Princess Charming (Legendary Lovers 1)

“You are not to blame for Deering’s attempt at blackmail,” he reminded her gently.

“No, but perhaps Papa would not have died had he not suffered that vile stain on his good name. Even facing disgrace, he was determined to retain possession of Emperor for me. If he had given in, Deering would have withdrawn his spurious accusations. And now my father is gone with no chance to absolve his name.”

Ash understood her grief at losing her father, since he’d experienced the same grief. His own most ardent regret was losing his beloved, vivacious, larger-than-life parents long before their time. But Maura’s guilt was misplaced; she had not killed her father simply because she had dearly loved her horse.

Ash’s first impulse was to comfort her, yet he knew she was unlikely to accept comfort from him. Thus, he settled for repeating his offer.

“I trust now you will allow me to help you fight Deering.”

She exhaled another heavy sigh. “I am sure it is too late now to make any difference.”

“I never expected you to take such a defeatist attitude.”

Despite his deliberately provoking tone, Maura didn’t reply. Ash couldn’t tell if her silence was due to despondency or merely a return of her usual stubbornness. He would much prefer stubbornness.

Reaching down to catch her wrist, he drew her arm away from her face.

Her eyes were shut, but with the golden sunlight warming her ivory skin, her beauty struck him anew. She had pulled her hair back into a tight chignon, but there were damp wisps framing her face. Gently he pushed a tendril back from her temple.

At his first touch, her eyes fluttered open. She gazed up at him until he traced her lips with his fingertips. Then she went still, staring at his mouth, as if she’d forgotten to breathe.

A moment later she swallowed hard, and her voice dropped a husky octave when she spoke. “I know what you are about, Lord Beaufort. You mean to seduce me into accepting your help.”

Ash could have truthfully denied the accusation just then. There was really nothing so calculated in his motives. Moreover, actual seduction would not have been honorable. But since logic hadn’t worked, perhaps a bit of sensual coercion was in order. He was highly confident of his persuasive talents when he exerted his charm, even with unwilling females like Maura Collyer.

Curiosity was also driving him. He wanted to know if the fire he’d felt between them last night had been an aberration or a trick of his senses because of the unusual circumstances.

And then there was the intriguing question about her possibly being his ideal mate.

But most of all, he couldn’t ignore the simple fact that he wanted her.

“I hadn’t thought so far ahead as seduction,” he murmured in reply. “But now that you mention it …” Bracing his hands on either side of her head, he bent closer.

At his nearness, her eyes flared, accentuating the gold flecks in the hazel depths. When he lowered his head the final distance to kiss her, Ash heard Maura draw a sharp breath. Yet she didn’t fight him when he captured her mouth. She merely hesitated a heartbeat before parting her lips beneath his—if not in welcome, then without resistance.

At the delectable contact, the familiar fiery sparks shimmered through Ash; the same lightning-in-the-blood sizzle as during their first embrace. This kiss was sheer heat, a heady sensation that went straight to his loins and only magnified his urge to stake his claim to Maura.

He hadn’t imagined his fierce sexual attraction for her, he concluded; it had only been tamped down. If anything, the primal lust he’d felt last night had deepened. Especially when she yielded to him more fully, returning his kiss with untutored skill.

He forced himself, though, to keep the pace unhurried as he savored her soft lips, her tantalizing, womanly warmth. Angling his head to permit his tongue greater access, Ash eased down beside Maura on the grass and gathered her against him.

The kiss stretched for an enchanted interval. Time seemed to slow, while pleasure welled and surged between them with the rhythm of their shared breaths.

Lost in the moment, Ash slid one hand to her throat, then lower, caressing her lightly. He felt her thudding he

artbeat even through her riding habit and the stays of her corset.

There were too many restrictive layers of clothing between them, he thought with increasing frustration, yet he could remember the warm swells of her bare breasts from the previous evening, the sweet taste of her nipples.… In response, his rising maleness swelled and throbbed painfully inside his breeches.

It was all Ash could do to stave off the burgeoning ache as he slipped one knee into the cradle of her thighs. Their bodies fit together perfectly, as he’d suspected they would. Maura might have felt a similar rightness, for she murmured incoherently—an alluring sound—and reached up to twist her fingers in his hair.

The craving to possess her only intensified inside Ash. His lips plied hers more urgently as his hand splayed over her stomach and trailed down over her skirts. She was hot and restless now, arching against him, making soft whimpering sounds in her throat as she clung to him and returned his devouring kiss.

Desire rode Ash hard, spurring aching hunger and sharp need. He could imagine taking Maura on the warm grass just now, could almost feel himself sinking into her hot, welcoming flesh.…

When he cupped her woman’s mound through the skirts of her riding habit, she gave a moan and rocked her hips, pressing against his hand. Seeking to heighten her pleasure, he stroked slowly between her thighs, arousing her with deliberate provocation.

Yet it wasn’t enough. He wanted more, much more.