He grinned. “Your wish is my command, my warrior queen.”
She broke away and didn’t look back, knowing she couldn’t leave him even for a minute if she could see him.
Ever the optimist, she’d set out the sponge and the vinegar earlier. It took only a moment to insert them. She’d been less than truthful when she told Mackenzie there would be no consequences from their intimacy. His name would be engraved on her heart in letters of fire until she died.
But she would do her best to ensure that there would be no disastrous physical consequences. If she became with child, he was gentleman enough to marry her, but she didn’t want an unwilling husband.
Coal rattled as he built a fire. Then clothing and boots rustled as he stripped. The knowledge of what he was doing was wickedly exciting. She pulled off her corset, shift, and stockings, balling up the garments and tossing them over the screen one at a time.
“You know how to add fuel to the flames, don’t you?” he said admiringly.
“I try.” With sudden absurd shyness, she released her thick, dark hair and shook it out to fall to her waist in a shining mass.
After drawing a deep breath, she stepped from behind the screen. She had been told she was beautiful since she was a willful child. Here was the ultimate test.
From Mackenzie’s stunned expression, she passed the test. “Oh, my lady,” he breathed. “How can you look as innocent as Eve and as desirable as Aphrodite at the same time?”
“I am neither Eve nor Aphrodite, though I’m glad you think so.” Her eyes narrowed as she studied every splendid inch of him, from the thick waves of his brown hair to his broad shoulders and chest and down to narrow hips and muscular legs. And most certainly she saw the evidence of how much he desired her.
He could have modeled for a Greek sculptor, but living flesh was far more moving. “You are also beautiful, Damian, but not, I think, innocent.”
“Definitely not innocent.” He moved forward to take her hand. “But tonight I feel reborn. As if this is my first time.” He linked his fingers through hers and rested her hand above his heart.
The motion drew them together so only inches separated them. She was close enough to feel the heat of his body. Their hands were not too dissimilar in color, but she was tan all over in contrast to the English paleness of his torso.
She moved forward and pressed her softer body against his firm muscles and angles. Male and female, designed to mate. Their arms slid around each other as they kissed with sweet exploration.
It took only a dozen breaths for that sweetness to blaze into hot tongues, eager hands, and wildfire. It was time to suggest they not waste this nakedness standing up when it would be even more useful when they were lying down.
Before she spoke, he scooped her up. One powerful arm curved around her ribs while the other supported her bare thighs, causing liquid heat to flow in hidden places.
While depositing her on the bed, he managed to sweep the covers back so she lay on the softly worn sheets. She tried to draw him down, but he pushed her arms away. “I’m ravenous,” he said, his gaze intense. “So I will dine on you before the final course.”
He braced himself above her so his chest and thighs and . . . and
maleness
were just barely touching her, with insanely erotic results. Then he licked her ear as she’d done to him earlier. As she gasped, his mouth moved to her throat. She writhed against him, half mad with wanting more.
His mouth moved down her body, suckling her breasts. She buried her fingers in his softly waving hair. She hardly noticed the slow stroke of his hand up her thigh until his fingers slipped into moist, secret welcome.
As she teetered on the verge of shattering, he trailed kisses down her torso. His tongue lapping her navel, his lips across her belly . . .
Merciful heaven!
When the heat of his skilled mouth and tongue covered the incredibly sensitive center of sensation between her legs, she exploded uncontrollably. Her hips thrashed and her nails bit against his skull. He stifled her shriek by locking a hard hand over her mouth as she splintered into mindless rapture.
As awareness gradually returned, he raised himself and moved between her knees. Entering her was a smooth act of possession, apart from a sharp moment of resistance before they were united in the ultimate intimacy. She opened dazed eyes to see surprise in his face. That vanished when she rocked against him, driving him deeper, filling her and creating wholly new sensations.
Her movement triggered a climax as swift and rapturous as hers had been, and brought her to another culmination. He groaned helplessly, thrusting again and again until their mutual paroxysms faded. She squeezed her eyes shut, reveling in the rich scents of sex and the peace that lay beyond the storm.
She had dreamed of this, and Damian Mackenzie had surpassed her dreams.
Chapter 24
Shaken in every particle of his being, Mac barely managed to roll onto his side so he wouldn’t crush Kiri. Even allowing for his three years of celibacy, this was passion and fulfillment beyond his imagination.
They were sharing a pillow, allowing him to admire the elegant line of her profile. His heart clutched when he saw slow tears seeping from her closed eyes. Dear God, had he made another disastrous mistake where a woman was concerned? She’d seemed to want this as much as he.
Concerned, he asked, “Kiri, what’s wrong? Did I hurt you?”
That triggered a thought that he put aside when she opened her eyes and gave him a glorious smile. “Not sad tears. Happy tears.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Even so, they’re unnerving.” He propped his head on his hand and studied her as he drew the covers over them. The fire wasn’t enough to warm the room now that they no longer created their own heat.
He returned to that earlier thought, mentally replaying every vivid instant of their encounter. Disbelieving, he said, “I’m no expert on such things, but . . . I would have thought you were a virgin. But you said you weren’t?”
“I said I wasn’t an innocent.” She held his gaze steadily. “But technically I was a virgin, I suppose.”
“Damnation!” he exclaimed, his lazy well-being vanishing. “If I’d known that, I would have managed to hang on to my conscience and keep my distance!”
“Which is why I misled you, Damian. I’m sorry I was less than honest, but I can’t be sorry for the results.” She offered a tentative smile.
A chill was sinking deeper and deeper into his bones. “I would appreciate an explanation. I won’t believe it if you say that you have fallen madly, irrevocably in love and decided to seduce me into marriage. I’m not that much of a prize.”
Her expression turned wistful. “I know you’re not the marrying kind, and while I was willing to mislead you into my bed, I would not trick you to the altar.”
“Then why?” he asked, baffled. “Straightforward lust? That’s powerful.” Incredibly, mind-meltingly powerful. “But in the case of a strong-minded young lady like you, not believable.”
“The answer is complicated.” Her gaze moved away to the ceiling.
“Then pray enlighten me so I’ll know whether I should be angry,” he said dryly.
“I hope you aren’t, though you have the right.” Still not looking at him, she continued, “In India, I fell in love with one of my father’s young officers. It was the head-over-heels love of youth and first passion. Charles was honorable and refused to ruin me, but we were very young and craved each other desperately. We found ways to meet privately when we could.”
The vulnerability on her face was very different from her usual blithe confidence. Beginning to see where this was going, he said quietly, “So together you explored all the varieties of passion short of actual intercourse?”
She nodded, biting her lip. “It was wonderful. Intoxicating.”
“Did he change his mind?” He hoped her Charles hadn’t condemned her for her mixed blood! If that had happened, he’d hunt the young devil down and wring his neck.
She gave a humorless laugh. “I wish he had. Instead, the blasted man got himself killed. He was leading a patrol in the mountains up a narrow track that crumbled away, dropping half of his men into a rough river below. He was a strong swimmer and went into the water again and again and managed to save all but one. He was going after that last man when he ran out of strength and . . . didn’t survive.”
“Oh, my dear,” he said softly. “I’m so sorry. But a good officer looks after his men, and he was clearly a good officer. He died a hero.”
“I know.” She blinked back tears. “But I wish his duty hadn’t killed him.”
Mac pulled her close. “I don’t think lying with a man you don’t love is the answer, my dear girl. I wish I could be what you need.”
“But you are.” She gazed up, her face only inches away. “Losing Charles left a hole in my heart, and also . . . anger. I wished we’d been lovers so I would have had that.”
“I’m not him. Not even close.” He smiled wryly. “Heroism is not among my limited list of virtues. Nor do I like the idea of being a . . . a substitute Charles.”
Kiri gave a quick shake of her head. “That’s not it. You are very unlike. But you make me laugh the way he did.” She frowned. “And . . . I desire you as I haven’t any man since Charles died. Perhaps even more than I did him, though saying so seems disloyal.”
It was hard to stay irritated when an amazingly beautiful woman said she desired him so much. “Now you know what you were missing.” His voice softened. “Though with Charles you would have had love as well as desire, and that would have added a whole new dimension.”
“Likely you are right, but . . . time has passed. I am not who I was then. At least after tonight, I can finally move beyond that terrible loss.” She stroked her hand over his chest. “You and I will be together now while we can, and then go our separate paths. When I am a staid old lady, I will remember you with a wistful smile and no regrets.”
He laughed. “You will never be staid, Lady Kiri.”
“If I can’t be staid, I shall be an eccentric old lady instead,” she said calmly. “With cats, like the one that has materialized on the foot of the bed.”
He looked down and saw a tabby curled up on the corner of the bed as if it had been there all night. “Where the devil did that cat come from?”
“I’m not sure. I think Puss has a secret way in and out of this room.”
He shook his head. “I think you’ve already achieved eccentricity, but that’s all right. Aristocrats can get away with things lesser folk can’t.” He sat up, the air cool against his skin as the covers fell away. “I can’t undo what we just did, but I can prevent it from happening again. You have the completion you wanted and can now find a man more worthy of you when you return to your real life.”
She caressed his thigh. “As you say, we can’t undo what we’ve done, so what is the point of denying what we both want so much? We will have a fortnight or two to share pleasure. Later on, won’t you regret being noble now?”
“Yes,” he said firmly, “but regret is better than behaving like a scoundrel.”
He was about to get out of the bed when her hand slid over his thigh to cup his genitals. He froze. A minute before, he would have said he was sexually drained and incapable of performing for at least a few hours.
He would have been wrong.
“Kiri,” he said helplessly, unable to think, no longer sure what was right and what was wrong. “Every time we come together, we increase the risk of damaging each other.”
“No. We won’t.” As he hardened under her hand, she pulled him into a kiss.
It was nearly dawn before he returned to his own room.
On this night, the Powells’ kitchen produced an excellent joint of mutton and sliced potatoes baked with cheese. Mac concentrated on his food, afraid to look at Kiri for fear of what might show in his face. She sat demurely on the other side of the table, not looking at him.
He was still torn between sense and lust. Those big green eyes were very convincing when she claimed continuing as lovers wouldn’t ruin her any more than the night they’d already spent together. His instincts were screaming at him that he should never touch her again, yet she undermined his willpower as no woman ever had.
He must master himself before anything more happened. Good Lord, what would Lady Agnes say if she knew he was sleeping with Ashton’s sister? He shuddered.
Kirkland entered, looking drawn and tired. He didn’t object when Cassie filled a plate for him and added a glass of wine. “Mac, after getting your note earlier, there’s now a watch on Rupert Swinnerton. Cassie, have you and Rob learned anything interesting?”
She nodded. “We’ve identified the boxer who died. He was a Dublin prizefighter who went by the name Ruffian O’Rourke. He came to London to make his fortune but wasn’t good enough to be really successful, so he drifted into doing less legal work.”
Kirkland grimaced. “Then it’s time to plan Mac’s funeral. If it were held in London, too many people would want to attend, which will complicate matters when he returns to life. I’ll put a notice in the paper that the funeral will be out of town. O’Rourke’s body will be sent back to Dublin, where he can be buried under his own name.”
“You wrote Will?” Mac asked. He could deal with the complications of other people thinking he was dead, but not Will, the only real family he had.
“The morning after your alleged death,” Kirkland assured him. “He should have my letter before any London newspapers reach Spain.” He glanced at Cassie and Carmichael. “Did you learn enough about O’Rourke’s associates to provide a lead to the kidnappers?”
“We should know more in a day or two,” Carmichael said.
Kirkland nodded, and discussion became general. When the meal was done and the investigators were leaving to prepare for another evening of work, Kirkland said, “Mackenzie, will you stay a moment? I need to speak with you.”
Being called Mackenzie wasn’t good. Warily Mac obeyed, wondering what Kirkland had to say that the others didn’t need to hear.
The other man waited till the door to the dining room closed and the two of them were alone before he said in an edged voice, “I do hope I won’t have to explain to Ashton that it’s my fault you seduced his sister.”
Mac felt the blood drain from his face. “What gave you a notion like that?”
“I’m not a fool,” Kirkland said in a clipped voice. “You’re both practically radiating lust, and the work you’re doing throws you together entirely too much. She’s an innocent girl, so I suppose it’s not surprising that she’s intrigued by a dashing rogue, but you damned well know better than to play games with her.”
If Kirkland thought Kiri was innocent, he clearly didn’t know what she was really like. Nor did he seem to know what had happened the night before, which was a relief. Kirkland usually knew everything.
“I know what Lady Kiri is,” Mac retorted. “If we truly respected her youth and position, we wouldn’t have allowed her to take part in this investigation.”
Kirkland’s mouth tightened. “I regret that it was necessary.”
“Nonetheless, you were willing to take her on,” Mac pointed out. “Duty is a hard taskmaster. To be honest, I’m glad I didn’t have to choose between taking advantage of her bloodhound talents and keeping her safely in her own world. But don’t blame me because she’s here.”
“It wasn’t an easy decision, but the stakes were high.” Kirkland’s eyes showed his weariness. He’d made too many difficult decisions in his years of hidden service.
Mac’s sympathy ended when Kirkland added, “Save your seductions for the worldly women at Damian’s. You’ll be back there in a few weeks. Surely you can go that long without a woman.”
Even if Mac hadn’t been celibate for several years, the remark ignited his temper. “We can’t all be happy living like monks,” he snapped.
Without moving a muscle, Kirkland’s expression changed to white rage.
Kicking himself for having trespassed on the unmentionable past, Mac said, “Sorry. That was uncalled for.”
“An understatement,” Kirkland growled.
“Give Lady Kiri credit for knowing her own mind,” Mac said, trying to sound conciliatory. “She’s intelligent, worldly, and not all that young. Most women her age are married with children.”
“I know you’re right.” Kirkland sighed. “But she isn’t just any intrepid young woman. She’s special.”
“She is.” Thinking of what had happened the night before, Mac continued, “If it makes you feel better, I promise not to seduce her.” It had been quite the other way around. “My job is to protect her, not ruin her.”
Kirkland collected his hat in preparation for leaving. “I’m sorry for not trusting you on this. I know better, but it’s been a demanding week.”
“For all of us. Now if that’s all, I’ll be off to some more gambling hells with the lady in question.”
Kirkland nodded, and Mac left the room. He’d been upset the night before when Kiri had chosen her words carefully to imply something different from the truth. A lie in intent if not words. Now he’d just done the same thing with Kirkland.
Starkly he faced his abominable behavior. He had succumbed to Kiri’s delicious self the night before, but he must not let that happen again.
He knew what the right thing was. He just wasn’t sure if he could do it.