Page 59 of A Relentless Rake

With an aching groan, he rested his forehead against hers. “That’s exactly why.” He squeezed his eyes shut as if pained. “If we don’t stop right now…”

“Then we don’t stop.” She’d made her decision. She couldn’t deny herself the chance to be with him tonight, and damn the dawn to come.

He grimaced and straightened. When he took a single step away, the cool air chilled through her. She wanted nothing more than to be buried in his arms again, engulfed by his heat and strength. She reached for him—

He took her hand and enfolded it in both of his. “We can’t. No matter how much I want to.”

She dropped her gaze to his chest and blinked hard to keep back the stinging tears at his rejection. “Because you’re an earl,” she whispered. The brutal truth ripped a hole through her chest. “And I’m only a schoolmistress.”

When she tried to slip her hand away, he tightened his hold. He touched her chin and tilted her face up to look into her eyes. “Because you’re an innocent, and I amnota rake.”

“But that’s not—” She choked off as her heart lurched into her throat with relief. A smile broke across her face. “It’s all right. You can make love to me.”

“No.” He dropped his hand away as if touching her even this harmlessly was too much temptation. “I told you. There are lines I won’t cross.” He groaned with desire. “No matter how tempting you are.”

No! This night couldn’t end like this, not after the desires he’d awakened inside her. She couldn’t have borne not being with him. The long-hidden truth emerged from her as little more than a breath. “But I’m not.”

His mouth twisted with chagrin. “Trust me. You are incredibly tempting.”

“No, I mean—I’m not…innocent.” She swallowed hard, then confessed in a rush, “I was going to be married. We eloped but didn’t—”

He stilled. “You eloped?”

“No one knows but Henry.” She forced a smile to break the sudden tension between them. “It’s the only secret he knows, believe me.”

“Is it?” he drawled, his voice suddenly cold.

“Yes.” She held her breath, desperately wanting him to take her back into his arms, sweep her off her feet, and carry her away. “So we don’t have to—”

Overhead, fireworks screamed into the night. They exploded and rained blue and red sparks across the sky. She jumped at the echoing booms, startled, and whirled around as her hand flew to her throat at the fright.

Only fireworks. She let out a deep breath. What a goose she was! With a quiet laugh at herself, she turned back—

He was gone.

Fifteen

Alec paced the length of his dark study, not having bothered to light any lamps. Dawn was only a few hours away, yet he couldn’t quash the icy anger inside him to find enough peace to sleep.

He could barely fathom it. Olivia Everett had run away with a man, surrendered her innocence, and then lied to the world about it, letting everyone believe she was still a respectable, virtuous miss. She’d been lying tohim. All those times when he’d mentioned how innocent she was, how unspoiled and proper…all those times when she didn’t correct him. He felt like a fool.

Damn her! Damn her secrets and her lies. Damn her façade of respectability—

No, damnhimselffor letting her into his head and under his skin.

He halted in front of his desk to rake his fingers through his hair. He’d lost his mind tonight when he’d followed her into the dark shadows. Apparently, he’d lost control of his cock as well, because he’d certainly been thinking with it instead of his brain or he never would have kissed her like that, never would have bared her breasts to his greedy eyes and lips, never would have dropped to his knees. But he’d been too intoxicated by the taste and feel of her to deny himself.

Or to realize that she was living a lie. Just as his father had.

He’d thought he’d known exactly who she was—a woman so unlike the others he’d ever known that she’d seemed to sweep into his life like a fresh breeze. Not someone world-weary or jaded, not someone looking for a liaison to fend off an evening’s boredom, but a woman who shared his view of the world by living her life honestly about who she was and the actions she took.

A woman who was opening her heart and body for the first time. To him.

It was nothing but lies.

He took a gasping swallow of whiskey. Its burn seared down his throat and straight into his chest.Good. He wanted it to cauterize his heart to her and put her back where she should have been from the beginning, as nothing more than a mission asset.

But even now, the memory of her made his blood boil, his body ache—