Page 134 of A Perilous Passion

He’d promised her nothing, given her no good reason to want to see him. He’d only teased and taunted her, and made lewd remarks. What did it matter if he was bravely hunting down felons instead of living an aristocratic life of ease? That made no difference to her.

She’d be wise not to meet with him.

She must find him immediately and tell him categorically not to come.

She scanned the crowded ballroom, then strode purposefully around it like a cat in search of prey. She investigated the buffet room, poked her head into the card room, and through the main entrance doors. She even went up to the balcony for a better view of all the guests. To no avail.

In fact, she hunted for him for almost half an hour.

But Rafe had completely vanished.

Chapter Fourteen

“What a splendid evening, don’t you think, Charlotte?” exclaimed Mama as they rattled their way home in the hired carriage. “The Culverdales have performed a major coup. From now on, they can do no wrong in this neighborhood, mark my words.”

“I felt sorry for Dorothea Daniell,” said Aunt Flora. “She’s such a delightful young lady, yet she had barely a name on her card.”

“Ah, but how full was dear Charlotte’s!” her mother said. “You must be exhausted, child, and your slippers worn to threads.”

Charlotte didn’t give a fig about her slippers. She rubbed at the side of her face where her now discarded mask had chafed, her mind in a whirl. Her heart was clattering like a bird-scarer, and no thought, breath, or movement, could calm it down. Far from relaxing into exhausted sleep, she knew she’d toss fitfully about, wrestling the urge to peep out the window to see if Rafe was waiting below.

Or worse, climbing up the trellis.

She would have to go down to the garden as soon as the rest of the house was abed and tell him to go away directly and not annoy her again.

Having made this resolution, her heart gradually reverted to its usual rhythm, and, once they arrived home, she was able to say her good nights with such composure, no one could have guessed she had an assignation planned.

No, not an assignation. Just a brief meeting to set things straight.

The clock had struck three before the household was quiet enough for her to go downstairs. She changed into an old gown and wrapped a voluminous shawl about her shoulders, to make it quite clear she had no interest in stoking Rafe’s desire, and took from her dressing table the small bottle she’d hidden behind the mirror.

She softly unbolted and opened the kitchen door, sending some animal scurrying away amongst the lettuces. The bright moon edged the laurel leaves with silver as she crept around the side of the house to the shrubbery below her bedroom window.

Though she thought her movements completely silent, a shadow immediately detached itself from a dark patch of foliage and strode toward her. She halted and raised her head, ready to tell Rafe in her most quelling tone that he must leave at once.

But she’d barely opened her mouth when he pressed his lips ardently to hers.

Her struggle against him was short-lived…and would have been pointless in any case. The man gave no quarter. She surrendered to his kiss until she felt she was drowning, until all willpower had left her, and he was the only certain thing in the world holding her up. He pulled her close against his body, until she felt her very soul had melted and joined with his.

“I must insist—” she attempted when he lifted for a breath.

“Hmm?” His mouth was on hers again, moist and hot, and his hands grasped her shoulders, holding her in place.

She brought both hands up to his chest and pushed, eager to say her piece, but her treacherous lips clung to his, refusing to be torn away from the exquisite sensations he evoked.

With another great summoning of effort, she forced a gap between their bodies and gazed up at him, her fingers lodged in his lapels.

As she tried to marshal her thoughts into the rejection she meant to administer, she saw he was no longer in his Grecian costume. When had he found the opportunity to change?

“My lord,” she managed at last. “I insist you leave at once. I came only to tell you that, and bid you good night.”

“I’m not going anywhere. I’ve waited this last hour for you, and I want to ensure my time wasn’t wasted.”

“And what, exactly, do you mean by that?” she asked, and immediately wished she hadn’t.

“Let me demonstrate.” He pulled her against him again. This time he didn’t seek her lips, but instead found the lobe of her ear. As he suckled and tugged at it, his fingers began to lightly stroke her neck, sending ripples of sensation across her skin.

She was pressed against the whole hard length of him, feeling his every movement reverberate through her, awakening an avalanche of feelings and making her pulse race.