“I doubt it.”
His grin was audacious and captivating, his eyes a vivid, wicked blue. “I think you must be telling a shameful falsehood. Come, admit it, mouse, you find me irresistible.”
A warm laugh bubbled past her control. “I find you impossibly conceited.”
Niall tilted his head at the bell-like sound of her laugh. “You are entrancing when you laugh, do you realize that?”
Her heart tumbled over itself at his remark. Doubtless he was giving her false coin, but still she felt herself succumbing to the virile charm. “I expect countless women find you entrancing, but I think your prowess as a lover much overrated.”
“Come, now, pet, I might become insulted.”
“That would be impossible!”
His smile softened. “I shall take pleasure in proving you wrong. No lass has spent a night in my bed and yet been unsatisfied.”
“I am honored to be your first.”
“Did you not enjoy the feel of me moving inside you, sweeting?”
Sabrina shut her eyes briefly, fighting the erotic image of their bodies joined. His sensuality was a weapon he held over her, and the wretch damn well knew it. “If you expect me to pay homage to your carnal talents, you will have a long wait.”
“Just so I do not have to wait for you. Come, sweeting, I am not accustomed to begging for female companionship.”
“Perhaps you should. You might find it beneficial.”
He shook his head. “I can see you have a great deal to learn about the art of dalliance. When a man asks if you enjoyed his lovemaking, you should declare yourself enchanted.”
“Had I been enchanted, I might have admitted it.”
Niall was the one to laugh this time, a wry, pained chuckle. “My wounded vanity may never recover.”
“I’m certain it will. You have only to seduce your next female and it will be quite whole again.”
“I want no other female but you.”
“Now who is telling falsehoods?” Sabrina plucked at a thread of her skirt. “I…am not the kind of woman who could ever please you.”
His expression suddenly grew sober. “You can and shall please me in every possible way. Come here, Sabrina.” When she remained frozen, he patted the mattress beside him. “I never took you for a timid lass. But perhaps our Highland ways are too fierce for you, and you are not up to the challenge.”
Vexed as he intended her to be, Sabrina rose abruptly, determined to prove him wrong. She might be unable to change her plain appearance, but she was not a mouse in spirit.
She hesitated, however, when Niall tossed aside the covers, exposing his nudity. He presented a riveting contrast to the pale linen sheets, his body an awesome line of broad chest and naked, rippling thigh, all lean-muscled strength and bronzed skin.
She wanted desperately to avert her gaze, but then she noticed the discolored flesh on his right hip—a wicked gash that in her nervousness she had missed seeing previously.
“You are hurt,” she murmured in sympathy.
Niall’s mouth twisted wryly. “A wound from an unfortunate mishap. But it is healing. Do not think to change the subject, mouse. Do as I bid and come to me.”
A mixture of
desire and excited apprehension coursed through Sabrina as she forced her feet to move.
When she was close enough, Niall reached out to capture her wrist and drew her down to sit beside him. The warmth in his blue eyes seemed very real as he lightly stroked her cheek with the back of his knuckles. “Did you truly not like kissing me last eve?”
She couldn’t answer with the sudden constriction in her throat; indeed, she was finding it difficult to breathe.
“I very much liked kissing you,” he murmured.