His gaze fell to her mouth. ‘Maybe I’m preoccupied with yours.’
Ignore him, she told herself. He’s like a tomcat with a half-dead mouse. He wants you to react.
‘Nothing to say, Red?’
Oh, she had plenty to say. ‘I’m not going to give you the pleasure,’ she said archly.
‘Is that right?’ he drawled. ‘Then maybe I should give you some.’
His hands moved to cup her face, holding her gently despite the hardness of his gaze. Carly couldn’t move. If testosterone had a scent it would smell like Dare James, she thought mindlessly.
Dare’s thumbs slowly, but inexorably, forced her gaze up to his.
‘Aren’t you tired of all that aging flesh over yours?’ he husked. ‘Wouldn’t you like to remember what it’s like with someone young? Someone virile.’
Carly’s hands came up to pry at his wrists, holding them instead. ‘Sure,’ she said coldly, ‘let me know if you find someone who fits that description.’
Instead of being angered into letting her go, he laughed softly, moving so close she could feel the soft cotton of his T-shirt against her singlet. To her utter mortification her nipples peaked.
‘Doesn’t the old man like to hold you after sex?’ he murmured.
Carly didn’t know any man who liked to hold her after sex. Not that a grand total of two lovers could be considered vast enough experience. Nor would she tell him that the reason she slept so close to the Baron was in case of a medical emergency. ‘How do you know it’s what he wants?’ she tossed at him. ‘Maybe it’s what I want.’
His mouth twisted into an amused smile and his nostrils flared. ‘I doubt it. You have high maintenance stamped all over your beautiful little face. But it’s clear that the old man isn’t satisfying you. I can smell your arousal even now.’
Ignore him, ignore him.
‘Fight it all you want,’ he continued softly, ‘but you can’t hide what your body wants.’
Carly’s eyes flew open. ‘If you don’t let me go immediately I’ll scream.’
‘I don’t think so.’ His head lowered slowly towards hers. ‘If you were going to scream you would have done it already.’ His lips grazed her lower jaw. ‘But you don’t want to scream, do you, Carly? You want me to kiss you.’ His fingers flexed around her jaw. ‘To touch you.’
‘You think you have me all figured out, don’t you?’ Carly said, tugging uselessly at his hands.
‘Not quite.’ His eyes glittered like twin blue flames as they held hers. ‘But this should answer a few questions.’
Then he shocked the life out of her and claimed her mouth with his.
Carly froze. She hadn’t really believed he would kiss her, but now that he was she didn’t know what to do.
Don’t do anything, she told herself. If you don’t do anything he’ll stop and be completely humiliated. He’ll be...he’ll be put off.
She held herself rigidly in his arms as his masterful lips crushed hers, dominating her with angry insolence. She told herself she just had to withstand the pressure, the heat of him, for a moment more. She just had to hold out and he’d change the kiss. He’d...he’d soften his lips and nibble at hers instead of dominating them.
Carly made a small sound in the back of her throat. She could feel the control he exerted over himself in the bunched muscles of his arms, the hard press of his thighs. She never would have thought that physical power in a man was arousing but—
‘Oh...’ She let out a small breath as his tongue ran along the seam of her lips.
‘Yes, that’s it, Red. Open up for me,’ he commanded gruffly. ‘Let me in.’
Carly swayed. Don’t react, don’t— She sighed as Dare slid his hands into her hair and tugged on the band that held her ponytail in place, pulling it free.
The feel of her hair swinging loosely around her shoulders was an added stimulant to the gentle bite of his teeth as he took her lower lip into his mouth and sucked lightly.
Carly heard another soft sound, realised it was from her, and heard an answering one from him. Then she was opening for him, kissing him back with a hunger she didn’t recognise.