Forever My Love(27)

Like a lazy cat sprung into action, Alec caught hold of her rampaging fists and rolled over, pinning her beneath him. She continued to berate him with a flood of the saltiest language he had ever heard from a woman, consigning certain portions of his anatomy to a painful fate… swearing at him until they both were choking, she from anger, he from laughter.

"I couldn't help it," Alec said, gasping with amuse­ment as he pinned her hands on either side of her head and tried to still her violent thrashing. "I just couldn't… Mira… just wait… you don't really blame me, admit it."

"You are shameless!" she snapped, struggling against him and attempting to box his ears. "How dare you sham Abram when I was… You mop-squeezing pimp, you prigging muckworm…"

As she made wounding observations about his char­acter and ancestry, a gold medallion on a finely wrought chain hung down from around his neck and rested against her chest. It was warm from his skin, lying in the hollow of her uplifted breasts and burning into her like a brand. Mira paid it no attention, too occupied with her efforts to twist her wrists out of his confining grasp. She glared into his eyes, which were gleamingwith deviltry. It had been a long time since anyone had teased her like this, a long time since someone had encouraged her to play. Suddenly a choked laugh sscaped from her, a fact which he pounced on immedi­ately.

"There. You just laughed—"

"I did not!" Mira protested hotly, trying to scowl and ruining the effort with another chuckle. She gave up trying to maintain her anger as her shoul­ders trembled with laughter. "I thought you were on your deathbed! I had no idea you were such a talented actor."

"All the Falkners are good at feigning illness—it was the only way we could get out of our lessons."

"You must have been a terrible little boy."

"Very likely." Alec grinned at her. "But I was my mother's favorite."

She laughed breathlessly, shaking her head at him. "You're impossible." She looked up at him, unable to keep her expression from softening with concern. "But… you're not really hurt, are you? What happened today? Your clothes are sooty, and you smell like gunpowder—"

"Sanborn's powder flask exploded and I happened to be nearby. I'm told that the boy is fine, a little singed around the edges, but he's being taken care of."

"Perhaps I should see if I can do something to help him," she said, trying to wriggle off the bed, but Alec pinned her down more securely, his coal-black hair falling down over his,forehead. Mira frowned, becom­ing aware of how easy it was for him to hold her still—she could struggle with all her might to escape and it would make no impression on him.

"I need you more than he does."

"All you need is some rest… and a lengthy reacquaintance with soap and water," she said, pullingat her wrists with growing agitation. "It's safe for you to let me go now. I won't hit you again."

"How can I be certain of that?" he purred, and her wrists remained imprisoned. Uneasily she shifted be­neath him, realizing for the first time that she was helplessly splayed out under his body.

"Lord Falkner—"

"Alec," he corrected, staring down at her with dark­ening gray eyes, his face becoming utterly serious.

"I can't call you that."

"I won't let you go until you do."

"Do you always use physical force to get your own way?"

"With you it always seems to be the most conve­nient thing to do."

"Alec," she said obediently, trying to pull away… but still he held her pinned to the bed. Their bodies were entwined far too intimately, his chest pressing against her breasts, one of his tautly muscled thighs impacted between hers. He smelled of sweat, horses, and smoke, a primitive scent that caused a quiver inside her midriff. "Alec, please…" she said, turn­ing her face away from him. Her wrists were trans­ferred into one of his hands, while the other grasped her chin and turned her face back. She shivered, clos­ing her eyes in denial even while her heart pounded in anticipation and her skin prickled with heat. "Don't," she protested faintly.

"Do you know why I can't let you go, Mira?" His voice was husky and deep, tickling her ear. Her breath caught in her throat as he kissed the soft spot behind her earlobe… she felt the sensation of his mouth all through her body. "You were meant for me," Alec murmured, brushing his lips over her temples and her fragile eyelids. "You belong to me more than you'll ever belong to Sackville… I want you more than he ever could. There's something about you that pulls at me, something I can't resist. I don't know what it is, Idon't know why you do this to me… but you feel it too. You know as well as I do that we're going to end up together, no matter how you try to resist it."