TheCharmer (24 page)

"So the problem is?"

He drew his gaze from her décolletage with a sigh. "The problem, Rose," he clapped his hand to his wounded arm, "is that I cannot control this piece of dead wood enough to trust myself not to hurt someone." The last words were betrayed by his hoarseness. Damn his voice for breaking.

Rose crossed the distance between them in a bound. Her supple arms surrounded him, pulling him close for comfort he'd never dared ask for.

Rose closed her eyes when she felt his arm come around her. She'd embraced him impulsively, pulled by his pain. Too late, she had worried for her own. But he didn't push her away. Instead, he took that comfort, dropping his face into her neck with a gusting breath that warmed her skin and her heart.

"I would try for you," he whispered.

He was too tall to coddle, though she longed to heal the broken boy within him. He was a man, with a man's touchy pride and walls of stone around his vulnerability.

As their touching flesh warmed, she was distracted by her own still-tingling state of arousal. His body was so hard against hers, his muscles and broad chest like rock to her softer flesh. A man, indeed.

She wanted to be naked with Collis. Now. She wanted to see and touch and kiss and bite every inch of naked Collis.

He barked a short, hard laugh into her neck, making her realize she'd spoken aloud. "Your wish is my command, lady spy." He stripped off his shirt in a single nearly graceful movement, but for the way his damaged arm tangled the matter. She pulled the silk from him the rest of the way, too impatient to wait, and tossed it to the floor. He moved to take her in his arms again, but she pressed both hands to his chest.

"Wait. I want to look."

Emotions flickered in those gray eyes. Surprise, arousal, and… wariness. She must erase that. "This is not the first time I've seen you thus."

"True."

"I like your chest." She spread her hands wide over the thick muscles covering his torso. He sucked in a breath when she dug her nails in slightly. She'd wanted to do this for so long… maybe all her life. The gleaming flesh she had only allowed herself to fight, now she was allowed to love.

If she died tomorrow, she would be furious with herself for passing up this chance. He didn't love her, of course. She didn't mind. She loved him and that was enough for the moment.

It wasn't as if there was ever going to be another.

Both saddened and liberated by that thought, she stepped back from him. His hand rose as if to reach for her. His one hand.

In a flash, she had understood so much. All those "conquests," all those flirtations—lies. A mask, a fog, to hide his dark and painful insecurity. What a demon for a man to keep inside!

Ah, but then, she was a trained fighter, was she not?

She danced another step away. "Shh."

He obeyed, but dark warning flickered in his gaze. She liked him obedient, she decided. For now. He burned deep, she knew that of him. When he burst into flame—she shivered in anticipation of that erotic danger.

But there was something she must do first. She took the pins from her hair and let it fall. His lips parted at the rich blue-black cascade down her back. Then she pulled slowly at the tiny bows binding the bodice of her "virginal" dress. The silk parted easily, as it was designed to do, so that by the time she'd untied the last one at her waist, her breasts were fully exposed to his hot gaze.

The room was warm, but her nipples crinkled nonetheless as the air caressed them. She refused to shiver, however. Louis had liked her shy and shivering and cowering—she would not shiver with Collis. She would not play shy, pretending she did not want him as badly as he wanted her.

Neither would she declare her love. There would be no point in it, nor any profit. This was a one-night affair. She would not waste precious time with pretense.

With her chin high, she stepped forward once more to rest her right hand on his left shoulder. His left arm showed little difference to the right, thanks to Kurt's strengthening regimen. His flesh was firm and ruddy, his muscles thick and corded. Only his hand seemed different—lifeless and still compared to the flashing competence of the right.

She slid her hand down to entwine her fingers with his stiff ones. He watched this, making as if to pull away. She tightened her grip. "Shh."

She raised both their hands to press a kiss to his fingers. They jerked, a spastic movement that nearly crushed her fingers. She covered it gently with her other hand, as if capturing a wild thing. His gaze was guarded and unsure now, as if he actually feared her rejection. Bloody idiot.

She slid her fingers out from between his in a slow release, enjoying the heat of his hand captured in hers. She spread his palm over her bare breast and closed her eyes, letting the glow of manly warmth ease the ache in her aroused nipple.

"But I cannot feel you," he whispered.

"Selfish thing.
I
can feel
you
." She opened her eyes to smile at him. "Or don't you care?"

He made a confused, frustrated noise. "Of course I care, but how you could enjoy the touch of that dead thing—"

"Dead? When it is as hot as those coals?" She looked down at his sun-darkened fingers spread open over her paler flesh. Lovely. Louis had such soft, white, damp hands. "And this is not a thing. I see strength, and power. This is a warrior's hand. An artist's hand."

"No longer." He almost pulled away then.

She caught him back and pressed him tighter to her. "I like your touch, Collis. This is
you
, not some rock tied to the end of your arm. Perhaps it doesn't work as well as you like, but neither do my eyes. Or do you hold my spectacles against me?"

He smiled slightly, the old roguish Collis appearing for a moment. "I like you in your spectacles. You look so serious and studious. I used to fantasize about taking them off to kiss you."

"What a delightful thought."

He laughed, then gently pulled his hand away. The motion lacked his previous panic, though. "Now who's the selfish one? I'd very much like to feel you now."

"Another charming idea." She dropped her head back and closed her eyes, offering herself freely, delicious anticipation tickling her spine.

She felt the heat of his body as he stepped closer. His right hand came to rest on her other, rather lonely breast. So warm, like the other, but there ended the similarity. Collis Tremayne certainly knew his way around the female nipple.

"Oh, damn," she said softly to the ceiling. "I'm surely in trouble now."

His chuckle swept across her bare neck, awaking new tingles. He kissed them away, never ceasing his teasing, plucking caresses.

"Both hands," she whispered. " 'Tis only fair. Two breasts, after all."

"I—I have no control," he protested. "I might hurt you."

"Am I a hothouse flower, then?" she asked, throwing his words back at him.

He laughed. "You remember? I thought you near unconsciousness."

"Touch me, Collis. I am a common weed, a briar, remember? You cannot hurt me."

His left hand came up to rest over her breast. He made no attempt at the subtle skills of the right but only cupped and warmed her with his palm.

"Not a weed. A briar rose. A survivor," he murmured as he tasted the skin of her throat. "Have you ever tried to kill briar roses in a pasture, Rose?" He kissed the spot where her murmur of denial originated. "Hack them, burn them—they grow back more beautiful than ever, blooming like mad, perfuming every breath, until you'd rather let them be than destroy them."

His words nearly brought tears to her eyes. Too close, too vulnerable.
Careful
. She snorted irreverently. "Are you trying to say I've grown on you?"

"I'm trying to say that you are strong, you are lovely, and you smell so damn good—" He wrapped both arms about her waist and slung them both bodily onto the mattress. His left arm held too tightly, but she would have died rather than say so. He growled into her neck, then pulled up to glare into her eyes. "I think you should shut up now… until I make you scream."

She gazed up at him saucily. "I double-damn dare you."

He came down upon her even as she rose to meet him. It was like a dance, an ancient dance bred into their bones, each of them exploring the other in a celebration meant from the beginning of time. His hands, both of them, stroked down her body beneath him as he kissed her. Subtle curves, subtle beauty, all the more precious for being his to discover.

"I love your hands on me," she murmured into his lips. "Play me. Let me be your instrument."

Smiling, Collis slipped to one side of her, pressing her body to his length. His left arm supported her and held those pretty breasts arched high for his hungry attention. His right hand was for her. He slid his dancing fingertips down her taut belly to her bare navel. Farther… and she shivered in his arms. He took her rigid nipple gently between his teeth just to feel her tremble again.

The quiver traveled through her body, leading his questing hand farther like an arrow pointing his way. The gown only parted so far. He flattened his hand and slid it beneath the fabric, seeking her secret like the spy he was.

Her hips leaped slightly at the touch of his nimble fingers combing into her silky nest. She was so ready to be played by him. He found her sweetly dampened and eager for him. He could drive himself into her now and he knew she would not object.

Later. He was too busy making soft and breathy music fly from her lips. The piano required a delicate touch, a way of sneaking up on the note and making it sound without ringing. Rose was more sensitive than any ivory or ebony keys. With the merest shiver of his fingertips, he found her note and made her sing it.

When her orgasm swept her, he pulled her close and kissed her, taking the music for his own. When he released her, she lay dazed in his arms while final tiny quivers visibly rang through her.

Eventually she caught her breath. Pity. He'd enjoyed watching her pert breasts heave. Then she smiled up at him and slid her hands up his bare chest. "I begin to see where you earned your reputation."

Then, quick as a wink, he found himself on his back on the bed and Rose above him. Laughing in surprise, he was soon sobered by the way she kissed his neck and ear.

Rose was still thrumming from her experience. Her body felt alive and shivery. More. There was more to come and she wanted it. Still, a little demon of competition would not allow her to lie back and let Collis do all the seducing.

She threw one thigh over him and straddled his body, trapping his erection beneath her, yet hiding everything with the skirt that still clung to her hips. His hands began to slide up her legs to her hips, but she pressed them back down to just above her knees. This was her turn. Bare-breasted as a Greek goddess, she pinned him down while she did her best to drive him mad.

His body was like rock and satin and hot embers. She spread her open hands across the breadth of his chest but didn't even begin to cover it. Wide, broad, and strong. On impulse she bent low and bit lightly at his muscular shoulder while she ran her hands between them to stroke his rippling taut stomach.

He grew beneath her, pressing larger and firmer to her center. She couldn't resist a small grind of her hips, just to hear him groan. He did. Satisfied that he was not the only one who could elicit hungry noises, she desisted. There was still so much strong, hard body to explore.

Her fingers encountered the waist of his trousers.
Now that won't do
. Slowly, she unbuttoned his placket while she watched his face. His gray eyes were shadowed and hotly intent and his breath came quickly. His hands tightened on her thighs, but he made no attempt to reroute her intentions.

Smiling, Rose slid back slightly to free his erection into her hands. When her fingers closed about him, he arched involuntarily beneath her and his head tipped back, eyes closing. Submitting entirely to her whim.

She could get used to that. Then she fell to exploring his sex with all the curiosity of a woman all too tired of her own dreams. He was thick and hot and filled her two hands. When she tightened her curious grip, he flexed against it and grew yet more before her wide eyes. Her own body throbbed right back in response.

Oh, heavens. This is going to be interesting.

Abruptly she decided she was all done with her game of catch-me-if-you-can. Keeping one hand wrapped warmly about him, she leaned down to kiss him back to her. "Toss me," she whispered.

She was on her back before she could take another breath. Collis, freed from his polite submission, was a hungering beast. Hot hands, hot mouth, urgent body—

The remainder of their clothing took only a moment's attention. Then they were skin to skin at last. Collis took her mouth with his as he came to rest between her thighs. She responded fearlessly, her arms about his neck, her legs about his waist. "Come inside," she whispered, as if inviting him home.

Home
. "I don't want to hurt you," he said softly as he rested the tip of his erection at her center. She only kissed him in answer. He drove steadily, deeply within her, every instant of the journey a torturous pleasure. In that instant, everything changed. Something like awe swept him at the feel of her around him. Yes, they were like two pieces of the same stone, broken apart aeons ago, then brought together at last, the fracture made whole.