“What are you doing?”he whispered as quietly as he could, desperate to understand her jerky movements.Though it helped mask his voice that some of the buffoons were crooning her name.
“Creating a diversion.”Her lips left his ear.Until that point in time, he never knew an ear could hold a grudge.
He felt her body turn, and then it must have been her arm swinging, because he heard a crash on the other side of the room.
“Did you just throw something?”
“I needed to divert their attention.”
“What did you throw?”
“Just an old book I happened to see on the mantelpiece?”
“You threw Humes—”
And then for the only plausible reason he could think of—that is, she wanted to shut him up—her lips were on his.
Chapter 4
ITWASDARK.HEwas so close.And he was a powerful, handsome man.Having hardly spoken to him she already felt consumed by him.His presence.His command.Her body took action all on its own.
That was what Astrid was telling herself as her lips pressed into his.
She hadn’t thought it through, though.The idea had probably been to silence the madman who was giving away their location.All her efforts to lead them away from where she originally stood were being overridden.But if the idea was that kissing meant no talking, how long did she want the no talking thing to continue for?Because it was continuing…
She had never before kissed a man beyond a peck on the cheek, yet here she was, initiating it.And eager for more.
If the waltz had knitted her soul to his, this kiss was sewing her body to him.
His hands tightened around her ribs as his tongue ran along the seam of her mouth.It was an invitation to open, and she RSVPed immediately.
His tongue was in her mouth.A burning passion swept through her.Her nipples were little pebbles now, grinding against his chest.
But they were in the middle of a game.Although it was dark, surely someone was cheating and could potentially see what was going in when they walked close enough.
With a quiet groan, she pushed back.
He still had his blindfold on.She stared as his mouth hung open and ragged breaths escaped him.
“Later,” she whispered.He nodded as a slow smile took over his face, and she was dazzled by more flutters in her stomach and a tingle that ran up her arm.This was the first time she had seen him smile, and she was addicted to it.Even with a blindfold covering his eyes and the two of them in a darkened room, she could see how his smile lit up his face.She had an uncanny sense that his smile could light up her life if she let it.
She reached up and slid the blindfold from his eyes.Her fingers streaking through his soft, satiny tresses.His eyes flapped shut with her movements.
“We must continue,” she said.
His eyelids flew open.
“The game.”
He looked around, as if in remembrance of where they were.
“Let’s get this over with then,” he agreed gruffly.
The two of them made little effort to dodge the rest of the blindfolded guests, and the game was nearing its end.
One man was left.Everyone could see him now, but he still had on his blindfold.The whole group of them were making sounds to call him over, but the man was plastered.He was tripping over every little speck of dust to float in the air.He was on his hands and knees, crawling over to them in laughter.As he approached he tugged on Astrid’s dress.She felt the bodice shift downward and glanced at her chest to ensure her ladies were still in place.
Michael grabbed the man by the arm.With a growl, he said, “All right.You’ve touched her now.Game’s over.In fact, call it a night.”
