“I told you that I do not barter for sex, Emma. With or without you in my bed I intend to capture my father’s ship and return it to Russia so I can expose those involved.”
Her stomach fluttered as his breath brushed her lips. A distant part of her understood the danger of provoking this man. Another part, however, was hurt and angered by his refusal to accept her desperate need to take part in rescuing her sister.
“So you can have your revenge?” she accused.
“Of course.”
“While my sister—”
“Will be safely escorted to her home along with any other victims,” he muttered, his fingers tangling in her hair as his lips skimmed down the line of her throat.
Her heart leaped with a treacherous excitement. “Dimitri.”
“Yes, milaya?”
“What are you doing?”
He nuzzled the pulse that hammered at the base of her throat. “I do not particularly care for your implications that my only means of persuading you to share my bed is with blackmail.”
Her toes curled in her sensible boots, her body humming with sizzling awareness. Desperately, she pressed her hands against the hard muscles of his chest. This explosive reaction to Dimitri Tipova was a danger she did not know how to battle.
“I will not be distracted.”
“If you believe all I desire is to distract you, then you are even more naive than I suspected.” He breathed against her sensitive skin.
“No, Dimitri.” She arched away from the tormenting kisses. “It is past time that I return to Vanya’s.”
The golden eyes narrowed, a slash of color staining his high cheekb
ones.
“We have not finished our discussion.”
“I did not realize we were sharing a discussion. It seemed very much as if you were issuing orders and expecting me to obey them.”
His brooding gaze lowered to study her lips. “If you will recall, I also offered you an invitation.”
Her pulse gave an eager leap at the memory of his words. Despite her innocence she recognized the touch of a master. Dimitri would be an exciting, skillful, wholly consuming lover. The sort of lover that women would sacrifice husbands, riches, social standing—and all they possess to claim.
He would also be forceful and overbearing and convinced he would always know what was best for those under his protection. He would demand that she give away her hard-earned independence and that was a sacrifice she was unable to make.
Not when he would soon enough lose interest and leave her to salvage her tattered life. She had been abandoned too many times to risk yet another loss.
Before he could guess her intent, Emma was shoving him away so she could hastily rise to her feet.
“The same invitation that I have turned down from other gentlemen who promised to protect me…”
“Do not compare me to that bastard.” He fiercely overrode her words, his eyes blazing with frustration.
“Then do not insult me by treating me as if I am a foolish chit who must depend upon a man to survive.” Collecting her cloak, she headed for the door. As humiliating as it might be to admit, she could not trust herself when Dimitri was near. One touch and she was lost. “I am perfectly capable of caring for myself and my sister.”
She had reached the door when Dimitri was blocking her path, his hands reaching to grip her shoulders.
“Where do you think you are going?”
“To Vanya’s.” Emma tilted back her head, forcing herself to meet his dark glower. “I will walk if necessary.”
His fingers tightened, his temper at the breaking point.