Soft moonlight bathed her face in its pale glow, glistened off her wet cheeks. He cupped her face in his hand and dipped his head to hers.
Her lips lay a mere inch under his. She nervously ran her tongue over her bottom lip, leaving a sheen of moisture in its wake. He captured a sigh as it escaped her mouth and pressed his lips to hers. Soft, tender, with exquisite care, he kissed her then broke away.
He rested his forehead against hers, their eyes impossibly close. “I cannot imagine what you went through,” he murmured. “That you survived is a miracle. You are a strong woman. I don’t know of many men who could have accomplished what you did.”
“Kiss me again,” she whispered.
He kissed her once. Twice. On the third time, she curled her arms around his neck and held him to her. Her mouth began a slow exploration of his. He allowed her control, reveling in the feel of her skin against his.
His body heated, desire swirling like liquid smoke. Every nerve ending tightened until he could barely stand still. He groaned deep in his throat, and abandoned his stance.
He grasped her face between his hands and plundered her lips, his tongue darting forward, seeking entrance. Her mouth opened with a contented sigh, and her tongue met his in a wicked temptress’ dance.
His heart thundered in his chest. Never had he felt so utterly wrapped up in a woman before. He couldn’t get enough of her.
He broke away from her, sucking in great mouthfuls of air as he sought to control his raging need. “India, if I am honest with you, right now there is nothing more I want than to take you back to my cabin and make love to you the entire night.”
Her eyes flared first in surprise. Then answering desire warmed their depths. Panic followed quickly behind, and as she looked away he could swear he saw guilt.
His brows furrowed as he studied her stiff posture. Slowly, she turned back to the rail and stared over the gentle swells of the water.
“And there is nothing I’d like better,” she whispered, her words hard to hear as they were carried away on the waves.
The unspokenbuthovered between them as surely as if she had said it. He wrapped his arms around her once more, content for the meantime to enjoy holding her.
She nestled into his embrace, a sigh of contentment rushing from her chest.
It was enough, this closeness between them. For now. It was hard for him to explain the true depths of his feelings for her. To call it love didn’t quite do it justice. It went far beyond the mere four-letter word.
No, words didn’t accurately portray the way he felt around her. He had fancied himself in love with Lucinda, and it embarrassed him to even use the same word to describe his bond with India.
He would find a way around the barriers of India’s heart. Gently unfold the hurt and fear that trapped her in their embrace. Somehow he would find a way to make her feel the same way about him as he did about her.
They stood there, locked in the intimate embrace. Only when the eastern sky began to lighten to hues of purple and pink did she shift in his arms. Together, they watched the sun rise, and Ridge couldn’t help but marvel at the promise of a new day.
A day to win India’s heart.
Chapter Twenty-One
How in the world was she going to find one man, a man she didn’t even know, in the sea of people bustling around the port? India paused at the top of the gangplank and viewed the activity below. Her eyes scanned the crowd as if the man named Juan Miguel would be obvious to her.
In the distance, burned out shells of once majestic buildings stood a testament to the city’s downfall. The city had once been beautiful, but ambitious men had seen to its destruction.
She had seen San Sebastian once before. Before the war. She vaguely remembered the journey, one of the many taken with her father. How ironic that they had been so close to Pagoria and never known it.
She glanced back to where Ridge was seeing to their trunks. She needed a chance to find Juan Miguel without Ridge hanging about. With a deep breath, she hurried down the gangplank.
What now? She stood amidst the crowd of people but no one paid her any heed. No one seemed to take interest in her presence. No one returned her inquisitive stare.
“Are you ready? I have a carriage waiting.”
She jumped as Ridge spoke beside her. How had he gotten there so quickly? Reluctantly, she turned to follow Ridge, searching the crowd one last time.
Ridge motioned her into the carriage before walking over to see to the loading of their luggage on a separate carriage. She started forward to climb up when she was nearly knocked over by someone bumping into her.
She looked down to see a young boy grinning up at her.
“SenoritaAshton?”
