Desire Me (33 page)

Max tugged at the bracket, running his hand along the metal, looking for a catch. “Interesting. I can’t find any kind of lock
mechanism.” He looked around the room. “I think I’m going to need something to break those off.”

He jumped off the bed, then reached up to pull her down. She braced her hands on his shoulders as he brought her down to the
floor. His movement was slow and intentional, placing her strategically between his arms, pressed against his chest.

With one wicked grin, he leaned in and captured her mouth. His kiss was hot and needy.

But she pushed against him. “Max, we shouldn’t,” she said.

“I never have paid much attention to what one ought or ought not to do,” he said.

She considered him a moment longer, knowing that more than anything she wanted to press herself against him and lose herself
in his kisses and caresses. But she could not do that. Making love to Max didn’t change anything about the prophecy. And it
didn’t make her forget anything. Quite the contrary, it flooded her mind and heart with dreams and wishes for so much more.
Family
and love, he could not and would not offer her. He’d said as much last night.

“The fire poker,” he said.

“Will that work to pry the brackets off?”

He nodded, but said nothing as he went to retrieve the poker. Again he climbed onto the bed, this time armed to remove the
brackets. It took several tries, but he was able to pop one of the brackets off the wall. There were four others. Max had
placed the poker into the second one when they heard fumbling at the door. The knob turned.

“Hide,” Max said.

M
ax jumped off the bed and raced toward Sabine and the door she’d opened. He barely made it into the oversized dressing closet
and closed the door behind them before the other people entered the bedchamber.

Max leaned against the closed door with a heavy sigh and set the poker down. A gentleman’s voice, followed by a woman’s throaty
giggles, filled the room and echoed into Max and Sabine’s hiding spot.

He cracked the closet door to peek out into the room. The woman pushed the man onto the bed with a lusty laugh, then proceeded
to push down her bodice to uncover her ample breasts. Max pressed the door closed. This would be interesting.

“Who is it?” Sabine whispered.

“Just a man and a woman.”

“What do they want?”

“Each other,” he said simply.

Recognition lit Sabine’s molten eyes and her features softened. “Oh,” she said soundlessly.

As if punctuating his meaning, sounds of passion began seeping through the door. Sabine’s lips parted, and color stained her
lovely neck. Blood surged through Max, intensifying his arousal.

“Oh, yes!” the woman yelled. Another moan, and then several trills of laughter. “You’re so naughty,” she said, then giggled
again.

Moments before, Sabine had been in Max’s arms, kissing him back. And though he knew she desired him, she’d pulled back. Their
work was nearly done. He’d helped her find the dove, and it was only a matter of time before they were able to stop this Chosen
One. She wouldn’t need him anymore after that. And hadn’t she just said it was a role she had played, his seductress?

With other women, he had always been the one to slip from the bed after a night of passion. Last night had been different,
though. And it had stung when she’d closed the door behind her. True, they had argued, and he’d been angry. Still, she had
just walked away.

Damn but he wanted her again. And it didn’t help that the noises of the other couple’s lovemaking were growing louder and
more pronounced. The wooden headboard slammed against the wall in rhythmic beats. The man grunted, and the woman continued
with her chorus of “yeses.”

Sabine had closed her eyes. Max didn’t know if it was to try to remove herself from the potentially embarrassing situation
or if she was attempting to listen, closing out everything else to focus on the amorous noises just beyond the door. Perhaps
she was aroused as well, standing there wondering when he would reach out and touch her, kiss her.

He stepped closer to her, and still she did not open her
eyes. The woman in the bedchamber released a throaty moan and Sabine’s
breath caught.
Bloody hell!
She
was
listening to every sinful moan. Her lips parted, and her tongue darted out, moistening her bottom lip, then she bit down.
A sensual flush spread across the flesh exposed at Sabine’s throat, and the appealing blush disappeared beneath her gown.

She looked lovely tonight, wearing the blue gown he’d bought her. He’d known it would look perfect on her.

The pounding of the headboard became faster; the man’s grunts more steady. Max’s erection pressed painfully against his trousers.
Sabine still stood completely still, though her fists had gathered fabric from her skirts.

He had to have her. Right now.

He swiftly pulled Sabine to him and slammed his mouth onto hers. Her breath caught in surprise, but she kissed him back. Fervently,
passionately. She snaked her hands up his neck, and her fingers slid into his hair, pulling him down to her. Harder, firmer.
She wanted him.

Again the woman outside moaned louder and louder, this time releasing a litany of curses as the bed groaned in rhythm with
their thrusting. Max reached into Sabine’s bodice and found her nipples already hardened for him. She moaned into his mouth.
He pushed the dress down as far as he could and freed her breasts. Slowly he laved kisses down her throat to her collarbone
and finally onto her breast, where he suckled her nipple hard in his mouth.

He slipped his free hand up under her skirts, feeling along her long, shapely leg until he found the slit in her drawers.
She was slick with desire for him, the surrounding fabric saturated with her need. He nearly went mad with want. She sucked
in her breath sharply as his finger
entered her. She bucked against him as he slid his finger in and out. With his other hand,
he unfastened his own pants and freed himself.

In one swift movement, he bunched her skirts up, then pressed himself into her. She wrapped her legs around him and her fingernails
bit into his back through his jacket and shirt. She was up against the wall, wrapped tightly around him. And he took her with
no mercy.

There was no control, no patience, only want and need as he thrust into her. But she met him with a passion that was only
Sabine. He felt her climax around him as she tossed back her head and cried out. His own release was not even a moment behind
hers and rocked through him so fast and so hard he nearly fell to his knees. But he kept his stance and kept her bundled around
him.

For a moment they stayed like that, holding on to each other, breathing hard. Then she slowly lowered her legs to stand on
her own. They’d given no thought to being discovered. But he doubted a couple making love in the closet would even raise an
eyebrow at this party.

All he could think of was that he’d never lost control with a woman before. Never. Not even his first time; he’d always been
able to keep his need at bay. It was easy to pretend he did so because he was a generous, patient lover. But that was a lie.
He focused on a woman’s needs because it made it easier to keep his heart detached. But not tonight. Tonight he’d forgotten
everything except how much he wanted her. Sabine. Only Sabine.

Sabine cracked the door to peer out into the bedchamber. “I think they’re gone,” she whispered.

He saw her reticule tossed aside on the floor and picked it up. He’d nearly handed it to her when he remembered what he’d
once seen her pull from within. Quickly he
stuck his hand inside the bag and felt around. It didn’t take long for his fingers
to brush against the glass vial. He snagged it, then dropped it into his pocket.

“Sabine, don’t forget your bag.” He held it out to her.

Quickly they finished removing the sword, and it took all of Max’s strength to lift it from its anchors. Sneaking out of the
party with a blade nearly as long as Max’s leg was tricky, but they managed to get back to their carriage without being seen.

Finally, they had the dove.

Only two more and then the military would finally be his. Tonight’s would be the most challenging. This man Spencer knew.
Some of the others had recognized him because of his position, but had not truly known him. This man, though, was actually
a friend. Well, as much as he was able to call any man friend.

He had been in this house many times before, so breaking in and making his way through the house had been simple. He’d made
certain that none of his friend’s servants had seen him enter the man’s study. For the last two hours, Spencer had waited
quietly in the dark, sipping on some borrowed and rather expensive port.

The room had been wired with electricity, something the man could afford with his family’s wealth and the additional commendations
from her majesty. And the power crackled as the man turned on the switch. It took a moment for the light to fully illuminate
the space, and still Spencer waited in the shadows, waited until the man walked completely into the room and closed the door
behind him.

He was the perfect soldier, Spencer lamented. It really was a shame he could not afford to keep the man around.
But Spencer
knew this man in particular would not accept any such offer. His loyalty to the crown could not be tempted or purchased. So
Spencer had no choice but to kill him.

The soldier stepped forward to his desk just as Spencer stepped out of the shadows. “Spencer,” the soldier said with great
surprise. “Did we have a meeting set?”

“No.” He paused, waiting for fear to cross the man’s face. There was only caution in those slightly elevated eyebrows. “I
wanted to discuss something with you. A proposition.” He knew the fear would come eventually.

The soldier nodded. “Have a seat.” Then he smiled. “I see you already helped yourself to the port.”

“Indeed.” Spencer allowed himself a slight chuckle. “I hope you don’t mind.” He enjoyed the pleasantries, knowing that in
moments he’d watch as the man breathed his last.

Max stood at his study window watching Johns on the next block over, leaning against a brick building and trying to look in
a different direction. He’d seen the same man following them on several other occasions, and now he realized how he knew him.
It was the same man whom Max had caught Cassandra in bed with those many years ago. Her man Johns—not a man of title and wealth,
but one who definitely turned the heads of the ladies with both his face and his body. Cassandra would never choose him in
public, but in private he was, or had been, her lover.

Now Johns was evidently doing other tasks for Cassandra, namely following Max and Sabine as they searched for the dove. The
man would make a wretched spy. For one, he stood out too much. He was at least a head taller than everyone else around him
and broader than most men.

What interest would Cassandra have in an ancient weapon? Unless, of course, that’s not what she was after. Surely it wasn’t
jealousy of Sabine. He hadn’t had a relationship with Cassandra in more than a decade.

No, it had to be something else.

Then Max remembered Sabine’s crème that was selling so quickly and how he’d seen Cassandra in her shop that first time purchasing
some. She’d always been vain; anyone who knew her could see that. He’d been twenty-two when they’d been lovers and still devoted
to his Atlantis research. He vaguely recollected speaking with her about Atlantis. Perhaps he had told her about the fountain
of youth.

But was it possible that Cassandra had something to do with the deaths of the military officers? Johns was definitely strong
enough to take those men down. What purpose would Cassandra have for such deeds?

Had she somehow found a copy of the prophecy and sought to play it out in hopes of gaining the elixir? Max doubted she was
clever enough to come up with that sort of plan. But it would explain how the officers had been reached so easily. Any man
would allow Cassandra a visit if she asked for one.

Perhaps it was time for Max to pay a visit to his former mistress and see what information she had for him.

Cassandra was tired of waiting for proof. She had also lost her patience with relying on others to do the job she’d hired
them to do, and then never completing the task. It was past time she saw to matters herself and went after the fountain. She
knew that woman, Sabine, had it. Soon Cassandra would possess it and all the magic it held.

Cassandra opened the shop door, and the bell jingled above her head.

“I’m sorry, we’re closing now,” came a voice from the back.

Cassandra ignored it and continued into the shop.

An older woman peeked around the corner. “I’m sorry, madam, but we are closed for the evening. We’ll reopen again tomorrow.”

Doing what she did best, Cassandra gave the woman her warmest smile. “I’m a friend of Sabine’s. I’ve only come for a brief
discussion.”

“A friend of Sabine’s?” the older woman repeated. She nodded, but did not look convinced. “I’ll let her know you’re here.”