Page 62 of Dangerous

“Hush and open it.” His face was severe but his lips twitched.

The necklace and earrings in the box took away Mia’s breath. She stared in disbelief at the enormous emeralds, set in a delicate filigree that looked like a golden spider’s web. She glanced up, her mouth open.

Adam dropped his jaw and goggled and she laughed. His playfulness was more delightful than the beautiful gift in the box, but of course she could not tell him that. He took the box from her hands and turned her around, his hands warm and strong on the naked flesh of her arms.

A shiver of desire went through her as his fingers brushed her neck, removing her necklace and drawing the new one around her throat and fastening it. His hands smoothed and centered the jewelry before settling on her shoulders and giving her an almost imperceptible squeeze. He leaned down and kissed the side of her neck.

“You look good enough to eat,” he murmured. “I will save room for dessert.” The words were barely a whisper and his devilish hands were as light as feathers as he stroked her arms.

He turned her around in a businesslike manner and took her arm, gloved to past the elbow, and clasped the matching bracelet around her wrist, his hot eyes making a lie of his prosaic behavior.

“You must fasten your own earrings, darling. I’m afraid I’d be stabbing about uselessly.”

Mia had lived for thirty-two years and never been anyone’s darling. The casual endearment made blood surge loudly in her ears. She wanted to throw herself into his arms but instead she removed and replaced each earring, requiring no mirror. When she was finished she looked up at him, her insides molten at the memory of the word darling on his tongue. Her vision blurred with sudden tears and she stepped toward him and slid her arms around his waist.

“What’s this?” he asked, his chest rumbling against her ear.

“Thank you, Adam.” She pushed closer and smiled when she felt evidence of his desire for her. “Already, my lord?”

“It’s been a long time,” he whispered into her hair.

“Almost three hours.”

She reached up and pulled his face down, impatient for the taste of him.

“You are the devil,” he accused, catching her lower lip in his teeth and holding her for a long moment, his eyes hooded and hot.

Hill entered the room and then took a step backward. “Ahem. I beg your pardon, my lord. The carriage has been brought around. As you ordered,” he reminded, his stare like a rabbit’s transfixed by a cobra.

“Thank you, Hill,” Mia cut in, before Adam gave the poor man one of his frosty setdowns. The steward darted out of the room just like the hare he’d resembled.

Mia gave Adam one last squeeze through his breeches and straightened his crushed cravat.

“I suppose I should be grateful I didn’t have you bent over the desk when Hill came in.”

Mia chuckled. “I’m not.” She stepped back, her entire body thrumming with desire.

He caught her wrist and yanked her back.

“I shall be able to think of nothing else all night.” The words were menacing but his eyes were dark with promise.

Chapter Twenty

Mia gazed out the carriage window as she thought back on the events of the past two weeks, some of the happiest of her life. They’d delayed their departure from London several times over the prior weeks. Not only did the Mantons remain in town, but Adam toured Mia around the London sights when he learned nobody else had bothered to take the time.

He truly was a man transformed. Gone was the impassive, bored, or contemptuous marquess she’d married. Beneath that cool, cultivated façade was a lover who was playful, witty, and generous.

Mia reflected on the nights—and days—of passion with a pleasurable shiver. Adam de Courtney was turning out to be more fascinating than she ever could have imagined. She found that sharing her life with a man was like suddenly discovering dozens of new colors that you never even knew existed. And Mia was supposed to leave him.

She shivered.

“Are you chilled, my dear?” Adam asked, looking up from the book he was reading. He was sitting on the seat across from her, an ocean of cushions and rugs scattered between them.

“I am,” she lied. “Won’t you sit beside me? Only to keep me warm,” she added quickly when he looked ready to scold.

“Only to keep you warm.” He closed his book and shifted gracefully across to her side of the luxurious and well-sprung coach.

“Come here,” he said, leaning back in the corner and beckoning her toward the space between his legs.