Secrets of Seduction (26 page)

Aunt Bella thought he might have taken refuge in his study. “I think you should go to him, Skye.”

“Yes, of course,” she answered, knowing the find would have brought up more agonizing memories for him.

Skye went directly to the study. The door was not locked, so she pushed it open slowly and peered inside the room. Hawk was seated at his desk, a sheaf of papers before him, but he was neither reading nor writing. Instead, he was staring down at a small, bronzed toy horse that stood on his desktop.

Quite obviously, he’d been raking his hands through his hair. And when he glanced up at the intrusion, the bleakness in his eyes was unmistakable.

Fierce compassion swamped Skye. She desperately wanted to go to Hawk. She longed to smooth back the disheveled locks falling over his forehead and ease away the lines of pain on his face. She yearned to wrap her arms around him and comfort him and drench him in tenderness and love.

But she did none of those things. Rather, she flashed him a bright smile and exclaimed cheerfully, “Good, I found you. Don’t go away, my lord. I shall return posthaste.”

With that, Skye closed the door softly and hurried upstairs to her bedchamber, all the while praying she could soon provide Hawk with at least a temporary balm for his despair.

Skye returned to
the study with her notebook listing her planned renovations and refurbishments for Hawk’s castle. The toy horse was gone from his desk, as was his look of bleakness, but his desolate expression had been replaced by no emotion at all—which was almost worse, in Skye’s opinion. She couldn’t bear for him to shut her out.

“Please, will you come with me, Hawk?” she asked. “I want your opinion about what to do with the west tower.”

“Now?”

“Yes, this very moment. It cannot wait.”

His gaze narrowed on her, taking in her attire. The serviceable apron she wore over her gown was meant to reassure him of her businesslike focus. Skye hoped she looked more housekeeper or chatelaine of the manor than seductress.

Not giving him time to send her away, she confiscated his quill pen and returned it to the stand, then pulled Hawk to his feet and preceded him from the
study. They passed several servants as they negotiated the corridors, but met no one else as they climbed a winding staircase to the circular west tower room. Upon reaching the landing, Skye led Hawk inside and closed the door for privacy.

From the high mullioned windows, one could see across the fields and meadows and woodlands of the vast Hawkhurst estate. The tower was chilly, although pale autumn sunlight gave the illusion of warmth and illuminated dust motes dancing in the air. Unlike the rest of the castle, which had been scoured and scrubbed within a proverbial inch, this particular room had been left untouched for a decade.

A set of armchairs and a side table, all swathed in holland covers, occupied one side of the floor—for reading or daydreaming or watching the sun set, she suspected. Otherwise, there was no other furniture.

Skye locked the door and turned to face Hawk, prepared to explain her ulterior motive. It distressed her to think his tragic loss might always come between them, but her own romantic dreams were nothing compared to his pain. Nothing would erase that terrible experience for him, but she could try to heal him and take the bleakness from his eyes.

Those eyes had filled with gathering suspicion as he studied her.

“I am worried that the beast has returned,” she confessed honestly. “And I hoped lovemaking would serve to lighten your mood.”

“You lured me up here to have sex?”

“Well, yes.”

She held her breath as Hawk stared at her.

His handsome features suddenly relaxed. Rather
than showing anger or vexation, he looked amused. Apparently he had forced himself to shake off the grim remembrance of his son’s toy. Skye felt so relieved, her knees went weak—yet Hawk was not ready to capitulate, she realized at his next words.

“I’m not so fragile as you seem to think, angel. I don’t need you to comfort me every time I must face a difficult memory.”

“I know. But I am not thinking only of you. I want comfort, too. I have missed you dreadfully. Haven’t you missed me?”

“That is beside the point.”

He moved toward the door, eying the handle behind her, as if intending to leave.

Skye quickly slipped the key into her apron pocket, along with her notebook. Pressing her back against the door, she spread her arms wide, creating a barricade with her body.

“Skye …” he said warningly.

“Please don’t go, Hawk.”

“You know making love is foolhardy.”

“Yes, I do. You are concerned you will get me with child. But
you
know the sponges have been effective in preventing pregnancy. I am wearing a sponge, Hawk.”

“Now?”
he repeated, his eyebrows rising.

“I inserted one when I went to my rooms a moment ago.”

His chuckle of disbelief was followed by a penetrating scrutiny. “Do you know your trouble? You are too damn manipulating.”

“Usually that is true, but not in this case, I swear. I truly need your opinion on restoring this room. And my notebook and apron were not a ruse to fool you
but the servants. I needed a legitimate reason for us to be here, and I could think of no other way we could be together, or any other place in the house where we could have privacy, and I was afraid you wouldn’t come with me if I simply invited you.… You are stubbornly unyielding, Hawk, and it is infuriating, really—”

“Be quiet, sweeting. You are babbling.”

Skye obeyed, in part because she was running out of breath. When he hesitated, she peered up at him through her lashes. “Kissing me would be an excellent way to silence me.”

He still looked unconvinced.

“I won’t let you go,” she declared.

“How do you plan to stop me?”

“Physically. You will have to wrestle the key from me. I dare you to try.”

She felt giddy with the dawning laughter in his eyes.

“I cannot believe such a big, strong hero is afraid to make love to me,” she prodded.

At the exasperation written on his face, a bubble of laughter rose in her throat and escaped her. “I want you, Hawk. Don’t you want me the least little bit?”

When she was unable to elicit an answer from him, she left off teasing him. “Please stay with me,” she pleaded.

He took a step closer, glancing down at her bosom that was covered by her apron and gown bodice. She felt the look as if he’d touched her, her nipples peaking against her chemise.

A ripple of sexual awareness ran through her as Hawk closed the final distance. She wanted to sink into his embrace and hold him against her. She wanted his mouth on hers.…

As Hawk’s face lowered toward hers, Skye sighed in anticipation, yet he didn’t kiss her. Instead, he pressed his lower body against hers, wedging her firmly between the door and his rock-hard thighs.

She couldn’t be disappointed, though. Not when she could feel the hard jut of his arousal through her skirts.

“You
do
want me,” she breathed.

“Of course I do, witch. How could I not?”

“Then show me.”

His hand slid between her thighs, his fingers curving over her sensitive woman’s mound beneath the layers of fabric and pressing firmly. Instantly aroused, she let out a soft moan.

“Hush, don’t make a sound,” Hawk cautioned. “You don’t want a servant coming to investigate, only to find me tupping you against the wall.”

“Is that what you mean to do?” she asked, intrigued.

“Eventually.”

A dart of pleasure shot through her at his words. “Then what are you waiting for?”

He made at tsk-tsking sound. “So impatient.”

“I can’t help it. You make me feel frenzied.”

“Let’s see if we can increase your frenzy.”

Easing back a step, he unbuttoned the front placket of his breeches to free his swollen erection. A shiver swept through her at seeing that masculine flesh that could give her such wild pleasure.

Wanting to touch him, Skye reached down to curl her fingers around his shaft, but Hawk wouldn’t allow it. Taking control, he lifted the hem of her apron, then caught a handful of her gown.

“Hold up your skirts,” he ordered.

Heat pooled in her lower belly. He didn’t mean to undress her, she realized. He planned to take her there against the door, fully dressed.

Her heart racing, she obeyed, baring her sex to the coolness of the tower air.

“What now?”

In answer, his fingers caressed her curls, probing until he found the bud hidden by her feminine folds. “I need to make you ready for me.”

Skye felt a tightening of her body, a rush of heat. He kept his caresses delicate and unhurried as he circled and stroked until her flesh was wet with her own juices.

“I am ready for you now,” Skye insisted breathlessly. The tingling heat of his touch only magnifying the surge of want, the delicious sensation of weakness flooding her.

“Not yet,” he pronounced.

Staring into her eyes, he slid a finger inside her and stroked her inner walls. Skye inhaled sharply. She was melting. Her breasts felt hot and tight while her sex swelled and throbbed.

“Hawk, please.…”

His eyes gleamed with little sparks of amusement. He was set on teasing her, making her wait, and judging from the sensual glimmer there, he was reveling in her helpless response.

She reached down for him again, wanting desperately to feel him inside her.

“No, not yet.”

“You are a devil.”

Hawk flashed her a slow smile full of wicked promise. He used his fingers to play her, to please her, until she was panting softly. She could tell, however, that
he was not as unaffected as he pretended. The humor in his eyes had changed to a different light. Desire smoldered and flared in the gray depths.

Skye felt a certain sense of triumph. Her heartbeat hammered in her throat as she stared back at this utterly beguiling man with the hot-silver eyes. She wanted Hawk to want her till he ached, just as he was making her ache.

Releasing her skirts, she threaded her fingers in his tousled ebony hair, trying to bring his mouth to hers, her lips burning, ready to be soothed. But still he wouldn’t kiss her. He merely lowered his mouth to her neck and pressed his lips to her pulse there, his tongue tasting her skin, sipping lightly.

At the same time, he slid another finger inside her while rubbing the nub with his thumb, stoking the restless hunger simmering in her veins.

Skye nearly groaned. Her senses were knife-sharp and almost as painful. When her knees buckled, she altered her grasp once more and gripped his shoulders to maintain her balance.

“Hawk—
now
,” she demanded in a rasping whisper.

Finally, at last, he obliged. Raising his head, he shifted his hands to her buttocks and lifted her up. Spreading her thighs to position his arousal at her opening, he began to enter her, the engorged crest pressing inside her slowly. He was full and hot and hard … iron hard.

Watching her intently, he glided into her waiting warmth, stretching her, searing her. Skye gave a soft whimper at the blissful fullness.

His fascinating eyes riveted her as he inched back out again. The friction against her slick flesh made her inner muscles clench around him. Instinctively she wrapped
her legs around Hawk’s hips. She was enraptured, filled with a strangled pleasure.

Hawk held her gaze as he moved slowly inside her, his languorous thrusts deep and sure. Skye moaned again at the primal delight he was giving her, heedless of his earlier warning.

“Hush,” he reminded her. “Someone might hear and then the game would be up.”

It was somehow titillating to think their illicit rendezvous might be discovered. The threat only increased the quaking excitement he was kindling in her. Hawk was driving her mad, pushing her to the brink but not carrying her over.

His eyes were storm-dark now, his features tight. When he clamped his hands on her buttocks to hold her in place, Skye arched her back and tilted her hips to give him better access. The naked hunger on his face burned through her senses, setting her nerve endings on fire.

Another moan vibrated in her throat. Her eyes drifted closed as his rhythm increased. She could feel herself trembling, shaking against him as he rocked her against the door. Each time he thrust, another bolt of dark fire shot through her and she gasped at the bright flare of sensation. And then she was caught up fully in the conflagration. Hawk ground himself against her as she convulsed, her body throbbing around his in shattering, fiery bursts. She shook and quaked, her response wild and abandoned.

Only then did he capture her mouth with his. In one part of her dazed mind, Skye reveled in the ravenous way he kissed her, as if he could never have enough. He claimed and stole her will while he took her body,
no longer calm and controlled, driving into her, his hard thrusts primitive and powerful and urgent, every muscle taut.

Her climax still pulsed around him as he plunged in and out of her, surging with raw passion. His name was a cry on her lips when he plunged himself to the hilt one last time, impaling her. Buried deep, deep inside her, he found his own explosive release. Hawk shuddered, his own harsh groans loud in her ear as he collapsed against her. When it was over, he pressed his face into her neck, panting for breath.