If I wasn’t so indebted to him, I’d be sorely tempted to punch him in the nose.
Humiliated heat crept up her cheeks.
He curled a finger under her chin, lifting her eyes to his. “Why are you blushing?”
She batted his hand away. “I’m not blushing.”
“Your face is pinker than the sunrise. You’re thinking about our lovemaking, aren’t you?”
“It was a mistake.”
“It was bloody perfect.” He planted his palms on the rock on either side of her, his eyes glittering like rare pirate’s treasure. “The mistake is what’s going on in your beautiful head right now.”
Her traitorous heart skipped a beat at being called “beautiful.”
“You don’t know what I’m thinking,” she said in clipped tones.
“You’re regretting that we made love. You think the fact that you allowed me liberties makes you somehow not respectable.” He paused. “And you’re tempted to do me bodily harm.”
She stared at him. “Now you can read minds?”
“I can read yours. Devil take it, what will it take to get it through your head that there’s nothing wrong with honest passion between two consenting parties?”
“You said wicked things to me.” The accusation burst from her. “Words you would never say to a lady you respected.”
He frowned. “What words?”
“Iam not going to say them!”
His eyes lit with understanding. Unbelievably, his mouth twitched.
“What is so amusing?” She would have crossed her arms in annoyance, but he had her caged. She settled for a hard stare.
Unfortunately, that only made his dimples appear. His exceedingly attractive dimples.
“Was it my use of the wordpussythat offended you?” he inquired. “Or that I adoredeatingit? Or mayhap it was the fact that I wanted to fuck your delightful little pearl?”
“Hush.” Even though she knew no one was about, she whipped her head left and right just to be certain. “You can’t say such indecent things in public.”
“I don’t, usually. I also don’t say them to disrespect a lady. I reserve such language for partners whose honesty in sexual matters I admire and respect.”
The blasted man had an answer for everything. She couldn’t deny that his sincerity mollified her. Yet she had to ask, “How many ladies have you said such things to?”
He threw back his head and laughed.
She pushed at his shoulders; it was as effective as pushing at a boulder. He swooped in and kissed her until the air was sucked from her lungs. She felt lightheaded, her knees losing their starch. She would have fallen had he not held her upright against the stone.
“Darling Maggie,” he murmured. “You’re adorable always. And especially when you’re jealous.”
“I’m not jealous,” she lied. “Why should I care what you say to your other lovers?”
“Why should you indeed? To be clear, however, there will be no other lovers while you and I carry out our liaison. For me or for you.”
His fierceness surprised her as much as his words.
“We’re not having a liaison,” she protested.
“I just kissed you until we were both breathless,” he pointed out. “I’m hard as a pike, and I’d wager your, ahem, unmentionable parts are not unaffected.”
