‘The grand piano? Are you serious?’
‘A student with your obvious abilities should be able to move straight on to lesson t
wo.’
‘So I’m okay…?’
Even now she doubted herself? ‘Better than okay,’ he reassured her. ‘Did you ever doubt it?’
‘With you, no,’ she told him honestly, ‘because…’ She blushed.
‘Because?’ he prompted.
‘Because I trust you…’
It was a quiet and serious moment in the middle of an erotic fantasy. Feelings rose inside him, filling him with thoughts that brought him up short, until Liv reminded him: ‘Lesson two?’
‘Flexibility.’ He eased her knees back. ‘Are you ready to start the next lesson?’
Her answer was an excited gasp as he sank deep.
They had almost made it out of the ballroom when the console table beckoned. The warrior and the maiden had more in common than either of them had suspected, Liv mused as Cade nudged a fabulous flower arrangement out of their way.
Closing her eyes, she let the heady scent of the flowers mingle with Cade’s heat until it expanded in her mind into an intoxicating love spell. Cade was right about using all the senses, but he should have warned her about the powerful magic two people could generate when they made love. She could sense the power they had created hovering round them now like a halo of light. It wasn’t all about the giving and receiving of pleasure, it was the meeting of two souls. She was falling deeper and deeper in love with him, Liv realised, but was that the furthest thing from Cade’s mind? Was he just intent on giving her a good time?
‘Hey, where are you now?’ he murmured.
‘Safe in the arms of a very bad man…’
‘Is that it?’ He was briefly amused, then his gaze turned serious.
She wanted more than anything at that moment to know what Cade was thinking. As he stroked her face with one hand she turned to kiss his palm. Cupping her chin, he brought her round to face him again. ‘You’re a one-off, Olivia Tate.’
‘I should certainly think so,’ she agreed, trying to make light of it.
‘No, really,’ Cade murmured, teasing her lips with kisses. ‘However long I looked, and however far I searched, I would never find anyone to compare with you, Liv…’
Closing her eyes, she could feel the closeness between them. Cade’s magnetism had bound her to him like an irresistible force, and she asked nothing more of life at that moment than to lie with him, and share the warmth and vigour of his body. ‘I love you,’ she murmured against his musky skin as Cade positioned her for pleasure, though he didn’t hear of course as he moved smoothly on to lesson three.
CHAPTER TWELVE
KISSING the top of her head, Cade drew Liv into his arms. ‘We should take a shower.’
‘A long, cold one,’ she suggested sensibly. They needed something to cool off; they couldn’t keep their hands off each other.
‘After the shower, a nice, hot bath…’
Liv gave Cade a quizzical look. Wasn’t that guaranteed to light their fire again?
And was she complaining?
There was a warning sign for him in Liv’s eyes. He couldn’t avoid the truth. He knew she was falling in love with him. He should have known she was young and impressionable. He’d watched her confidence grow, and now was he going to destroy it?
‘Where are you taking me?’
As she spoke she nestled into him. He was carrying her up the stairs. ‘Welcome to my private quarters.’ He shouldered the door open. ‘The renovations are well under way, as you can see.’ He tried to remain upbeat and casual, but it wasn’t easy when he was holding Liv in his arms, and she was gazing at him as if he were made of moonbeams.
She was in heaven in Cade’s arms, and would have loved to take a proper look around, but he didn’t want to linger. She took in what she could. Comfortable leather sofas faced each other across a lovingly restored oak floor, and a selection of oversized jewel coloured cushions made the seating arrangement appear even more welcoming. There were enormous, man-sized lush green plants in giant sized pots, painting a vivid contrast against the plain ivory walls. The scent of new wood and warm Cade was a delicious combination. But however lovely his living quarters, nothing could have prepared her for his fabulous bathroom. ‘Wow!’ she murmured softly.
‘Squatters broke in while I was away. They took everything—even stripped the bathroom fittings. It was one thing I hadn’t counted on, but truthfully the upkeep of Featherstone was pretty low on my agenda at the time.’
I can well believe it, Liv thought, averting her gaze from Cade’s scars. ‘And you needed somewhere to bathe when you got back.’ She didn’t want to press him into giving explanations. If he wanted to tell her he would, and in his own time.
He shrugged off all the luxury surrounding them with a dismissive, ‘I let the designers have a free hand. All I asked was that they kept the authentic features intact.’
‘Which they did,’ Liv said appreciatively. While adding every modern convenience known to man. It hadn’t really struck her before now that Cade was a bona fide member of the British aristocracy, with money so plentiful and old he probably paid his staff in spade ace guineas. This was no spartan barracks, but more like a luxurious spa. The walls were black glass except for the one behind the double, walk-in drench shower where the colour changed to a spectacular scarlet. There was a trough-sized stone sink running along one wall, which toned in perfectly with the limestone floor tiles, and perhaps the most unusual feature of all was the lighting. Colour-changing fibre optics set the mood, and right now they were tuned to a subtle moody red, which was a perfect fit with her sensual state of mind. She was disappointed when Cade changed them to clear.
He was in a practical state of mind, Liv realised. She was the only one suffering separation pangs. She watched him switch on the drench shower and adjust the temperature. She couldn’t stop staring when he tugged off his top. She would never get used to how strong and powerful he was.
‘Come on,’ he said, turning to look at her. ‘What are you staring at?’
The man I love, Liv thought, reluctantly dragging her gaze away.
He had been so determined to make a fresh and businesslike start, to call a halt to the lessons, to the ridiculous lessons—
‘Aren’t you going to join me?’ she asked him, brushing past.
‘Don’t talk,’ he warned her softly. ‘Don’t…say a word.’
All he could think of now was smoothing that frown of concern from her face. He drew her to him under the warm spray and felt her relax. She still needed this. She needed reassurance. And he was only prolonging the agony by giving her that reassurance, Cade reminded himself. But it was hard to remain resolute when the veil of steam made Liv seem smaller and more fragile than ever. Her vulnerability and the fact that she had started to trust him were obstacles he didn’t know how to avoid. ‘Be careful.’ He reached out to steady her when she stood on tiptoe to take his soap down from the shelf. ‘I don’t want you to slip.’
His care of her warmed her through, but it was too late to be careful. She had slipped into a dreamy, sensual world where only they existed. She sighed with contentment and leaned back against Cade as he began to wash her hair. It was a real turn-on to have him cater for her needs, and, lifting her arms provocatively, she brushed her hair back from her face. ‘Lesson four?’ Reaching behind, she held onto him as he kissed her neck and teased her breasts.
He loved the sounds of arousal she made and had already started working on her nipples…So much for good intentions!
She could feel the thrust of Cade’s erection against her back. It excited her and made her writhe against him. She wanted him. She wanted him now. She was aching for his possession. She arched her spine, angling her buttocks in a brazen invitation he couldn’t refuse. She needed him to touch her. She needed him to take control of her and direct her pleasure as only Cade knew how.
He was fast sinking into an erotic world, where the right thing to do had no power over him. He turned the lights inside the shower down low, and with the steam hissing a sibilant soundtrack t
he desire for sensation was compelling. But he was in no hurry to move things along. Having washed Liv’s hair, he soaped her down. Her sighs of pleasure were enough for him; everything else danced on the edge of his conscious mind, giving him escape and relief from the constant torment.
‘Cade.’
He refocused on Liv. Kissing the nape of her neck, he wondered if she was lost in her own dream world too, and then he kissed her again on the mouth. She pressed herself against him until the division between them disappeared. ‘Do I frighten you?’ he said when they moved apart. He’d seen her looking at his scars.
She didn’t speak for a while, and then she said, ‘No, Cade, you don’t frighten me, but what happened to you does…’
His voice sharpened. ‘Let’s not go there and spoil this.’
Liv recoiled from the tone of Cade’s voice. To make it up to her he stroked her breasts, but even as she cried out in pleasure she knew he must go there and confront his demons, or he would never find the peace of mind he deserved. ‘I love your mouth,’ she whispered, wanting to distract him from his darkening thoughts.
‘I love your mouth too.’
‘Kiss me…’
‘Again?’
‘Kiss me, and forget…’
He half smiled at her naïvety. He wished it were as easy to forget as Liv seemed to think. But as she continued to stare up at him she made it easy to kiss her. He kissed her deeply, rejoicing in a feeling he couldn’t name; a feeling so strong and pure he could only be glad he was still capable of experiencing it.
Liv’s warmth and her pliant body continued their assault on his self-control until some better part of him made common sense kick back in. The more she gave, the more he must resist. His senses might be fully engaged, but his heart never could be, and that wasn’t fair to her. He stepped back. She moved with him, clinging to him, her soft voice calling his name, bathing every part of him in sensation.
She wouldn’t let him go. She was meant to be here with him. She could feel Cade’s scars in her heart as well as beneath her fingertips. He wanted to protect her from the horrors haunting him, but when had she asked to be protected from the truth? She could make him forget; already the hunger for release was on both of them. Cupping her bottom in his strong hands, Cade lifted her, helping her to lock her legs around his waist. ‘Don’t stop now,’ she begged him when he paused. ‘Hold me…hold me tightly, Cade—’ But he lowered her to the ground. ‘What have I done wrong?’ she asked in despair.