“Tyger, my love, I want to put my arms around you.” He couldn’t let her give up. He must keep coaxing her. “I want to hold your body so close to mine that I can feel the rhythm of your heartbeat. I want to kiss you until we’re both dizzy with passion.”
Her frustrated sobs became louder.
“My darling, Tyger. Don’t you want me to hold you?”
“Yes.”
“Then try harder. I know you can.”
There was a difference in the way she tugged on the ropes this time. Her grip was harder and more precise. Finally, he felt them loosen. “You’re doing it, Tyger!”
Within minutes, the ropes dropped from his wrists. Along with it came Tyger’s cry of happiness. He turned and gathered her in his arms, seeking her mouth urgently. She shook her head and pulled back.
“Untie me first.” She held up her hands.
Once he had her hands free, he bent and untied her feet, before moving to untie his. As soon as the ropes fell to the ground, he straightened and opened his arms. Immediately, she slid against him as their mouths fused together in a long awaited kiss. The kiss wasn’t gentle as their kisses usually were, but because of the yearning that had built inside of his body, there was no way he could restrain his emotions.
Their mouths moved together in sweet unison. He caressed her back, her arms, even her neck. He just couldn’t get enough of her. By the way she touched him with urgent abandonment, he knew she shared his feelings.
“Oh, Brad,” she sighed repeatedly against his mouth.
His heart soared higher than it had ever done, and he held her tighter. “My sweet, Tyger.” He breathed her name as he trailed his kisses down her face to her neck. His heart exploded with love, and he knew he couldn’t hold it inside any longer. “Tyger, I love you.”
She stiffened and pulled back just enough to stare into his eyes. Tears swam in her eyes, but they were different than the ones she had a few moments ago.
“What did you say?” she asked with a quivering voice.
Smiling, he took her face in his hands. “Tyger, I love you fully and completely.”
“No...” Confusion touched her expression as she shook her head.
“Yes, I do.” He stroked the pad of his thumb across her bottom lip. “Why do you think I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind? Why do you think I can’t wait until the next time I see you, kiss you, or touch you? I can’t believe it either, Tyger, because it happened so quickly, but I’m not going to deny my feelings any longer. Not now. Not when we may only have a few hours left to live. My only regret is that I didn’t tell you sooner.” He pressed his lips against her wet cheeks and kissed away her tears. “Tyger, tell me what is in your heart. Don’t be afraid to admit it. You know you love me. Why else would you kiss me with so much passionately?” He trailed his kisses up her forehead and then down the side of her face, nipping lightly at her mouth. “Tell me, Tyger. Tell me you love me.”
He knew she was fighting her feelings, but this was not the time for that and he needed to make her aware of how their lives hung by a thread. Pulling away, he cupped her face again. Her watery gaze locked with his.
She took a deep breath before slowly releasing it. “Brad, I love you, too.”
Fireworks exploded in his head as sheer happiness filled him.
“Brad, I can’t deny my heart any longer, either. I’ve been falling in love with you since the night of the party. I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t help—”
He covered her mouth before she could finish. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her passionately, deeply, and with all the emotion inside of him. He pulled her down to lie on the couch as he made love to her lips. Never had he felt so much exhilaration from just kissing some woman’s lips, but Tyger wasn’t justsomewoman. She was everything to him. He wanted her with him always.
“Brad, oh, Brad,” she breathed as she broke the kiss. “I’m so glad you are here to be with me at the end of my life. I don’t know what I would have done without you.” Her voice broke.
“Shh....” He stroked her cheek. “Thanks for making these last moments of my life the best I’ve ever had.” She arched an eyebrow in silent question, so he continued, “I mean it. Countess Loveland, my own lady, I’ll die here tonight knowing that I have never loved anyone as much as I love you.”
More tears streamed down her face. “And I, my lord – keeper of my heart, my knight in shining armor – will leave this world knowing I’ve never felt a greater love. And if there is a Heaven beyond this earth, I know I’ll find you and we’ll be together, forever.”
Reality crashed around him. This moment was the beginning of the end. In a few hours, they’d both die.
Suddenly a thought popped into his head. They didn’t have to die. Not tonight. They weren’t tied up any longer. And... wasn’t he her hero?
Brad sucked in a breath and grasped her hands in his. “We’re not going to die. Not here, and definitely not now.”
“What?” Her eyebrows crinkled.
“We’re getting out of here.”
