When she did not reply, he ran his thumbsacross her palms, splaying her fingers wide across his ribs.
His voice was still rough with barelycontrolled anger.“It is a heart that bleeds, my lady.”His voicelowered.“And yearns often for that which it can never have.”
She stared into eyes that were shrouded inmystery.The intense anger in him was evident.But there weredeeper, darker passions that he seemed loath to reveal.Passionsthat terrified her, yet intrigued her.
She saw his gaze center on her mouth as hishands slowly moved along her arms.When she attempted to pull away,his strong fingers closed over her upper arms, holding her firmlyagainst him.
“What is it you fear, my lady?Did you not,after all, come out here to spar with me?Where are your taunts andarguments now?”
She ran a tongue over her lips.He watchedthe movement through narrowed eyes.
“I—came out here to—persuade you to join ourcompany when your tasks were completed.”
A hint of a smile touched his lips.“That isall you wanted?”
He was laughing at her.Her fear of himdissolved as her temper took over.“Aye.But I can see that I havemade a blunder.You are much more suited to being alone.”
As she tried to push away his fingerstightened on her upper arms, causing her to gasp.
“Aye.I have been alone too long.Perhapsthat is why even an angry wildcat can tempt me.”
Wildcat.The gibe hit its mark.“I am notsome wild creature.Nor did I come here to tempt you.”
“Nay.You prefer to goad me into a fight.Butfighting with women has never whetted my appetite.”He drew herfractionally closer and his tone deepened.“Women were made to bekissed.”
He lowered his had until his lips barelybrushed hers.He felt her flinch and thrilled to his firstvictory.
Against her lips he murmured, “Slowly andthoroughly and with great care.”
With her palms against his chest she pushedwith all her might, but she was no match for his strength anddetermination.
His arms came around her, pinning her to thelength of him.His mouth closed over hers in a hot, hungrykiss.
Splinters of fire and ice danced alongLindsey’s spine.She trembled as a chill swept her.She was cold.So cold.Of their own volition her hands crept along his chest,pressed over his heart.And then, as he lingered over her lips, thechill became a wave of heat and she was hot.Liquid heat pouredthrough her, filling her veins with molten fire.She gave a littlemoan as her hands gripped his shoulders.And as he took the kissdeeper, she was forced to hold on, lest her legs fail to supporther.
She felt his strong hands press into herlower back, drawing her close against him.Heat seemed to pour fromhis naked torso, heating her, tormenting her.
Against her lips he muttered, “What?Have youno words left to hurl, my lady?”
She moaned as his lips left hers to roam thecurve of her cheek, the arch of her brow.He pressed his mouth to atangle of hair at her temple and could feel the furious beating ofher pulse.
He had meant only to silence her voice, tostill the taunts that fueled his anger.But from the first momenthis lips covered hers, he was lost.Reason fled.And in its placewas a burning, desperate need.
He had known passion before.And desire.Butnever before had he known such wild, pulsing needs.He was drivento take her higher, then higher still, even though he sensed thatshe had never dealt with such emotions before.He wanted more thanto silence her.He wanted her weak and clinging.His lips movedslowly over her face, feeling her breath straining in her lungs.His lips found hers, and this time she offered no resistance.Aye.This was how he wanted her.Warm and willing.But as he took thekiss deeper, he wanted more.He wanted all.
He wanted her naked and desperate.Asdesperate as he.He wanted to take all she had to give.To drainher; to fill her.To make her his.
Lindsey trembled in his arms and struggledwith feelings she had never known.Always before she had beenafraid.Afraid of a man’s touch, his kiss.Until this moment, shehad always fought and won.But with this man, the wish to fight hadsuddenly left her.In its place was a need to taste him, to touchhim, to feel him, until she was desperate to crawl inside his skin.What had this man done to her?How had he bewitched her that shehad surrendered with hardly a whimper?
Dazed, Jamie struggled to clear his mind.Heknew he had taken her too far.But his mind was befuddled.Herwords, her taunts had blinded him to all reason.
He kissed her again, tasting the wild, sweettaste that was like no other woman.He wanted her.God in heaven,he wanted to take her here, now.
The forest closed around them, envelopingthem in a cocoon of velvet darkness.The only sounds were therippling waters of the stream, the call of the night birds and theoccasional laughter from the distant campfire.Even the stars inthe heavens were curtained off by the towering spires of evergreen.They were alone, and no one would ever be the wiser.
Jamie knew he would have to be strong enoughto walk away.And still he lingered, wanting one more taste, onemore kiss.
When at last he lifted his lips from hers,Lindsey stood very still, fighting the tremors that rocked her.
