“You don’t even see me .”
“ That is not true.” He slid his hand along her neck, his fingers in her hair. “I see you too well. Therein lies the problem,” he confessed, before kissing her again.
This was not a hungry kiss as he’d given only moments before. His desire for her was still present and strong…but there was something else at work here, too. He wanted Charlotte to trust him. He wanted the walls down between them.
He wanted her.
The salt of her tears broke the kiss.
She looked away. “I don’t usually cry. Not ever. There’s no sense in it.”
Placing a finger against her cheek, he forcedher to look at him. “It’s a burden to always be strong,” he answered. He knew.
“You don’t seem to have a difficulty with it,” she countered.
Phillip almost laughed at the assumption. “Look at me, Charlotte. I am out of my element. If that letter is true, the fate of my brother has stripped me of all trappings. They mean nothing if he isn’t safe.”
Some of the tension left Charlotte at this confidence. Family meant all to both of them. “Why did you come alone? Why didn’t you bring an army?” she asked, the anger gone from her voice.
“I’m beginning to wonder that myself,” he answered, wondering why he was being so bloody honest. Charlotte Cameron had the uncanny ability to see through him. She could use this against him…and yet he didn’t believe she would.
Something lay between them. Something that had nothing to do with feuds, anger, or pride.
She attracted him with a force he’d never experienced for another woman. Not even Elizabeth.
Charlotte had slipped past his guard.
Tomorrow he’d worry.
Tonight, he wanted to make love to her again. He wanted to see if the fulfilling release he’d experienced in her arms was as powerful a second time as it had been the first. Perhaps not. Perhaps he would be free of her.
And if it was—? Phillip didn’t want to think beyond the moment. He scooped the wet, naked woman up in his arms and started back to the hayrick.
“I can walk,” she told him.
He silenced her with a kiss. He stood, holding her in his arms and kissing as if he’d steal her breath from her.
When at last the kiss ended, she didn’t argue. Instead, her arms came up around his neck. He could feel her watch him as he carried her to the hayrick. He understood her doubts. They both had everything at stake—and it was this thought, as he walked toward the hayrick, that finally pierced his conscience. Lust and desire could not supplant honor. The cost would be too high.
Sober now, he entered the hayrick and lowered her to his greatcoat. He reached for her coat as a blanket. Charlotte’s eyes were so huge they threatened to swallow her face.
“Don’t worry,” he told he quietly, torn between a desire to make love to her and an understanding that they had already gone too far. “I’m not going to take advantage of you. I’ve come to my senses. I’m not a complete bastard, Charl—”
His declaration was cut off as she rose, pulled him down to her, and kissed him with everything she was worth.
Any thought of being noble fled Phillip’s mind. Instead, he kissed her back with all the passion of his being.
Their bodies melded together. He didn’t even remove his breeches. It was all he could do to unbutton them. Her body, strong and resilient, met his thrust for thrust. He went hard and deep, finding his pleasure in hers.
What was more amazing, was that this time, his release was even more powerful than the last. He didn’t bother to hold back. He couldn’t.
It was as if he’d been destined for this woman. This was the way it was meant to be. He could no more have reined in his drive than he could have harnessed the moon.
Afterward, spent, Phillip held her in his arms, her coat covering them. For once, life made sense.
Her hair was still damp from the freshwater stream. Tired, sated, unspeakably content, he curled a lock of it around his
“ That is not true.” He slid his hand along her neck, his fingers in her hair. “I see you too well. Therein lies the problem,” he confessed, before kissing her again.
This was not a hungry kiss as he’d given only moments before. His desire for her was still present and strong…but there was something else at work here, too. He wanted Charlotte to trust him. He wanted the walls down between them.
He wanted her.
The salt of her tears broke the kiss.
She looked away. “I don’t usually cry. Not ever. There’s no sense in it.”
Placing a finger against her cheek, he forcedher to look at him. “It’s a burden to always be strong,” he answered. He knew.
“You don’t seem to have a difficulty with it,” she countered.
Phillip almost laughed at the assumption. “Look at me, Charlotte. I am out of my element. If that letter is true, the fate of my brother has stripped me of all trappings. They mean nothing if he isn’t safe.”
Some of the tension left Charlotte at this confidence. Family meant all to both of them. “Why did you come alone? Why didn’t you bring an army?” she asked, the anger gone from her voice.
“I’m beginning to wonder that myself,” he answered, wondering why he was being so bloody honest. Charlotte Cameron had the uncanny ability to see through him. She could use this against him…and yet he didn’t believe she would.
Something lay between them. Something that had nothing to do with feuds, anger, or pride.
She attracted him with a force he’d never experienced for another woman. Not even Elizabeth.
Charlotte had slipped past his guard.
Tomorrow he’d worry.
Tonight, he wanted to make love to her again. He wanted to see if the fulfilling release he’d experienced in her arms was as powerful a second time as it had been the first. Perhaps not. Perhaps he would be free of her.
And if it was—? Phillip didn’t want to think beyond the moment. He scooped the wet, naked woman up in his arms and started back to the hayrick.
“I can walk,” she told him.
He silenced her with a kiss. He stood, holding her in his arms and kissing as if he’d steal her breath from her.
When at last the kiss ended, she didn’t argue. Instead, her arms came up around his neck. He could feel her watch him as he carried her to the hayrick. He understood her doubts. They both had everything at stake—and it was this thought, as he walked toward the hayrick, that finally pierced his conscience. Lust and desire could not supplant honor. The cost would be too high.
Sober now, he entered the hayrick and lowered her to his greatcoat. He reached for her coat as a blanket. Charlotte’s eyes were so huge they threatened to swallow her face.
“Don’t worry,” he told he quietly, torn between a desire to make love to her and an understanding that they had already gone too far. “I’m not going to take advantage of you. I’ve come to my senses. I’m not a complete bastard, Charl—”
His declaration was cut off as she rose, pulled him down to her, and kissed him with everything she was worth.
Any thought of being noble fled Phillip’s mind. Instead, he kissed her back with all the passion of his being.
Their bodies melded together. He didn’t even remove his breeches. It was all he could do to unbutton them. Her body, strong and resilient, met his thrust for thrust. He went hard and deep, finding his pleasure in hers.
What was more amazing, was that this time, his release was even more powerful than the last. He didn’t bother to hold back. He couldn’t.
It was as if he’d been destined for this woman. This was the way it was meant to be. He could no more have reined in his drive than he could have harnessed the moon.
Afterward, spent, Phillip held her in his arms, her coat covering them. For once, life made sense.
Her hair was still damp from the freshwater stream. Tired, sated, unspeakably content, he curled a lock of it around his
Similar Books
