Page 67 of Brigand

She met his passion with equal fervor, clasping him to herand arching into his embrace, whimpering when his tongue thrust into her mouth.It made her think of another type of thrusting altogether. Her knees went weak.

When he finally broke the kiss, she could barely stand.“God, Violet. I’ve missed that. Missed you.” He was still close. So close shefelt his words on her cheek.

“H-have you?” She tried to be blasé but she suspected heknew better.

“Every minute of every day.”

“And…every night?” She didn’t know why she said that. It washardly something a proper miss on the night of her debut ball would utter. Butshe loved the flare of ardor in his eyes.

“Mostly in the night.” He stroked her waist. His hand roseslowly up her side until it teased the underside of her breast. She shuddered.Sighed.

“K-Kaitlin said you wanted to w-woo me.”

His teeth glinted in the darkness. “Did she?”

“Yes.”

“I want a damn sight more than that.”

She loved the way his voice cracked. “Really?” A naughtyurge possessed her. She swished her hips and rubbed against him. That he wasstone hard thrilled her to the core. “What do you want?” A low hiss.

“You know what I want.” He tugged her closer again. Nibbledher ear until she shivered and cooed. “I want to fuck you.”

“Oh.” The word, coarse and harsh and shocking, sent ripplesof want through her. Her body melted, began to weep, preparing for him. Shewanted him. She wanted him in. She wanted him in and filling her and pummelingher with the force of an untamed storm. She wanted—Mercy. She just wanted.Madly, she cast about, searching for a place they could—

“There you are!” Ned’s voice was pointedly casual but Violetrecognized the taut thread humming just below the surface. “Having a niceevening, are we?” He stepped between them, which was a feat because they werestill plastered together. He clapped Ewan on the shoulder with more force thanstrictly necessary and hooked Violet’s arm in his. “You can’t go deserting youradmirers like that, darling. You’re making them pout.”

He tugged her along at his side, back into the flickeringtorchlight, chattering gaily, though his grip on her arm was anything butcasual. Violet looked back to see Ewan scrub his face and then set out afterthem in a slow prowl.

She caught his eye and sent him a smile, one in which sheinvested all her longing.

It was gratifying that it made him trip over his own feet.

* * * * *

“Just what the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

Yes. Ewan had expected Ned to find him as soon as the pupescorted his sweet sister out of his clutches. He hadn’t expected aconfrontation now, though, in the middle of the ball. Granted, they were in theduke’s study, surrounded by men intent on escaping the cloying perfume andguttering candles of the ballroom in favor of the choking delights of a goodcigar.

Even though Ned had the decency to hiss, heads turned.

“Not here, Ned,” Edward purred with a smile.

“You don’t know what I caught them—”

“Not. Here.” Edward wrapped his arm around the boy and heldhim close. “Remember whose reputation is at stake.”

Ned paled. His throat worked. “But he… They…” The sputteringdidn’t become him. Edward tightened his fingers until they went white and Nedfinally trailed off into silence. His frown, though, spoke volumes.

“He has declared his intentions.”

Ned boggled. He didn’t seem pleased. He glared at Ewan. “Youcannot be serious.”

“I most certainly am.”

Ned spun on Edward. Leaned in close. Growled, “But he’s a—”

“I know what kind of man he is.” There was an edge toEdward’s tone. He forced a smile. “Say, my boy. Did I ever tell you of the timeI was a prisoner in a French castle?”