[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.“Well, of course I am.I have to leave for London the day after next, and I’m trying my damnedest to get to know you as much as possible before then.And he picks this morning to stop by and demand information.Why not tomorrow? Not only that, but he droned on and on.How hard is it to arrange the church and plan a party?” Declan asked in exasperation.He received her beautiful laugh in return that brought a smile to his lips.“Apparently it’s harder than either of us realize.Lilly’s been crazed all week already making plans for it.She keeps trying to get my opinion, but what do I know about weddings or parties?” Allana replied with a huff.“You’re going to have to learn, for I’m certain we’ll have a few parties ourselves, love,” Declan said.He hadn’t meant to call her love.It had simply slipped out.Not that it meant anything.It was just an endearment.Part of him believed that, but the other part was beginning to wonder how he truly felt about this woman by his side.He knew falling in love with her was possible, but could it happen so soon?As the week passed by, he began spending more and more time with her.At first it had just been the ride and a brief walk afterward.But each day he seemed to find some excuse to stay and simply be with her.She was enjoyable, and their conversations were actually enlightening.She talked politics, horses, hunting, and other pleasant subjects as well.To be able to have such diverse conversations with such a stunning woman was heaven.As his trip to London neared, his irritation and disappointment at having to go deepened.Before he’d met her, he had been looking forward to the trip.Now he wanted nothing to do with it.Could he be falling in love with this woman already?“Can I not enlist somebody else to do it for me, like your secretary?” she asked with a play pout.Her words brought him out of his thoughts.“My secretary? He would love that.”“So I suppose that is out of question,” came her disappointed reply.“No, I was serious.He would love that.Your only problem would be his insistence that you help.”She laughed.“I guess that’s better than planning one myself and failing miserably.”He smiled at her.This conversation should have been strange to him.A lady who did not want to throw a party? Unheard of! But after getting to know Allana and her unique ways, the things she was telling him were perfectly normal.It was marvelous.He could picture her following him out to work or accompanying him on a morning hunt or simply joining him for a nice afternoon horseback ride.She would do anything except the typical things women did.“What are your plans while you’re in London, my Lord?”Why did she insist on calling him that? He stopped walking, turned her toward him, and placed both hands on her shoulders.“Allana, how many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me my Lord?” he asked pointedly.She smiled playfully, and he realized she’d done it on purpose.“At least once more…my Lord.” Light danced in her eyes as she looked up at him.He frowned.She was toying with him.He wanted to laugh, but that plaguing desire to lean down and kiss her washed over him for the hundredth time that day.Damn it! Stop it! He shouted in his head.“Oh, Declan.If it makes you so angry, I’ll stop doing it,” Allana said lightheartedly.“I promise.You can stop scowling now.”“What? I’m not scowling, and if I was, it wasn’t at you,” Declan replied defensively.She giggled.“Not at me? Then at whom? I don’t know about you, but I don’t see anyone else about.”He looked around and realized she was right.They had walked to the rose garden and were very much alone.Just one kiss.One simple kiss.“I believe you’re right,” he said as he stepped purposefully toward her, moving one hand from her shoulder to the back of her neck.They were so close now; he could almost feel the rise and fall of her chest as her breathing increased.He studied her but a moment, eyes searching her face looking for anything that would tell him to stop his intended actions.Her smile had slipped, but what replaced it was nothing short of plain desire.She stood there expectantly, looking up at him as though waiting for him to finally kiss her.And so he did.It started innocently, a gentle touch of the lips, but when she parted her lips slightly, touching his face with a trembling hand and releasing a soft sigh of pleasure, the innocence slipped.Impulsively, he pulled her to him, deepening the kiss.Their lips moved together, melding and gliding, searching for more.Fire burned through him, fed violently by her eagerness.Why had he resisted this ecstasy for so long? Why hadn’t he taken her in his arms days ago and—Logic tried to force its way through that raging fire that drove his need for her.There was a reason he hadn’t kissed her since the mud incident.He knew there was, but he couldn’t fathom what it was.They kissed almost savagely.She seemed as hungry for him as he was for her.One arm wrapped around the back of his neck to pull her tightly against him as her fingers snaked through his hair.His hands roamed greedily up her sides and down her back; anywhere and everywhere except for where he really wanted to place them.The two were a wild, tangled mess, but it was glorious!His eyes opened just enough to scan the area for a place to take her, to lay her down and—Again logic tried to force its way into his mind.This isn’t the way you want to do this! it seemed to say to him.Oh, but he wanted her! And he was certain she would let him—No! He couldn’t do this to her, not here, not now!He forced control, forced himself to slow down, forced his hand from her leg he had dragged up around his hip.It was difficult, damned difficult.And she seemed just as reluctant as him to end their moment of passion.But it had to be done! He would wait to have her until their wedding night!He held her close, breathing raggedly and felt her do the same.He pulled away just barely to look at her beautiful face and possibly brush her lips once more with his.Instead, he simply frowned at her.When did he pull her hair from the bun? “This will not do.”Her face paled, and she looked panic-stricken.“What?” she whispered in worry [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]