“Only I did not. I remembered just how to do it, the way you taught me.”
“You disobeyed meandyou broke your promise.” He just stood there, arms crossed, eyeing her severely.
“I forgot about the promise. I can’t even remember making it. And, look, Ihit the board.”
He glanced to it. “So you did. That does not excuse you, but I suppose I may not turn you over my knee the way I intended.”
Turn her— What a notion! The very suggestion was— She squirmed. Goodness, she had never expected such a threat to causethatreaction.
He sat beside her on the bench, as if he meant to do it. He took the pistol from her. “You appeared quite confident with it.”
“Much more than yesterday. It frightened me then.”
“And now?”
“At first it did, but when I held it up to aim— I liked it more than may be wise.” He sat close to her, but not close enough. Shebreathed in the scent of soap. He gazed at the board, and she gazed at his profile. She wished he would turn so she could kiss him.
“How did you like it? What do you mean?”
She tried to articulate the thrill she had experienced, but currently anticipation of what waited in her chamber soon preoccupied her. “I became stronger.”
“You felt powerful.”
“Yes, in a very exciting manner. Alive and strong and powerful.”
He looked at her. “Did that give you pleasure?”
Another startling notion, yet—something akin to pleasure had colored her dizzy reaction. Sensations much like sexual ones accompanied the power.
They returned now, and merged with the purring arousal Gareth incited. Looking in his eyes, she could tell he, too, was aroused. He had been when he came into the garden.
Their gazes locked for a long, thrilling, and silent agreement. She glanced to the house, then looked back at him.
“There is no one about,” he said. “You can be alive and strong and powerful right here.”
She nodded. She did not want to wait. She already swam in pleasure. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him hard. She pressed her breasts against him so his chest would tantalize them. The kiss became hard and hungry between them.
He stood and took her arm. “On your knees, Eva.”
She did not understand, but she slid off the bench to her knees in front of him.
“Lift up your skirt.”
She obeyed, but it took some doing. She got it above her knees, then higher yet.
“Now the chemise too.”
She pulled it up into the bunch of cloth now at her waist. The cool evening air flowed around her hips and thighs. She reveled in how bad she was being.
He took a step back. He looked at her nakedness. At her mound and thighs. The heat in his gaze, the firmness of his jaw said desire tortured him as much as it did her.
“Your sensuality is power, too, Eva. Take pleasure in that part of it. Right now I would do anything to have you.Anything.” He looked in her eyes. “Do you understand?”
She did understand, she thought. Mostly. She knew what he meant about power at least. It thrilled her, having him want her so much. It also aroused her unbearably.
“You do not have to do anything to have me except take me, Gareth.”
He stepped around her. She glanced back to see him kneeling behind her. He bent her forward until she rested on arms and knees, and he pushed her skirt and chemise up more so her bottom was totally uncovered.
