes, so intense they were almost shocking, but his thoughts were a puzzle to her. She believed what he had told her was honest—but not the whole truth. This mysterious "work" of his was the most important thing in his life right now, and whatever it was, he had no intention of telling her anything at all about it. His terms made it clear. He could—and certainly wanted to—share his bed with her, but everything else was off limits. No promises at all.
It should have been easy to say no, Erin thought miserably, confronted by her own confusion and uncertainty. Few women would have hesitated when presented with such unjust conditions, not if they valued their self-respect. And she did. But it wasn't easy at all to allow the hurt and indignation to voice a flat refusal.
For the first time in her life, Erin began to understand how some people could be carried so far from reason, from logic and sense, when emotions drove them. Because that was it. No matter what her mind told her, her emotions tugged her wildly in the opposite direction. Even knowing that she had precious little chance of emerging from this unscathed, she wanted whatever she could get from Keith, and the realization was as terrifying as it was humiliating.
And it made her angry. Angry at him and angry at herself. What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she treat his proposition with the contempt it deserved?
Because it hurts him too.
Erin examined this sudden, new idea, and realized it was more than just a wistful hope. All this time, she'd been listening to more than his words; that was why his anger hadn't frightened her, and why she'd been so confused by what he was telling her. Despite his curt recitation of terms, Keith was deeply disturbed by his own feelings for her, and hated making the proposition both because he knew the unfairness of it and because it wasn't what he wanted.
But he wanted her. The desire that had exploded between them had overwhelmed him just as much as it had her.
She had heard that in his voice, heard it in the subtle shades and nuances she had learned to listen to in her father's world. All her instincts told her that although he was clearly obsessed with this work of his, he was also obsessed with her.
Erin didn't know what that would lead to. Perhaps nothing. Even if she agreed to his proposition... especially if she did. Perhaps all he needed was to let the passion run its course, to get her out of his system in the most basic and simple way possible—by taking her to his bed. But would that be the result if they became lovers? Could he allow her to know him in the most intimate of ways without also exposing other parts of himself to her—even if he didn't want to?
And what about her? Could she risk so much, gamble her self-respect, possibly even her future, on the chance there was more between them than passion?
What did she want? Only an affair, a chance to explore desire she had never felt before? Or had this tenuous bond she sensed between them tied her to him in ways she hadn't begun to understand? That connection she thought, had been forged in the dawn hush of nameless, faceless conversations, when a much more gentle Keith had spoken quietly and perceptively. No masks were needed in the darkness. The man he really was revealed himself only in those talks at dawn.
But that door had begun closing the moment they saw each other in the brightness of day, shutting firmly by the end of their breakfast together, and Keith clearly had no intention of opening it
When their food came, she ate as automatically as she'd ordered, and couldn't have said later what she had eaten. He was as silent as she, but she could feel his eyes on her almost continually, and she wondered what he was thinking.
That was the most difficult part of this entire situation, not knowing what was driving him. She could feel his emotions sometimes, so intense they were almost shocking, but his thoughts were a puzzle to her. She believed what he had told her was honest—but not the whole truth. This mysterious "work" of his was the most important thing in his life right now, and whatever it was, he had no intention of telling her anything at all about it. His terms made it clear. He could—and certainly wanted to—share his bed with her, but everything else was off limits. No promises at all.
It should have been easy to say no, Erin thought miserably, confronted by her own confusion and uncertainty. Few women would have hesitated when presented with such unjust conditions, not if they valued their self-respect. And she did. But it wasn't easy at all to allow the hurt and indignation to voice a flat refusal.
For the first time in her life, Erin began to understand how some people could be carried so far from reason, from logic and sense, when emotions drove them. Because that was it. No matter what her mind told her, her emotions tugged her wildly in the opposite direction. Even knowing that she had precious little chance of emerging from this unscathed, she wanted whatever she could get from Keith, and the realization was as terrifying as it was humiliating.
And it made her angry. Angry at him and angry at herself. What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she treat his proposition with the contempt it deserved?
Because it hurts him too.
Erin examined this sudden, new idea, and realized it was more than just a wistful hope. All this time, she'd been listening to more than his words; that was why his anger hadn't frightened her, and why she'd been so confused by what he was telling her. Despite his curt recitation of terms, Keith was deeply disturbed by his own feelings for her, and hated making the proposition both because he knew the unfairness of it and because it wasn't what he wanted.
But he wanted her. The desire that had exploded between them had overwhelmed him just as much as it had her.
She had heard that in his voice, heard it in the subtle shades and nuances she had learned to listen to in her father's world. All her instincts told her that although he was clearly obsessed with this work of his, he was also obsessed with her.
Erin didn't know what that would lead to. Perhaps nothing. Even if she agreed to his proposition... especially if she did. Perhaps all he needed was to let the passion run its course, to get her out of his system in the most basic and simple way possible—by taking her to his bed. But would that be the result if they became lovers? Could he allow her to know him in the most intimate of ways without also exposing other parts of himself to her—even if he didn't want to?
And what about her? Could she risk so much, gamble her self-respect, possibly even her future, on the chance there was more between them than passion?
What did she want? Only an affair, a chance to explore desire she had never felt before? Or had this tenuous bond she sensed between them tied her to him in ways she hadn't begun to understand? That connection she thought, had been forged in the dawn hush of nameless, faceless conversations, when a much more gentle Keith had spoken quietly and perceptively. No masks were needed in the darkness. The man he really was revealed himself only in those talks at dawn.
But that door had begun closing the moment they saw each other in the brightness of day, shutting firmly by the end of their breakfast together, and Keith clearly had no intention of opening it
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