Rebel Temptress (Historical Romance) (20 page)

"Yes, but I thought I would never see you again."

He caressed her, not lover-like, but much as a father might comfort a frightened child. "Honor, it was I who bought Landau from you. I arrived here from Boston over a week ago. I was in the apple orchard just now because I come here when I want to be alone. I feel close to you here." He leaned back against the trunk of the apple tree and raised her chin so he could see her face in the pale moonlight.

"You called for me, Honor, I heard you," he said softly.

Honor did not deny it, but looked into his beloved face, at last realizing how much he loved her. Fresh tears came to her eyes, and he brushed them away with his fingertip.

"Why are you so upset, darling?" His voice was tender, as was the look in his eyes.

"I cannot tell you," she said, burying her head against his shoulder.

"Let me guess then. Does it have anything to do with your husband and your sister?"

Honor sobbed uncontrollably.

"Hush, darling, hush. Do not cry anymore. You will make yourself ill. We will not talk of it if that is your wish."

"Oh, Adam, it was so awful."

"What was, sweetheart?" he soothed.

"I cannot speak of it."

"All right."

"How could Jordan have done such a thing?"

His arms tightened around her protectively as anger leaped into his blue eyes. "What did he do, Honor?"

"I cannot tell you," she sobbed, "it is unspeakable."

He kissed her cheek and tasted the saltiness of her tears. Anger such as he had never felt before, caused his tall frame to tremble. His heart ached for the pain he knew Honor was going through.

"Adam," she said sitting up straight and avoiding his eyes. "M . . . Meagan was . . . in bed with Jordan. They were . . . I saw . . ."

Once more she hid her face against his shoulder. Adam's heart contracted at the pain he heard in her voice. What kind of monster was this Jordan Daniels? Adam knew the wounds that had been inflicted on Honor tonight would be a long time healing. He wondered what a man could possibly see in the redhead when he had Honor for a wife. Meagan's kind could be found on any street corner for a price. The only difference between Meagan and a woman of the street would be the asking price, he thought.

"Do not think about it, darling," he said soothingly. "I will never let them hurt you again."

Honor closed her eyes. She was so tired, so emotionally drained. In Adam's arms she found comfort, her love for him wiped out all the ugliness; in his arms she was almost able to forget what she had witnessed between Meagan and Jordan.

"Adam," she raised her beautiful face up to him, "I do not like the physical acts between a man and woman. I do not know why a woman would allow a man to touch her in such a way."

Adam frowned. "Honor, it can be a very beautiful thing between two people who love each other."

"I will never allow a man to touch me in that way again, it is painful and I did not like it in the least."

Adam gathered her tightly in his arms. She had been badly hurt, and if she continued to think the physical side of love was ugly, it would leave a lasting scar on her.

His hands were no longer impersonal as they glided down her back, his warm breath stirred her hair at her temple as he scattered tiny kisses over her face.

"Honor, love is beautiful," he whispered in her ear.

Honor closed her eyes to the feel of his hands that were moving down her back in the most sensuous way.

"Darling, it is time you were introduced to love by someone who loves you."

"Adam, what are you doing?" Honor whispered as his lips traveled down her neck to the pulse beat that was drumming in her neck.

"I am loving you with every beat of my heart, with every breath I take. Darling, you need me. You may not realize it, but you need me to prove something to you."

Honor felt Adam's hand inside her robe and she tried to pull away as he pushed her gown off her shoulder.

"No Adam, you must not. You want to hurt me as Jordan did." Tears washed down her face, "I thought I could trust you, but I was wrong." She tried to wiggle out of his arms but he rolled her over to her back and looked down at her.

              “I would never do anything you did not want me to. I am not Jordan. Trust me, darling.”

“You are just saying that so it will justify what you want to do to me. You are no different from Jordan.”

Adam could see she was on the verge of becoming hysterical, and he also knew that if he did not proceed carefully he would do more harm than good. She needed to know that love could be beautiful between a man and a woman.

"Honor," he said soothingly, "for so long now I have dreamed of making love to you." His hands slipped her robe from her shoulders as his lips covered hers softly. At first Honor tried to turn her head away, but his hand slid up her shoulder to cup her chin, holding her steady as his kiss deepened. She no longer struggled; against her will her arms moved around his neck, and her lips parted beneath his.

Adam raised his head, not wanting to rush her. He had all night and she must be won slowly. He pushed his own hunger for her beautiful body aside, knowing he must concentrate on her needs.

"Darling, I love you," he whispered, "and I will do nothing that you do not ask me. Allow me to kiss you and hold you in my arms." He smiled slightly. "You will have to beg me to make love to you before I would take you."

Honor looked into his blue eyes. "You will not . . ."

"Not unless you beg me to," he smiled, knowing he was taking unfair advantage of her innocence. He was a master at pleasing women, and he had very little doubt that he would have Honor begging him to make love to her before the night was over.

Honor looked at him so trustingly he almost felt guilty.

“I will trust you Adam, because when I am in your arms I can forget about Jordan and Meagan.”

Adam lay down beside her and pulled her tightly against him. Honor could feel the hard outline of his body, and she almost shied away from him. Her body betrayed her, however, and sought closer contact with him. “Hold me Adam, hold me very tightly.”

"Every day of my life darling, if you will allow it."

His lips covered hers in a burning kiss that rendered her mindless. She was vaguely aware that he had pushed her gown and robe to her waist and that the top part of her body was bare. His hands moved over her exposed back, and the feel of those masterful hands was causing an ache deep inside of her.

Honor's own hands strayed to the buttons on Adam's shirt, wanting to remove any barrier that stood between them.

She heard Adam gasp as her hands slipped beneath his shirt and moved over the curly hair that covered his chest.

Adam felt his body come to life as it had never done before. Her soft body was driving him to the brink of madness.

He tore his mouth from hers and crushed her tightly to him. "Oh, God, give me strength," he whispered in a deep voice. 

"Adam, hold me," she pleaded as he pulled away from her.

He studied her face lovingly, "Am I wrong Honor? Will I do you more harm than good."

"I do not understand. You do not want to hold me?"

"Oh, Honor, I pray I am doing the right thing."

His eyes drifted down to her creamy shoulders, and then to her satiny breasts that were rising and falling with her heavy breathing.

Honor saw the fire in the depth of his blue eyes and, feeling embarrassed, tried to cover herself.

Adam's hand covered hers. "No, Honor," he said in a velvet-smooth voice. She stared into the soft blue eyes and could not look away from those eyes that seemed to warm her to the very core of her feminine body.

Adam's hand settled on her throat, and began a slow mind-destroying journey downward. Honor gasped as he traced a pattern across her breast.

"You are so lovely darling. I wonder if you know how the sound of your voice or a smile from your lips can have me on my knees begging."

Honor tried to speak, but the only sound that issued from her lips was a deep, throaty moan. Adam removed his hand and Honor wanted to protest, until she saw him remove his shirt.

"Why are you taking off your shirt," she said, feeling somewhat apprehensive.

He smiled at her. "For my lady's comfort." He raised her up and held her against his bare chest, and Honor closed her eyes as the black curly hair on his chest tickled her breast. Laying her head against his shoulder, she thought she would die from the love she felt for him at that moment.

Adam reached around her and spread his shirt on the grass behind her, and then he pushed her backwards and followed her down as her head rested on his shirt.

Hungry lips met hungry lips as Honor's fingers tangled in Adam's ebony hair, feeling the silky texture. She felt her robe and gown being pushed further down and Adam's hand rested against her smooth stomach. Feelings she had never had before ignited a fire within her trembling body. No longer was she able to reason, for Adam had stolen her ability to think past the masterful hands that were roaming at will over her body.

"Ask me to stop and I will, Honor," he whispered against her lips, feeling confident that she was on the verge of no return, just as he was. "Ask it of me Honor, and I will set you free," he said as his hands moved downward, and he heard her gasp as hex gown and robe slipped to her knees.

Her voice came out in a whimper. "Hold me Adam, Love me."

Adam drew in his breath and let it out slowly. His hand left her and Honor opened her eyes as she saw him unbuckle his belt. Fear nagged at her.

"Do not hurt me, Adam."

Adam swallowed past the lump in his throat. His eyes held her prisoner as he disposed of his clothing.

Honor knew what she was doing was wrong, but she could not seem to stop herself. Her eyes traveled down his chest to his narrow waist, and that was as far as she would allow her eyes to go. Looking back at her face, Adam saw uncertainty in her eyes.

"You will know every inch of my body before this night is over, Honor, as I will know yours." His voice shook with emotion as he lowered his body to lie beside her. At first he did not touch her, but looked into her eyes.

"Honor, do you remember once I told you I had met the perfect love for me?"

Honor felt pain in her heart remembering their conversation of that day, Adam was going to tell her about the woman he loved, and she did not want to hear about her. He said he loved her, but was she only second to his real love?

"Honor, my love is perfect in every way, and I knew if I could only have her I would be a happy man, but without her I was doomed to unhappiness."

She closed her eyes wishing she could shut out his words as well.

"The first time I saw her I knew my heart was lost to me, and even though I fought hard not to love her, it was useless."

No more, Honor pleaded silently. She felt Adam touch her face and she opened her eyes.

"You were that woman, Honor, you are my perfect love."

Honor caught her trembling lip between her teeth, thinking she had not heard him correctly.

"Did you never suspect that it was you I spoke of that day?"

"N . . . No."

Adam's hands spanned her tiny waist and with gentle pressure he drew her into his arms. "I thought as much. You see, Honor, I had never loved a woman before, and like yourself I felt lost and adrift. I know I can make your body respond to mine, but can I win your love Honor?" His lips traveled to the corner of her mouth, "I find that I want all of you Honor, not just tonight, but forever."

His lips were teasing, arousing, as he scattered passionate kisses over her face and down her throat. Her lips chased his, but he was playing a game with her, a game that had her almost mindless as she sought his lips.

Her heart was singing: “he loves me, he loves me!” as his lips finally settled on hers and he drew her tightly against him. Soft, smooth curves melted against hard muscles—it was as if where he was hard she was soft, and their bodies fit together as if they were made for each other.

"Hold me, Honor, touch me," he said in a deep voice. "Give me something to remember when I am not with you."

His voice was pleading, and it sparked to life a raging fire within her. She would give him all she had to give, there was no fear of him, no uncertainty, only love and a need to be fulfilled while fulfilling.

Suddenly his body was covering hers, and Honor felt her body issuing Adam a silent invitation, as she arched her hips against the hardness of his body.

"Say you want me, Honor." He had to keep a firm grip on his sanity. Never had his body felt so alive. It was as if he knew that what he was about to experience would be perfect. His mind told him he was leaving himself open for deep hurt, should Honor reject him afterwards, but his heart told him he had to have her, even if it was only tonight. After tonight Honor would never again be frightened of the act of love between a man and woman, he vowed. It had not escaped his notice that she uttered no words of love, and yet he was sure she felt as he did.