He pursed his lips as if the question displeased him.“The Duchess of Amberleigh may be a great many things, but she seems to like you.She seems to like me.Enough that she orchestrated this meeting without telling you.And I will have to have words with her later about that.I would not have violated your privacy, Valaria.You made your desires clear.”His expression fell.“I-I will go.”
She caught her breath.“Wait.”
She said it without meaning to.Except she did mean to.She didn’t want him to leave.
“Just wait,” she repeated, and moved toward him, drinking him in.
God, how she had missed him.Missed everything about him, from his handsome face to the way he stood, to the scent of him, to just the way he made a room feel safer when he was in it.
Even though he was the most dangerous thing in any room.At least for her.
He stared down at her, hope and hesitation sparkling in his eyes.“Wait for what, Valaria?”His voice grew rougher.“Wait foryou?I will do that until the day I die if you ask me to.Even if it breaks my heart to not see you.And also to see you and know I can’t touch you.I missed you so desperately.”
She shut her eyes.When he said those words in that hungry, harsh tone, it was a physical touch to her body.To her soul.And everything she felt but couldn’t allow rose up in her.Made her want to say things and do things she shouldn’t.
And yet he was undeniable.
The brush of his fingertips across her jawline made her open her eyes.He had eased a little closer, and now she felt his warmth wrap about her like a cloak, a comfort in the icy chill that her life had become.
“Callum,” she whispered.
His fingers trembled, but he didn’t remove them.He nodded slowly.“Valaria.”
He drew out her name slowly, a rough caress that reminded her of the way he moaned her name when he came.Every barrier that she had tried to build was crushed then, and she lifted up on her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him.
He didn’t hesitate to return the kiss, making a low, hungry sound in his throat as he devoured her with a focused passion she had been dreaming of every night.She lifted closer to him as his hands began to rove down her back, along her side.He caught her knee and lifted it against his hip, rocking against her as she parted her lips from his with a harsh sigh of pleasure.She could feel him now, hard against her, as needy for her as she was for him.
If they had nothing else, there was always this.She feared she would never forget it.It would live just below the surface forever, a volcano ready to explode with the most benign spark.
“Tell me you didn’t want me,” he whispered against her ear, his breath hot there.“Tell me you don’t want me now and I’ll let you go.”
She gripped the rough fabric of his jacket.She should tell him that lie and extract herself from the dangers of this moment.But she couldn’t.She was too weak, he was too tempting.
“Just kiss me again,” she murmured against his jawline.“Please.”
He cupped her chin and tilted it up, his eyes locking with hers before he dropped his mouth and did just that.Everything slowed in that moment.Yes, there was desperation in this reunion, that didn’t change.But now he savored her, tasting her, teasing her, his mouth a promise of all the wicked and wonderful things he could do to her if she just let go.
And she wanted to.She would have.She knew that in her heart as much as she knew her own name.
But there was no chance to be so reckless, because before she could surrender to what he had to offer, the door behind them opened.She shoved away from him and pivoted, but it was too late.There in the doorway, eyes lit up with pleasure, was Lady Pittsgreen, and she was smiling so broadly and cruelly that Valaria flinched.
“Well, well,” the countess said, folding her arms.“What an unexpected vision.”
