Kresley Cole - If You Desire

Something was different about her this morning. From the time he'd left her last night, fighting not to kiss her, to now, she'd become colder. He felt it strongly.

"I dinna see him. The door was open, and Rolley's nowhere to be seen."

"Then your guess is as good as mine. Why don't you run down there and check again?" She turned, dismissing him.

"You're coming with me. Put on a robe."

When she ignored him, he scanned the room for a wrap. No wonder she'd been searching for something. Shoes, stockings, laces, and satiny corsets littered the room. Dresses were puddled where she'd dropped them. So much disorder. Hugh hated disorder, craved the opposite in every aspect of his life.

He finally spotted something that might cover her. "Put this on."

"I'm not going downstairs until I'm fully attired. I'm late as it is for an engagement." She chuckled as if at some private joke.

"We have a problem, then." For all he knew, Weyland and Rolley had been taken down. "Because I'm no' letting you out of my sight."

"And why is that?"

"Your house is empty with the door unlocked."

"Call down."

He strode to the doorway. "Weyland," he bellowed. No answer. "The robe, Jane."

"To hell, Hugh."

Why was she the one woman on earth he didn't intimidate?

"I've told you I'll go when I'm ready."

"Then dress yourself," he grated.

"Leave the room."

"No' going to happen."

"Turn around, then." When he didn't, she tapped her cheek and said, "But there's nothing you haven't sneaked a peek at before, is there?"

Stunned by the difference in her, he grated, "As I said last night, lass, there's little you have no' shown me."

Her eyes glittered with anger. "But just as you've changed, so have I." She put her shoulders back and pulled her hair behind her, clearly aware that her figure had become even more tempting.

He scrubbed a hand over his mouth, about to say something he shouldn't. "Just dress," he ordered. As he turned from her, he caught his reflection in the basin mirror and scowled. He was well aware that the years hadnot been kind.

One night's restless sleep had done nothing to alleviate his exhaustion, and for the last three days, his injuries had prevented him from shaving.

Was it only three days ago that he'd been in a war? That he'd killed?

Now her reflection caught his attention. He watched her in the mirror as she poised a dainty foot on a stool to roll her stocking up one long leg—

He found his jaw slackening in wonderment when she slid her gown higher to wrap the wickedest garter he'd ever seen around her thigh. As she tied it into a perfect bow, his hands clenched the edges of the washstand so hard he thought he'd break the marble.

That last summer, she'd always worn her garters high. Because her shifts were so short….

He forced himself to look away. When he heard stiff material rustling, he asked, "Are you no' done yet?" He didn't recognize his voice.

"Be patient with me, Hugh." How many times had he heard that phrase?

He exhaled and answered as he always had, "I try, lass."Think of other things. He spied her bow propped up near the doorway and noticed fresh blades of grass affixed to the bottom of her full quiver. He was pleased she'd kept up with her archery.

He'd bought Jane her first bow, and helped her with her aim, and by the end of the summer, she could split a wand at a hundred paces. She'd taken to shooting as if she'd been born for it.

Perhaps she had. In the past, when she wasn't torturing him with coy smiles and soft words and touches, Jane had been a bit…fierce.

He glanced at her dressing table and saw a book entitledA Gentlewoman's Apprentice . Probably a scathing satire, knowing her. He picked it up, finding that the cover was a false one stretched over the real cover. Brows drawn, he opened it and scanned some pages, quickly comprehending the nature of the content. A swift perusal of one scene told him this was more lewd than anythinghe'd ever read.

The idea of her reading these writings didn't outrage him—it aroused him, and blood rushed to his groin with each word he skimmed. After swallowing, twice, he grated, "Where do you find books like this?" Without turning, he held it up over his shoulder.

In a bored tone, she said, "All the printers on Holywell Street sell them."

"Is this what young ladies are reading these days?"

"Very much so. Women patrons ensure that our favorite bookseller returns from his grubby little Holywell shop to his grand estate outside of the city each night. He can't print them fast enough. You can turn around now."

No…no, he couldn't.

At length, after getting his erection under control, he turned and found her holding out a necklace to him. "Hugh?"

He crossed to her and took it, and she gave him her back. Tendrils of dark red hair lay starkly against the alabaster skin of her neck. He wanted to press his lips there more than he'd wanted anything in his life, and was a heartbeat from doing so. Instead, he inhaled her perfume—so light as to be a mere tease of fragrance, but spicy.

Then his big hands, which had never been clumsy except around her, fumbled for several moments. Once he'd finished, he lost the struggle to keep from stroking the backs of his fingers over the soft, smooth skin of her neck.

When she shivered, he briefly closed his eyes.

"Hugh, did you just touch me?" she asked, her voice sultry. When he said nothing, she turned, gazing up at him. Her breaths were shallow—he doubted he breathed at all.

His eyes darted to her lips, and she saw it.

"Did you?"

"It happens, when you fasten a necklace, does it no'?"

Her brows drew together in puzzlement, but without waiting for an answer, he grabbed her hand, pulling her along the corridor and down the stairs.

They found Weyland in his study, gazing at his late wife's portrait, absently rolling a letter as one might roll a map. The man schooled his features immediately, but Hugh had always known how much he missed his lovely wife, whom Jane favored so strongly. Weyland faced them and forced a smile, but he appeared exhausted. He looked twenty years older than when Hugh had seen him just months ago.

"MacCarrick, it's good to see you, son."

Hugh didn't shake hands since he still clutched Jane's. "You as well, Weyland."

"Papa," Jane said, yanking her hand away, "please tell me why Hugh was allowed to walk in on me dressing."

When Weyland raised his graying eyebrows, Hugh gave her a baleful look. "No one was here and the door was unlocked. I thought that was…unusual."

"Oh, yes, well, Rolley was with me in the mews. The damned coal vendor was shorting us again," Weyland explained, as if he would ever worry himself over something so trivial. "Jane, I want you to wait outside my study for a few minutes."

"Can't, Papa. I'm supposed to meet Freddie at Hyde Park this morning," she said airily.

Hugh's stomach clenched.Freddie?

"Do give Frederick my regards."

Who the hell is Frederick?

She nodded and swirled out of the room without a backward glance at Hugh.

Hugh said, "I go with her, if you have no one else."

"Quin's got it. She's just going down the street," Weyland assured him, but Hugh continued to stare after her. "You know, all of Jane's beaus call her Plain Jane." Weyland gave a chuckle. "I suppose sarcasm passes for wit among these young bucks today. But who can keep up with them? I only remember Frederick Bidworth because he's lasted so much longer than most."

Now Hugh glowered at the door. Beau? Just how long had "Freddie" lasted?

"So I trust your moonlighting went well?" Weyland asked.

Hugh turned, frowning until Weyland pointed to the cuts down the side of his face.

"Aye, successful," he said, inwardly shaking himself. Just a casual suitor. An innocent meeting in the park. So why this sudden roiling in his gut?