“Edmond, for God’s sake, are you deliberately attempting to ruin my reputation? It is bad enough…”
Her words faltered as Edmond stalked forward, his features hard with a lethal intent.
Hastily she backed away, slamming into the wall. Edmond did not halt until he was standing mere inches from her, his hands landing on the wall on either side of her head.
“When I decide to ruin you, Brianna Quinn, you will know,” he warned, his breath brushing over her cheek. “For now what I want is for you to pack your bags.”
Brianna blinked in confusion. “What?”
The brilliant blue gaze swept restlessly over her face, almost as if his thoughts were not entirely upon their conversation.
“We leave for Meadowland within the hour.”
“Meadowland? Why?”
“What does it matter? You have been tediously demanding to be taken there since you stepped foot in this house.”
Brianna shivered as the heat of his body warmed her through her sheer peach nightgown.
“And you have pig-headedly refused my demands, if you will recall. So why have you suddenly decided to go in the middle of the night?”
He paused, considering his words. “I have duties to attend to. You will be safer beneath Stefan’s protection.”
Brianna stiffened. Of course. How stupid of her. He had visited his mistress, had he not? What use did he have for an untried female?
“I see. You have had your fill of me and now I am to be handed off. Only to be expected, I suppose.”
“Had my fill of you?” He growled deep in his throat, his eyes flashing fire as he used his hard body to press her against the wall. Brianna shuddered as he buried his head in the curve of her neck, his erection a hard thrust against her lower stomach. “You are a fool.”
Brianna clutched at the lapels of his jacket, the feel of his lips caressing the tender curve of her neck sending sheets of fire through her willing body. The exquisite sensations were stealing any resolve to deny the fierce need that she could sense trembling in his taut body. She wanted this. His heat, his desire, his hungry demand that was more arousing than any amount of tenderness.
“On that we both agree.” Her eyes squeezed shut as his mouth moved down to capture the tip of her nipple through the thin fabric of her robe.
“Ma souris.” His ragged breaths rasped through the air as he tugged her robe upward. “You are driving me mad.”
“Edmond…you said we were leaving…”
“Shh.” He captured her lips in a silencing kiss, his hands clumsy as he dealt with the buttons of his pantaloons and positioned the tip of his erection at her entrance. “Do you want me?”
Brianna swallowed a groan of frustration. Dear lord, he was so wonderfully close, and yet refusing to enter her completely.
“Please, Edmond.”
“Say the words, Brianna,” he demanded against her lips. “Tell me you want me.”
Reaching up she shoved her fingers into his hair and arched her body against him.
“I want you.”
He kissed her with savage satisfaction as he tilted his hips upward and filled her with one smooth thrust.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
BRIANNA WOKE THE NEXT morning with a sense of bewilderment. It took long moments of studying the cherubs painted on the ceiling for her to recall she was no longer in her chambers at Huntley House, but instead in a pretty gold and cream room at Meadowland.
A glance toward the window revealed that the sun was slanting across the Persian carpet. She had slept far later than usual, but that was hardly surprising given her eventful evening.
After their sweetly furious bout of lovemaking, Edmond had watched in silence as Brianna had packed her bags and descended to enter the waiting carriage. Her hands had trembled as she had folded the various satin and silk gowns into her valise, but her composure had remained grimly intact.