Herattempt at ignorance caused Josephine’s lips to turn down further in sympathy.“Youshouldn’t wear blinders, my dear. It generally never ends well for anyone.Trust me, for it’s something I know quite a bit about.”
As the lady moved away, it was as if the floor fell out from underFallon’sfeet.Feeling as if she would faint right in the middle of the ballroom, Fallonhastily fled.
Sheblindlymade her way out of the ballroom anddown arandomhallway,not even sure if she was heading in the direction of the retiring room.She searchedforsomewhereshe could gather herself,forherbreathwasstarting tocomeingreat,heaving gulps,thesobsrising in her chest andthreatening to overcome her. She tried several doors, but they were all locked. In the end, she collapsed against the closest door she came to andplaced her hands on the wood. Sheleaned her forehead against the grainand closed her eyes in an attempt to compose herself.
“You’ve left the party, Miss O’Malley.”
Fallonspun aroundwhen a masculine voice spoke up behind her. ShesawAtticus standing a few feet away, and the sight of him casually leaning against the wall, hands in his trouser pockets,made her desperate toflee. She didn’t want to fall apart, but especially notin front of him.
Nevertheless, a single, betrayingtear coursed down her cheek.She wiped it away angrily.“Excuse me…” She started to leave, but he pushedoffthe wall and strode swiftly toward her. He reached out and held her immobile, his dark eyes piercing.“What’s happened to upset you?”
As if she could tell him the true reason—you.“It’s…nothing. I’m fine.”
“I don’t believe you,” he challengedhuskily.
She swiped at her cheekwhere more tears had joined the first. They were falling unchecked now. That’s when it dawned on her that theonlytwo men who had ever disturbed her in this manner was Atticus Clare—and the Raven.
Swallowing nervously, she licked her lips, and watched as his gaze was instantly drawn to her mouth. Her heart was pounding so furiously that she was sure he could hear it, as close as he was.
“Can I kiss you, Fallon?”
She gasped, knowing that she should refuse, butshe couldn’t manage to make any othersound emerge. He took that as encouragement and he reached out and lifted the underside of her chin. When he lowered his head, his lips gently touching hers, her head began to spin.Was she dreaming, or was Atticus Clare actuallykissingher?She hadwondered about how it might feelto be held against his firm chest,and now that it was happening, it didn’t seem real. But asthe warm contact of his mouth against hers finally registered in her brain,she slowly began torespond tohis embrace.
His lips were gentle as he probed the softness of her pliantmouth. After exploring every contour, the kiss heightened as his actions demanded a firmer response. She willingly offered him whatever he wanted to take—abreath, a sigh, a heartbeat—they all belonged to him.Everything else faded around them, the enchanting Josephine Stuart, Locklyn Durmor and his mother,her Aunt Francine,and eventhe Ravenwereallforgotten as she lifted her hands and placed them on that solid chest. She could feel the heat emanating from him and the steady thud of his heart beneath her palm. It made her wonder if he was filled with the same relentless need that was coursing through her blood.
She didn’t know when she had become so wanton, but she yearned topress their bodies closer together, to feel that muscular length flush against her own. Shesighedwhen he coaxed her lips to open and his tongue delved inside, tasting, taunting. The intimate contact sent shivers of delight shooting up her spine while splinters of light and heat swiftly whipped through her body, all the way to the tips of her toes where they curled in her slippers.
When thekissfinally ended,Fallon’s eyes fluttered open. She met the raw desire in Atticus’s darkgazeas he looked at her. Neither of them said a word, for they weren’t needed. Their souls spoke for them through a momentary lapse of exposed emotion too powerful to even put into words.And as odd as it might have seemed, it was asifthey had always fit together perfectly.
“I do hope I’m not intruding.”
Locklyn’s tone dripped with scorn as Fallon’s cheekswarmed with embarrassment, but not nearly enoughof the guiltthat she should have been feeling.
Atticus had straightened,although she noted thathehadn’tmovedaway from her.His dark eyes were cool as they lit on Locklyn, and his mouth twisted into a thin, wry line as he smoothly confronted his opponent. “On the contrary, we would appreciate some privacy.”
Fallon’s mouth went slack at his blatant attempt to provoke Locklyn, and as she glanced at her current suitor to gain his reaction, she wasn’t surprised to see his eyes narrow in blatant hatred as they focused intently on Atticus. They both stood rigidly, the silent challenge causing the air to fill with tension.
“I’m going to assume that was your attempt at humor, although I don’t find it very amusing.For you see—” Locklynpaused tomove closer to Fallon and wrap a possessive arm about her waist. As his fingers bit into the tender flesh at her side, she winced slightly. Atticus’s features instantly darkened, although Locklyn didn’t heed the warning. “The lady and I are intended for one another.”
Fallon shot him a glance, for while she had assumed her aunt washopingfor a union between them, she had yet to agree to anything of the sort.
“We most certainly are not!” she countered hotly.
Atticus crossed his arms and lifted a dark brow. “Interesting. The lady doesn’t seemasconvincedas youare, Durmor.”
Locklyn lifted his chin slightly. “She will be soon enough, onceweare alone.”
Fallon wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that,for it seemed rather ominous.
“Be careful.”Atticus said quietly, althoughthe underlying threat beneathhiswords wasdecidedly clear.
The swish of skirts broke up the tension as Josephine appeared.Shewalkedup to Atticusand threaded her arm through his. “I wondered where you were, darling.You nearly missed our dance,” she scolded lightly.
Atticusremained stiff for a moment, but he eventually turned andofferedthe widowacharmingsmile. The evidence of hisremainingupsetwasa slight muscle that twitched in theline of his jaw.“Of course, my dear. I shall rectify such an oversight immediately.”
Fallon watched as he allowed the redhead toescorthim away,as iftheir earlier rendezvoushadalreadybeenerased from his mind. Fallon’s ire was piqued, for sheresented the fact he could kiss her with such longing and tenderness and thenconcededto Josephine without any sort of hesitation. Obviously that embrace had meant much more to her than it had tohim.
She suddenly felt rather foolish.
