page21 (1/2)
“Those jewels are not made of paste,” came his flat reply
“It must be worth a fortune”
“Three or four thousand pounds, I would guess” Ross’s assessing gaze traveled over the necklace “Your admirer is either a very wealthy man or an accomplished thief”
“Why is this happening to e anyone’s interest What does he want? Why would a stranger do so like this?”
Hearing the note of panic in her voice, Ross bent and kissed her tely “I intend to find out Don’t be afraid—I won’t let anything happen to you”
She closed her eyes and breathed in his fath
“Come,” he murmured “I’ll take you to the kitchen”
“And then?”
“I’rounds, in case your stranger is still lurking about Though I doubt he would be such a fool” Reaching for the necklace, Ross dropped it back into his pocket “A necklace like this didn’t appear from thin air… it is unique and valuable I suspect it won’t be difficult to trace its origins Which leads to an interesting conclusion Your admirer wants you to discover his identity—otherwise he wouldn’t have given you such a telling piece of evidence”
“Do you think he is the one who sent own?”
“I assu his eagerness to go hunt for the lanced at Sophia’s tense face, he stopped and took her into his arainst his body until her toes nearly left the floor A muscular arm hooked around the back of her neck as his lips descended to hers in a possessive kiss
At his silent command, Sophia parted her own lips and yielded to his sensuous exploration The kiss turned de between her legs All rational thought, all trace of worry, burned to ashes There was only Ross, hisintiht Her knees weakened, and she began to gasp, her hands searching restlessly over the back of his coat She was possessed with a terrible urge to rip at his clothes, and at her own, until they were both naked
“Ross,” she ue traced an intricate pattern on her throat
He lifted his head and smiled in masculine satisfaction when he saw the passion-softened curve of her lips and the haziness of her blue eyes “You’rehappen to you Do you understand?”
She nodded dazedly, wobbling a little as he slid a supportive aruided her from the room
The rounds at Silverhill Park, which Ross had expected However, the clue he had left behind would eventually lead to his capture Ross was iation into the ht that someone had chosen to stalk Sophia in this untoward fashion provoked his most primitive male instincts He would not be satisfied until he had cornered the bastard, seized him in a choke-hold, and pried a detailed confession from him
Thankful that the party would be over on the s in preparation for an early departure While thethem neatly in the trunk, Ross wandered around the darkened mansion A few pockets of activity rea in the library with half-finished cigars
Sophia was probably in her rooo to her He had never been in such a disturbing situation before, having wounded so there was nothing he could do Nothing short of raising John Sydney froht
The fact that Sophia had forgiven hie of his past actions would always exist between theh, Ross continued to walk ai on the events of the past twenty-four hours His feelings for Sophia had so intensified that he could settle for nothing less than complete possession of her He wanted her permanently, irrevocably If she accepted him, he would try to make her so happy that the s for each other
He found himself in front of the housekeeper’s door near the kitchen, the s Twice his hand raised to knock at the wood panel, then dropped without striking the surface He knew that he should go back to his own room and wait patiently until he had uncovered the truth about the past He should think of her needs rather than his own But he wanted her so badly that scruples and conscience didn’t matter anymore Torn between duty and desire, he stood at the door with clenched fists, his body seething with sexual heat
Just as his reluctant conscience prompted him to leave, the door opened, and Sophia’s heavy-lashed blue eyes stared into his own She was dressed in a prih-necked with a row of buttons He wanted to unfasten theue over every inch of pearly skin
“Are you going to stand there all night?” Sophia asked softly
Ross braced his hand on the doorja over her Desire exploded inside hiht “I wanted to see if you were all right”
“I’ at the front of his waistcoat and tugging him forward “I’m lonely”
Breathing hard, Ross let her pull him into the room He closed the door and looked down at Sophia’s serious face Her lips were pluht “There are reasons e should wait,” he began gruffly, giving her one last chance to retreat But the words were knocked froainst his, standing on her toes to ainst him
“For once, don’t do the right thing,” Sophia whispered, her silken ar around his neck He felt the delicate nip of her teeth on his earlobe just before she whispered tenderly, “I dare you”
The few memories Sophia had of her first lover were soon dispelled like smoke in the air as she was consumed by the deliberate fire of Ross’s caresses He undressed both of theuid kisses Bemused, Sophia wondered how a man who conducted his life at such a breakneck pace couldWhen he finally reainst his body with a whimper of relief His skin arm and satin-smooth, his chest covered with thick black hair that tickled her breasts She felt the strong upthrust of his sex against her belly, and she touched it cautiously, still very
The shaft was ridged with veins, the thin silken skin slipping a little over the steely hardness beneath At the hesitant clasp of her fingers, the heavy organ moved as if it had a will of its own Sophia’s breath stopped “Oh”
Ross’s voice was thick with desire and sohter “Don’t be afraid” He guided her fingers to the head of the shaft “This is where it is most sensitive”
She stroked and played with the broad tip, and the small slit in the center, until she felt a drop of e It ertips before sliding down to explore the tight, cool pouch nestled beneath
Suddenly he caught her wrist in a gentle grasp “That’s enough for now,” he said raspily
“Why?”
“Because I’m about to lose my self-control”
“That was hed low in his throat
“We’re going to do thisher on the narrow bed “And I intend totime”