Read Online Touch of Passion by Susan Spencer Paul - Free Book Online Page B

safe.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œBecause I don’t know you. Because I don’t know what you want, to be my friend or . . . or something else.”
    He smiled. “You know what I want.” He pushed from the mantle and straightened. “You’re tired, Loris.” Slowly, he moved to kneel before the chair and took her hands in his own. “You’ve had a difficult day?”
    She ignored the question.
    â€œI
don’t
know what you want,” she repeated, searching his face by the dim light of the fire. “I don’t even know who you truly are. Or what you are.”
    â€œIs it Kian Seymour who wearies you so?” he asked. “He’s cruel and unkind. I know how greatly you hate him.”
    â€œI don’t hate Kian,” she told him firmly. “He can be difficult and obstinate, but I have never hated him.”
    â€œThen perhaps it’s his brother, Dyfed. Or Lord Tylluan. They’re too demanding in what they want of you.”
    â€œIt isn’t any of them,” she said impatiently. “But if it were, at least I would have an honest name to accuse them by.”
    â€œI’m not your enemy, Loris,” he said, lifting one hand to stroke the backs of his fingers gently down her cheek. “I mean no harm to anyone at Tylluan. Most especially not you.”
    With a sigh she pushed his hand away and stood, pulling her dressing gown more tightly about her waist and stepping around Liw’s kneeling form.
    â€œYou should go,” she said. “And never come back.”
    He didn’t move. Didn’t rise to his feet. Didn’t even look at her. Loris bit her lip and turned away, toward the fire, and prayed that she wouldn’t start crying.
    â€œDo you want me to go?” he asked in a low voice.
    She didn’t answer. Silence stretched out for a long moment, and then she heard him rising to his feet. His hands, warm and strong, fell upon her shoulders and gently turned her to face him. Searching her face, he asked once more, “Do you want me to go, Loris?”
    â€œI want to know who you are, Liw. Who you truly are.”
    He lowered his head and softly kissed her lips, a brief and tender caress. “In your heart, you already know who I am,” he murmured.
    Loris shook her head in denial, but he kissed her again, more deeply, and she felt once more the rightness between them. It was so very like what she fleetingly felt with Kian before their embraces came to an end, not as powerful or compelling, but similar enough to be a shadow. She pressed closer to the solid warmth of his body, sliding her arms up about his neck.
    When it ended they were quiet again, holding each other, swaying slightly back and forth. His cheek was pressed against the top of her head, and she could feel his breath against her hair.
    â€œWon’t you tell me something about yourself?” she whispered. “Please.”
    He pulled away to look into her eyes and stroked the hair back from her face.
    â€œI am one who wants to be near you always, Loris, just as I have always been,” he said softly. “I will never harm or dishonor you. I want to come to you freely, without fear, without shame, and give you pleasure and respite. I want to go on being the one you tell your secrets to, your dreams, all of the things that you can tell no one else. I want to hear of your days and be part of your nights, to hold and touch you, to be touched by you in turn. I want to hear your voice andcarry the memory of it away with me until I’m with you once more.” He kissed her again, slowly, deeply. “This is who I am, Loris.” His hand cradled her face. “Is it enough?”
    â€œYes, Liw,” she whispered, drawing him back down to her. “It’s enough.”

One
    N ORTHERN W ALES, 1821
    â€œ They’re all dead, my lord,” Horas said, standing up from the body he’d been inspecting and looking at the