Reckless Desire (Saved By Desire 6)

“Damn it, you have to come with me,” he whispered. “I cannot leave you here to face Sayers alone.”

Whether she had a previous connection to Sayers or not was irrelevant now and he knew it. Whatever she had gotten herself involved in with that man, he would help her out of it and if that meant facing Sayers in her stead then so be it.

“Marguerite,” he murmured several moments later.

When she didn’t answer, he tipped her chin up. The gentle sweep of her lips was like a beacon to him, drawing him closer. The soft brush of her breath wrapped around him, daring him to taste temptation.

The silence of the hallway embraced them and drew them closer. He eased her slowly toward him. She went willingly, not least because his quiet strength gave her the confidence she needed to ignore all of her current worries and fears, and take what she needed right now. She couldn’t quite understand why it was him she appeared to need, or what he could offer her that she couldn’t get from being inside the house by herself. Whatever it was, she couldn’t question it because she knew it couldn’t be denied.

She wanted him. It was as simple as that. And, if the look on his face was anything to go by, he wanted her just as much.

Joe knew it was wrong. Everything screamed at him to stop before it was too late to go back, but his head lowered anyway. He paused for a moment and waited for her to have second thoughts and stop him, but she didn’t. When he could sense nothing but calm acceptance in her and so closed the distance between them and kissed her.

Unlike before, in the Carmichael’s library, this kiss was fierce. A need, unlike anything Joe had experienced before roared through him. Holding her firmly against him, he plundered, driven by the desire pounding through him. He wanted her, needed her, and knew then that he had to have her. Whatever the consequences, to her, to himself, to his job with the Star Elite, he had to kiss her. The fire burning through him refused to be quenched. It overtook everything and demanded complete surrender.

Marguerite clung to him. Her hands clawed at the fine material of his shirt as she returned his kiss. Raw need started to blossom deep inside her that she knew only he could satisfy. She had no idea what it was about him that attracted her; why this man, or why now, but the desperate need to take was so strong she couldn’t resist it. Consequences didn’t exist. In that moment she knew she would go anywhere with this man as long as he could fulfil the ache burning deep within.

“It will be alright,” he murmured as he peppered kisses down her neck and into the hollow at the base of her throat. He had no idea if he was assuring her or himself, but he was going to do everything in his power to make sure that she was.

Marguerite arched her back to allow him greater access when he nuzzled the hollow at the base of her neck. A low moan escaped her. At first, she didn’t realise it had come from her until Joe grabbed the back of her head with a gentle hand and guided her face back up to his.

Their lips locked and ground together. Breaths mated, as hands scoured clothing, desperate to get to the wondrous promise of soft flesh beneath. It wasn’t enough, for either of them.

Suddenly, three rapid knocks echoed around the hallway. It was like a bucket of iced water to the pair of them. Joe lifted his head and looked at the door. At first, his face was hard but then he remembered where they were, and what they had been about to do. Looking down at the woman in his arms regretfully, he slowly released her.

Marguerite felt the sudden rush of passionate need evaporate into the ether so swiftly that at first, her mind couldn’t comprehend that it had actually happened. She had never believed such desire was possible before now, but it did and it had happened with the man now looking just as dumbfounded before her. His consternation made him seem softer somehow, and considerably more approachable than he had ever been before. So much so that she began to look at him with fresh eyes. She knew that she wanted more of this man no matter what the consequences.

She had never been a calculating person, and much preferred to be up front and honest with people. However, when it came to experiencing such wondrous sensations again, she began to plot how she could get him to share it with her again, and as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, that left her in a quandary because if she had any hope of ever achieving that she had to keep him a part of her life. That left her with little choice but to go with him wherever he wanted to take her.

Confused, she frowned at him.

“That wasn’t meant to happen,” Joe began in an attempt to thwart any scolding she might give him.

“I know,” she replied. “I was just about to say that I cannot leave with you.”

She knew immediately that he was going to object, and he did.

“Well, I am not leaving you here, and that is final,” he said flatly. “Neither can I stop because I have people waiting for me.”

“Who?” She demanded. After that kiss, she needed to know as much about him as she could.

“You will find out in good time, but not right now.” Joe sighed. He suspected he was going to have to toss her over his shoulder again and carry her out of the house even though it would cause a spectacle for Sayers if he was watching the house. It would be better to persuade Marguerite to look as though she wanted to leave the house with him, and they were together.

Jesus, can this get any more complicated? Joe sighed when she looked at him with lambent eyes.

“Are you going to walk or do I have to carry you?” he demanded.

Marguerite’s brows lifted at his bluntness. If she didn’t know better, she would think that he was just as shaken by what they had shared as she was. It galled her that she couldn’t ask him, but decided to shake him up a bit, just to see how he would react.

Folding her arms she studied him thoughtfully, blatantly ignoring the second series of knocks on the door beside them.

“Where are we goin

g?”

“To another part of London,” Joe replied.