"I am a gentleman."
"You most certainly are not. A gentleman would honor his promise."
"Which promise was that?" Nicholas asked, a lazy fire in his eyes. "The one regarding our union, where I pledged to love and cherish my bride?"
"The one where we agreed to one night of marriage."
"One night wasn't enough," he said softly.
"It will have to be. I don't intend to play the wanton with you."
Nicholas held out his hand. "Come here and kiss me, Aurora, before I decide to raise my voice."
She glared at him. "This is blackmail!"
"So it is."
"You are despicable."
"And you are as beautiful as I remember… more so, since the sadness in your eyes is gone. Come here. I won't claim my marital rights. I only want a kiss."
The velvet edge in his voice didn't reassure her in the least. Yet he might very well reveal his presence to her servants unless she did as he wanted. "One kiss, and then you will go?"
"If you insist."
"You swear it?"
"Unequivocally."
Every muscle in her body stiff, Aurora unwillingly complied. When she moved to stand beside the bed, however, Nicholas made no attempt to kiss her. Instead he took her hand.
Gazing up at her, he drew her forefinger completely into his mouth and suckled. A treacherous heat radiated suddenly from the pit of Aurora's stomach, and she had to stifle a gasp.
"You said one kiss," she said through clenched teeth.
"You can't deny the pleasure you feel," he murmured. "Your heart is beating much too rapidly for you to claim disinterest."
"Will you please just get on with it?"
"So impatient," Nicholas replied lightly.
He drew her down and pressed her back upon the bed, then eased his body over hers. She could feel the strength of him against her – the powerful granite of his thighs, the flat, hard belly, the muscles rippling in his chest and shoulders.
He remained that way for a long moment, gazing down into her eyes, his fingers cradling her cheek.
"Well?" Aurora demanded breathlessly, trying to ignore the temptation of his beautiful mouth.
"Sheathe your claws, siren. I only want to remind you of what you would be missing… the pleasure to be found in my arms," he whispered before his lips lowered to cover hers.
Chapter Ten
The strength of his desire alarmed me. Yet I was more frightened of myself, of the fierce desire he stirred within me .
Hunger ran rampant through Nicholas as he drank of Aurora's trembling mouth. Her lips were incredibly soft, her warmth feeding his senses like flame.
When she stirred restlessly beneath him, his hand closed in the silk of her hair, holding her still for his kiss, his tongue thrusting slow and deep, penetrating in a blatant imitation of what he yearned to do between her thighs.
In only moments, she was pressing against his fully aroused body, her hips rocking against his, seeking his hardness. He felt a surge of triumph at her helpless response. When she moaned softly, Nicholas shuddered, so swollen with need he felt near to bursting.