Great God, but the woman would kill him. Her natural fire was something he could stoke into an inferno. They would burn together. He didn’t care if he would be forever maimed. It was worth it.
“Yes, I will teach you everything,” he promised softly.
She stepped back as she nodded. “I can agree to those terms,” she said. Slowly, she extended her hand for him to shake.
He laughed at the idea that they would shake on a bargain of such passion. Of a lifetime together. That would not do. Not for what he had in mind.
He caught her waist and drew her against him. Her body molded to his, just as it had last night. Only this time there were no masks, no wall. At least no physical ones. She was real. He was real.
This was real.
He cupped her chin in one hand and tilted her face up. She met his lips eagerly, innocent passion pouring over him as she opened her mouth and allowed him anything he wanted in this kiss. He probed and tasted, teased and drank her like she was a fountain of youth. And just when he thought he might lose the fine edge of control, fall against the settee and fuck her like she needed to be fucked…
He forced himself to pull away and take a step back. He straightened his jacket as he smiled at her. Smiled at the unsteadiness of her legs, the blurry softness of her stare.
“I will make the arrangements and tell your father.”
She nodded wordlessly, and he touched her cheek before he moved toward the door. There he turned and smiled at her. She smiled back and whispered, “Good afternoon.”
He left her there, mouth still red from his kiss. But even though he’d just been given the keys to everything he’d ever wanted, with no unpleasant expectations to go with them…he somehow felt…empty.
