An Exception to His Rule(59)

                And she clung to him as desire took her by storm and there was only one thing she craved—to be taken. So she moved provocatively against him and did her own fingertip exploration of him until he growled and turned her onto her back and made sure she was ready for him, then they were united in an urgent rhythm and finally an explosion of sensation.

                ‘Oh!’ she breathed, as she arched her body against him.

                And he buried his head between her breasts as he shuddered to a final closure.

                * * *

                ‘Harriet?’

                ‘Mmm...?’

                ‘All right?’

                ‘Oh yes.’ Her eyes remained closed but she smiled a secret little smile.

                He grinned and dropped the lightest kiss on her hair. ‘Wait here.’

                She moved in an urgent little protest. ‘Don’t go away.’

                ‘I’ll be right back.’ But he checked his phone and glanced at his computer screen before he went out.

                She looked a question at him but he shook his head.

                And he was as good as his word; he was back in a couple of minutes with a sheet, a blanket and a couple of pillows. He’d also put on a pair of shorts.

                He covered her and made sure she was comfortable.

                Then he stopped. ‘There are six bedrooms we could go to. I’m not sure why we didn’t in the first place.’

                ‘We weren’t in the most practical frame of mind,’ she suggested.

                He sat down beside her and smoothed her hair. ‘If I recall correctly, you were even talking about haystacks.’

                ‘Silly talk.’ She slipped her hand under her cheek. ‘Love talk. Well—’ she bit her lip ‘—you know what I mean—pillow talk, that’s it!’

                ‘Yes.’

                Did he say it too soon? she immediately found herself wondering.

                ‘Your Dutch courage drinks have gone cold,’ he added.

                Harriet grimaced.

                ‘I’ll get us something else.’ He pushed his phone into his pocket.

                ‘Don’t.’ Harriet sat up and pulled the sheet up. ‘I mean, don’t wake Isabel. She could be shocked even if she does think...’ She broke off and hoped he didn’t see the colour she felt rising in her cheeks.

                But he appeared to notice nothing as he said, ‘Isabel has her own apartment downstairs. It closes off and she doesn’t hear a thing. I won’t be long. Don’t—’ his lips twisted ‘—go anywhere.’

                She didn’t go anywhere but she did pull her knickers and her shirt on.

                * * *

                It wasn’t brandy, as she’d been expecting, that he brought back—it was a bottle of champagne.

                Harriet studied the dark green bottle with its gold foil and the two tall glasses on the tray that he deposited on his desk. ‘Should we?’ she asked tentatively. ‘In the circumstances?’