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.When his son swung the door open, Silvan slipped back into the chair, gathering the gloom around himwith a few soft words.His news would keep till the morn.Chapter 20There's something I haven't told you, Chloe-lass, Dageus said, stepping forward from the shadowy circleof stones.His eyes said he wanted to tell her.His eyes said he was afraid to tell her.What might such aman fear? That he feared it, frightened her as well, and diminished her need to know substantially.For anovel change, her curiosity curled up and played dead.You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, she prevaricated, wanting the dreamy pleasure of theirnewfound intimacy to remain unspoiled by difficult truths.From the look on his face, difficult was a mildword for whatever he was withholding.The tendons in his strong neck worked and he opened and closed his mouth several times.He took aPage 146Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmldeep breath.Mayhap you should know--A sudden pounding at the door jarred Chloe instantly awake.Her dream shattered into tiny particles ofsandman's dust.When she jerked, Dageus's arms tightened around her."Are ye awake in there?" Nell was calling through the door."Silvan's nigh beside himself with impatience.He's requestin' ye both belowstairs.""We're awake, Nell," Dageus replied."Would you mind having a bath sent up?""Dageus, yer da will get himself in a fankle.He's been waiting to show ye what he's found since earlyyestermorn and ye know he's ne'er been the most patient man."Dageus exhaled loudly."A quarter hour, Nell," he said, sounding resigned, "then we'll be down.""I wouldn't be disturbin' ye, were it left to me." A soft laugh, and her footsteps faded down the corridor.Dageus rolled Chloe over on her side to face him, capturing one of her legs between his, cupping her fullbreasts possessively."G'morning," she said drowsily, flushing from the memory of what he'd done to her through the night.What she'd encouraged him, even begged him to do.She smiled.She was achy and sore and feltscrumptious.She'd spent the entire night in his arms.Funny, she mused, of all the things that were sodifficult to believe, the past twenty-four hours with him seemed the most astonishing.Since she'd givenherself to him, he'd been a completely different man.Warm, sexy, playful.Oh, still every inch dominant,basely sexual man, but infinitely more approachable.Where, previously, sometimes it had seemed he wasthere but not quite there--a part of him somewhere else entirely--in bed he was one hundred percentthere.One hundred percent focused and involved.It was devastating to be the focal point of such raw, relentless eroticism.He was everything she'dfantasized Dageus MacKeltar might be in bed and more.Wild and demanding, battering past all herinhibitions.Just as she was thinking how nice it was to see him at ease, his body as relaxed as a lion lazily sunninghimself, he smiled back, but it didn't reach his eyes."Oooh! Stop that.When you smile at me I want all of it.""What?" He looked confused.Chloe slid her hands to his ribs, wondering if such a strong, disciplined man might be ticklish.He was,and it delighted her to discover that in some small way he was as helpless and as human as the rest of theworld.She tickled mercilessly until, laughing, he captured her hands in his."I punish wenches who tickle me," he purred, stretching her arms above her head."How?" she asked breathlessly.He ducked his dark head and caught one nipple in his mouth, suckling gently before releasing it andPage 147Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmldragging his tongue over her breasts to capture the other."You have perfect breasts, lass," he growledhuskily."As to the punishing, I'll need to think on that," he purred against her skin."None has e'er tickledme before.""Gee, I wonder why?" she managed.When he circled a budded nipple with his tongue, her back archedand she inhaled sharply.Her breasts felt swollen, chafed by his shadow beard, and exquisitely sensitive."Could it be because you're always so reserved and in control? They were probably afraid to," she said,gasping.He released her nipple and looked up at her, startled."But you're not, are you, Chloe?""Smile," she panted, not wanting to answer that.Not wanting to admit that some part of her was afraidof the intimidating man who danced between centuries.Not exactly of him, more afraid of the power hehad over her because she had such intense feelings for him.With all the scorching, incredibly intimatethings he'd done to her, he'd not said any of those words lovers were wont to say, words hinting at afuture together.As he'd told her yesterday, he made no excuses and offered no pretty lies.No promiseseither.She wouldn't mind one or two.Or ten.Taking her cue from him, she'd kept her feelings silent, resolved to be patient; wait and watch, try tocatch some of those subtle little signs that were all Dageus ever revealed.He arched a brow and smiled as she'd requested."Oh, that one was much better," she said, smiling back.It was impossible not to smile back when hetruly smiled.When he slid his hands down her arms, over her breasts, then to her hips, she shook herhead warily."Huh-uh.I can't.Not now." She deliberately teased him with, "It could be a week before Ican again." She topped it with a demure batting of her lashes.Growling, he tossed his head, his black mane spilling like dark silk over her skin."Och, nay, lass, Idoona think so.A bath will hasten your recovery." He prodded her in the thigh, hard and ready.Did theman never tire? she wondered blissfully.Despite her extreme soreness, desire flared, hot and greedy, stirring all those battered nerve endings tolife.He made her feel insatiable.Having sex with him made a woman feel like she was doing somethingforbidden somehow, and she could get downright obsessed with it.Though she felt bruised and tender, ifthey had the time, she'd be all over him, or rather, he'd be all over her, for he certainly liked the dominantposition."You heard Nell.We're not getting a bath.Silvan wants us." Chloe felt a sudden flush ofembarrassment.She'd slept with Silvan's son in Silvan's castle.Though she hadn't felt awkward about itwith Nell at the door, for some reason she felt uneasy about it when she thought about Silvan, perhapsbecause he was of her grandda's age."Doona worry, lass," he reassured her, guessing at her thoughts from her expression."Silvan saw uscome in last eve.He'll no' think less of you.Verily, he'll be delighted.I've no' had a lass in my chamberbefore.""Really?" she asked a bit breathlessly.When he nodded, Chloe smiled radiantly: At least here in hisbedroom, she was the only one.Though not what she'd prefer (like a declaration of undying love or arequest that she have his babies), it was something.Then her eyes narrowed.The sun was spilling in thewindow behind her and Dageus's eyes were golden, dappled with darker flecks.Smoky and sensual,Page 148Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlfringed by thick dark lashes, but gold nonetheless."What is with your eyes?" she exclaimed."Is it part ofbeing a Druid?""What color are they?" he asked warily."Gold."He flashed her another unguarded smile.It was like basking in the sun, she thought, tracing her fingersover his beard-shadowed jaw, smiling helplessly back.He prodded her again."You're good for me, lass.Now get off your back woman, lest I start somethingyou refuse to let me finish." He sat up, bringing her with him, kissing her, nipping at her lower lip [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]