A Lady Never Tells(71)

Royce gently touched the cool ointment to her head, his finger gliding over her scalp, soothing the pain—and at the same time sending a spark sizzling through her veins.

Mary closed her eyes and swallowed hard. “We don’t know anyone in England; we have only been here a few days. How could we have made any enemies?” She concentrated on ignoring the delicate touch of his finger upon her scalp, forcing herself to think about Rose and her attempted abduction.

“I don’t know.” Royce’s voice sounded rougher, deeper, and there was a changed quality to his breathing. His hand skimmed over Mary’s hair as he pulled it away. “There. ’Tis done.”

“Thank you.” Her voice was shaky. She did not want to turn around and look at him, afraid that something of her inner turmoil would reveal itself.

“My pleasure,” he told her, and she felt the low rumble of his voice all through her. He was so close that their bodies were almost touching. She could feel his heat through her clothing.

He leaned closer, murmuring, “When you needed help tonight, you called out to me.”

He was right. She had not even thought about it. His name had jumped immediately to her lips. “There was no one else, was there?”

“The landlord. Other guests. But you called my name.”

He touched the nape of her neck, trailing a forefinger down the length of it. Mary sucked in her breath, unable to hide her reaction.#p#分页标题#e#

“You are so lovely …” Royce bent and pressed his lips to the tender skin of her neck.

Mary shivered. “I do not think—”

“Good. Don’t think.” His voice was thick.

Royce’s hands went to her shoulders, turning her around, and Mary could not find it in her to resist. She tilted her face to look up at him. His eyes were dark and fierce in the dim light, his skin stretched taut across his cheekbones. For an instant, they stood gazing at each other, immobilized by the desire storming through them.

He bent toward her, his face looming closer, until Mary closed her eyes on a soft sigh. Then his mouth was on hers, swift and hungry, and there was nothing else in the world.





Chapter 14




Royce’s arms went around Mary, pulling her up to him. His mouth consumed hers; his hands swept over her, following the soft curves of her body beneath her clothes. Impatient, he went to the tie of her dressing gown and yanked it undone. His hand slipped beneath the robe, roaming over the body that was now separated from his touch only by a thin nightgown.

Mary jerked in surprise at the feel of his hand moving over her stomach and hips, but she did not draw away. The sensations rippling through her were far too pleasurable. His fingers skimmed over her torso, moving up to touch her breasts. Her nipples tightened almost painfully in response, and something deep inside her warmed and opened in a pleasurable aching. Her arms rose and twined around his neck.

His mouth left hers, kissing her cheek, her ear, her throat in a leisurely journey that stoked the fire in her abdomen. His lips were like velvet, caressing the tender skin of her throat as he tasted and explored. Mary let out a soft groan, shaken by the hunger he aroused in her. She was restless and eager, driven by feelings she had never known before, and at the same time was filled with a luxurious lassitude, unable to move or even think beyond this moment.

Royce toyed with her nipples through the soft cloth of her nightgown, arousing them to hard, thrusting points, and with each movement, as if connected by a cord, the ache between her legs grew and throbbed. Mary squeezed her legs together, realizing with shock that she wanted to wrap them around his body.

He made a low noise deep in his throat and seized the lapels of her dressing gown, shoving it back and down her arms, dropping it on the floor. Sinking his fingers into the fleshy mounds of her buttocks, he pulled her into him, molding her against the hard ridge of his desire. Mary felt his flesh quicken and pulse against her. Her breath rasped in her throat. She looked up into his face and saw the raw desire stamped there. He bent to kiss her again, and she went up on tiptoe to meet him.

At that moment, Rose made an unintelligible noise and turned over in the bed.

Mary froze, suddenly aware of the world around her. She was wildly kissing Royce, letting him touch her intimately—indeed, reveling in that touch—and all the while her sister was lying in bed only a few feet away!

She pulled back and saw the same realization dawning in Royce’s face. He muttered a curse and turned away, running his hands over his face. Quickly, Mary wrapped her dressing gown around her again and jerked the sash tight. Her face felt flushed—partly from embarrassment and partly from the desire that still pounded through her. She could hardly bring herself to look at Royce.