The Spy Who Loved Her: Once Upon an Accident, Book 3 (18 page)

She slipped through her door, wanting nothing but to dissolve into dreams. It had been a long day, one that she would care not to think about. She had told Gerty to go to bed. The poor woman had been up at the crack of dawn helping Anna, and she had not had the heart to expect Gerty to wait up for her. Of course, now Anna had to try and get out of her dress by herself.

She closed the door behind her and set her dance card on the dressing table to the right of the door.

“I see that you were smart enough to return to your room by yourself.” She gasped and turned to find an enraged Daniel bearing down on her. “I do not want to think what would happen if you had not.”

Chapter Fifteen

Anna’s heart slammed against her chest as she tried to calm herself. She squinted but could only make the outline of Daniel’s body near the window.

“What in heavens are you thinking? Why are you here?”

He moved out of the shadows, dressed in the same clothes he had worn downstairs. He had done his best to appear to ignore her, and she had held her end of the bargain also. But it had been harder than ever. Even as she had told herself to ignore him, she would watch him out of the corner of her eye.

“I could ask you the same thing.”

Every word was punctuated with anger. When she looked up, irritation defined the lines of his face.

“I have no idea what you are talking about. But I do not appreciate you popping into my room this way.”

She tried to move around him, but he stalked toward her. She didn’t realize she had retreated back until she felt the wall at her back.

“You do not appreciate it? Do you know what I do not appreciate, Anna?”

She could not speak. Fury cascaded off him in waves. Rage burned in his eyes. In her life, she had never seen Daniel so mad. She shook her head.

“No? Let me enlighten you. Seeing a woman who allowed me certain liberties just last night allowing men to slobber on her all night is enough to make any man irritated.”

There was a feral look clouding his golden brown eyes. She could not seem to look away. Shadows danced over his face, thrown there by the candle light, making him seem more ominous. Her blood pounded in her veins, her head started to spin.

“Y-you told me to do it. You said to act like I was looking for a husband.”

He placed a hand on either side of her head, effectively caging her in. “Yes. A husband. Not a protector.”

The implication of his words sent the rage he had been displaying sizzling through her, bursting up through the fear she had felt. She placed her hands on her chest and shoved him. The incredulous look on his face would have made her laugh, if she could find any kind of humor. But at the moment, anger and pain surged through her.

“How dare you? I did exactly as you asked. I played the part.”

He looked at her. “Indeed? I do not believe I told you to dress like a tart.”

Mortification sent a wave of heat to her face. She had picked the dress on purpose. It was one Colleen had convinced her to buy. Bright red, cut to reveal just enough of her bosom. She had always felt beautiful in it. But now she felt tawdry.

“I do not look like a tart. In fact, I am wearing much more material than that widow you were paying attention to.”

The moment she said the words, she wanted to bite her tongue. He tried to pounce on her mistake.

“A widow?”

She crossed her arms beneath her breasts. “Lady Waldrip.”

The anger ebbed from his features. “I did not think you noticed what I was doing. She was just a means to an end.”

She couldn’t look him in the face. “Believe me, I did not. It was noticed by several people.”

“Who then had to say something to you?”

She nodded.

“I apologize. I thought it best that people thought my attention were elsewhere.”

“That is not my point. My point is my dress is no less respectable than hers.”

The moment she said it, his features tightened again and she realized her mistake. “Yes, let’s talk about this dress. Does your brother know you bought such a dress?”

She did not like the lethal tone his voice had just taken. She was downright sick of hearing him complain about her choice in dresses. It was not as if she asked for the role she had been thrown into.

“I answer to no man.”

Everything about him seemed to still. “What did you just say?”

Air clogged up in her throat as her heart beat slammed against her chest again. “I said I answer to no man.”

She could barely hear the words, even though she hoped she had made her point. His nostrils flared, his eyes narrowed. He caged her in with his arms again, but this time, he leaned into her. The heat of his body warmed hers. His scent surrounded her.

“Are you challenging me, Anna?”

She opened her mouth but no words came out. There was a darkness about him, something lethal that she had never seen before. She should be scared out of her mind—and she was, to a point. There was another emotion that took over. Desire. Passion.
Need.

“I don’t think it very wise to challenge me. I had a rough night.”

She swallowed at the way he looked at her, as if he was here to claim her. Even as her mind told her body not to respond, she did just that. Her breasts grew heavy, achy for his touch. Her skin prickled with anticipation.

“Y-you? I had to deal with fortune hunters all night.”

He leaned in and nuzzled her neck. His breath feathered over her skin before she felt him nip at her neck. “I had to watch while you danced with them, letting them paw all over you.”

“I did not.”

“I do not know when it became such a trial; watching men touch you, act as if they had a chance with you.”

“You…” She swallowed again, her throat suddenly dry. “I thought I was supposed to do that.”

He nodded. “But I did not think of how it would feel.”

He had laid not a hand on her, only the touch of his lips over her sensitive flesh. But she felt trapped…captured…entranced.

“How did it make you feel?”

He sighed, sending another gust of breath over her skin.

“Daniel?”

“It made me want to do murder.” He snarled the words and something deep and dark inside of her started to unfurl and blossom. It raced through her body, sending out ribbons of heat lancing through her veins.

She turned her head and kissed his temple.

“Danny,” she whispered.

For a moment, he stilled. The air between them grew heated as he turned to look at her. Her heart turned over the moment she saw his eyes. Her own desire was there, reflected back to her in the depths of his golden gaze. With a groan, he collapsed against her and then pulled her away from the wall. As if he were starved, he took her mouth, feasting on her. This was no tender kiss of a lover, but one of a man pushed to the brink. Heat flared, spiraled through her as he pulled her to the bed. He quickly turned them around so that the back of her legs were against the mattress. He stood there, slanting his mouth over hers, deepening the kiss, completely and absolutely destroying her.

She wanted to tear herself away, wanted to stop the complete attack on her senses. It was as if she had no control over her body.

He pulled away, cupping her face. “Stop me now. Don’t let me do this if you do not want it. This is your last chance.”

Every word was ragged with need for her. For her. She had never had a man want her this way, just her, Anna. The fear dissolved. What he felt was there on his face, in his gaze. He didn’t care if she had a large dowry or if her brother was a powerful earl. She did not even think this had anything to do with protecting her. This was for her. In this one moment, all he wanted was Anna, and it was enough to brush away her other worries.

Without breaking eye contact, she drew in a deep breath and raised her hands, wrapping them around his wrists. Everything she had ever wanted was here, right before her, in his eyes.

“Take me, Danny.”

Every barrier Daniel had erected tumbled down, demolished by the need he heard in her voice. With a groan, he tumbled them over onto the bed, her body soft and willing beneath his. Never in his life had his desire for a woman burned him up so, but this woman, this time, was different.

He devoured her then, taking her lips in a bruising, almost painful kiss. Instead of shying away, Anna dove into the kiss with him, her tongue dancing along his as he thrust it between her lips. As before, the taste of her burst through him, sending another wave of heat shooting through his blood.

Gone was the calculated lover who could talk any woman into bed, thrill her with a well-planned seduction. He slanted his mouth over hers, reveling in her response. Lord, she was amazing. But it was not enough. He needed more. He needed to feel her flesh against his.

He pulled back enough to claw at her bodice. The flimsy material slipped down, her breasts spilling out.

“Danny.” He could hear the embarrassment in her voice but he paid no heed. In the folly the night before, it had been dark and he could not see anything. Even what he glimpsed in the carriage had not prepared him for the sight now before him. In the dim flickering light of candles, he could see the beauty that was Anna.

She had always been petite, but not too thin. Her breasts were not plentiful, but perfectly shaped, tipped with the most amazing rosebud nipples. With a shaking hand, he slipped his fingers up and over one nipple, loving the way it responded. He knew touching would not be enough. He bent his head and took the nipple into his mouth. Oh God, it was better than the night before. He could feel her heart racing as he slipped his other hand to her breast to tease it while he feasted. She speared her hands through his hair, her fingers molding to the back of his head. With every little gasp and moan she was driving him crazy. She shifted beneath him, rubbed against him, begged him. It was the most precious sound he had ever heard.

There was no doubt in his mind that he wanted her, needed her in a way that he had never needed a woman. It was the reason he had tried to stay away, but there was no turning back now. Even as his mind told him it was wrong, his body knew perfection…and that was Anna.

It did not take him long to get the rest of her clothes off. He tossed the gown behind him and looked down at the woman he had been in love with most of his adult life. Lord, she was a sight to see. Her alabaster skin glowed in the candlelight, her lips were rosy from his kisses, her hair a tangle of curls strewn across the bed.

“Danny? What?”

He looked at her, really looked at her, and realized she was embarrassed. Of course she was. No matter what went on the night before, she was still a virgin.

“Nothing. I…Lord, you are beautiful.”

She blushed, and he found the sight arresting. He wasn’t one for maidenly gestures, but he knew this was genuine.

“You do not have to say these things. The fact that you want me is enough.”

He had said so many things to women, called them beautiful and meant it at the time. But his tongue refused to cooperate with him now. He needed to explain to her so much…but found himself unable to say the words. In his heart, he knew he loved her, had for years. But that would not soothe her now, and she would not believe anything he said. The only thing for him to do was to show her.

“Anna,” he said, but he knew his voice must have sounded odd to her. It did to him. She must have thought he was having second thoughts because she sat up and grabbed the front of his shirt.

The ripping of the fabric was the most erotic sound he had heard. Her hand went to his breeches, fumbled against his as he tried to undo the buttons.

She laughed, the sound of it low, sexy, happy. A fire shot straight to his cock.

When his manhood sprang free, she did not act the gentle virgin that he knew she was. Instead, she wrapped her hand around it, her fingers slipping over his sensitive flesh. Lord, she was a good study, and dangerous. Very dangerous. She leaned forward and all he could see was her golden head, that erotic mouth edging closer to his cock. He knew now he could not wait, he could not go slowly like he had the night before. And even if he wanted to, his Anna was not going to allow it to happen. He could not allow her to pleasure him in such a way, it just would not work. He would lose himself the moment he slipped between those pink lips.

With a harsh groan, he pulled her back and followed her down on the bed again. With little finesse, he stationed his member at her entrance and entered her.

He watched her face, waited for her to tell him to stop. Daniel should have known better. Her eyes closed, her mouth curved into a secret smile and she arched back, exposing her throat.

“Anna.”

Her eyes fluttered then slowly opened.

He had been frustrated these past few years by the fact she had hidden her feelings from him. Now though, everything she felt showed in her gaze. Passion deepened the blue color, and something else, something primal. She wanted him on a level that he knew she did not understand even if he did. Seeing it there sent a shot of lust roaring through him, and he pulled back then pushed through her maiden head.

The tiny gasp told him he had hurt her and he leaned down, setting his forehead against hers.

“Anna, I am sorry I hurt you.”

He waited for tears, waited for her to tell him to stop. But he should have known better. His Anna would never act like a virginal miss would be expected to.

The smile she gave him was filled with satisfaction and tenderness.

“No worries, Danny.”

Testing, he pulled out and then slowly slipped back into her tight sheath. Her muscles clung to him as he pushed all the way back in. In response, her eyes closed as she moaned, a sound that vibrated out of her throat. She arched against him again, her body fluid beneath him, moving with him. He bent his head and took a perfect rosy nipple into his mouth as she moaned his name, her pleasure washing over him, sending need racing over his nerve endings. Everything he wanted to say, everything he wanted to show her slipped away. Blatant primal need replaced it. With everything he had, he tried to hold back, but she planted her feet on the bed and pushed against him, her passage clinging to him. The moment before he lost it, he reached down and pressed against the tiny bundle of nerves.