ONE WILD NIGHT by Barbara Dawson Smith

Author:Barbara Dawson Smith
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

THE MAN DOWNSTAIRS

Charlotte’s feet were bolted in place. She could hear the laughter of the couple out in the corridor, yet she couldn’t bring herself to lie down beside Brand. “You’re mad if you think I’m going to climb into bed with you.”

“This is no time for maidenly quibbles. They could walk in at any moment.”

Still, she stalled. “Are the linens fresh?”

“Dammit, Char. They smell like a frigging summer breeze. Now, move.”

She swallowed her misgivings and lowered herself to the mattress, keeping a decent six inches away from Brand.

Instantly, he scooted closer and pulled the sheets up to their necks, locking her in his embrace.

Charlotte stiffened, overwhelmed by the heat of his body and the feel of his muscular chest against her bosom. The solid weight of his leg lay over hers. A deep pulse of awareness affected her, but she resisted the urge to snuggle against him, to lay her head in the cradle of his shoulder.

She could endure this intimacy for a few minutes. Nothing would happen. They were fully clothed, after all.

In fact, she was safer here in bed than she’d been in his coach. He wouldn’t dare try anything wicked, not when someone could come into the chamber at any moment.

Then she gasped as Brand nuzzled her cheek. His raspy skin and warm lips sent ripples of sensation through her. Out of self-preservation, she angled her face away. “Kindly keep your distance.”

His gruff chuckle made her imagine all the things they could do in the darkness. Amusement filled his gaze along with something else, something hot and dark. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” he said. “But how believable will it be if someone finds us lying at opposite sides of the bed?”

The truth of that made her tremble and from more than his closeness. They could be in grave danger if she refused to play her part. He would be in danger, for Brand had been a member of the Lucifer League.

“Blast this ruse,” she said with feeling.

He grinned. By the feeble light of the candle, she could see every long, dark lash framing his eyes. Beautiful eyes, smoky gray, mysterious. And that scarred mouth that she wanted the freedom to kiss. Brand. Lying with him like this had long been the substance of her secret dreams.

The reality was so much better.

“It wasn’t my idea to bring you to the Vaughns’ party,” he reminded her. “I’d have rather left you home. However, now that we’re here…” His fingers trailed up and down her back, and a silken note entered his voice. “You do realize we’re going to have to make this look realistic.”

She was realizing it. Far too feverishly.

“Not until whoever it is walks into the room,” Charlotte said, hoping she didn’t sound breathless. “If they walk in at all.”

“We’d better be prepared. They’re still out in the corridor. I can hear them.”

She could hear only the rapid beating of her heart, smell only his spicy masculine scent, feel only the welcome weight of his body.

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