Blushing beneath his intense scrutiny, Brianna nervously dampened her lips, wrenching a groan from Edmond’s throat.
“How did you…”
“Shh,” he commanded as he crossed to perch on the edge of the bed, setting the candle on a French lacquered side table.
She pressed herself against the headboard, clutching the blankets even tighter. Absurd woman. As if a tiny bit of space and a few scraps of cloth were going to protect her.
“How did you get into my room?” she demanded again, although in a rasping whisper.
“My grandfather had secret corridors installed during the Reign of Terror in France. I believe he feared that it was only a matter of time before the English peasants instigated a similar uprising.” Edmond smiled wryly. “He was quite prepared to flee, rather than stand his ground and have his head lopped off. A wise, if not very courageous, decision.”
“Secret corridors? How very convenient.”
Before she could guess his intention, Edmond shifted to plant a hand on either side of her hips, not only preventing her escape but bringing him closer to the sweet, lush mouth that had haunted his thoughts all day.
“I had no idea how convenient until tonight,” he murmured softly.
He watched her visibly resist the urge to wet her lips again. Clearly, she sensed the hunger surging through his tense body.
“What do you desire?” she asked.
Edmond chuckled, moving forward to steal a kiss before moving back to watch the blush deepen on her ivory cheeks.
“That is a foolish question, ma souris. You know precisely what I desire.”
“Have you taken leave of your senses? Your aunt is just across the corridor. If she even suspects you are here, I will be ruined beyond all repair.”
“Which is precisely why I used the secret doorway,” he drawled. “No one will ever know I was here unless you are foolish enough to attract unwanted attention.”
Brianna sniffed in disdain at his logic. “You can use all the secret doorways you like, Edmond, but nothing escapes your Aunt Letty’s notice.” Her gaze narrowed in suspicion. “You must know she is far and away the most intelligent of all your relatives. She will never believe this farce. Indeed, I doubt very much she will even believe you are Stefan.”
Edmond shrugged. “She can be tediously insightful.”
“Then why did you choose her as my companion?” Brianna pressed, her brows drawing together as he considered refusing to answer the simple question. “Edmond?”
“Because I knew that you liked her.”
“Oh.”
Taking swift advantage of her obvious bemusement, Edmond shifted even closer. Close enough to feel the soft curve of her thigh against his hip and the brush of her breath on his cheek.
“You sound surprised.”
She struggled to summon her usual prickly nature, but it was obvious she was still caught off guard, and not a little bewildered.
“Why shouldn’t I be? You have not devoted much effort to pleasing me.”
Edmond breathed deeply of her sweet, lavender scent, his body already stirring in anticipation.
“On the contrary, Brianna, I have exerted a great effort into pleasing you,” he retorted, his voice thickening. “It has been you that has halted those efforts.”
Edmond sensed her tremble, even as she sought to deny the powerful attraction between them.
“You mean pleasing yourself.”
“If that is what you believe, then allow me to prove otherwise.”
With a smooth motion he shifted to capture her lips, his tongue urging hers to part and allow him entry into the sweet depths.