Free To Seduce a Rogue by Tracy Sumner Page B

Had to .
    Surely, if nothing else, he had put her reputation in jeopardy. He could not count on Charlotte Whitney to put a halt to anything because of that. He had never met a woman who cared less about propriety.
    If it was anyone else, he would be damned if he did.
    He stopped rotating the flask and stood, clutching the decanter like a lifeline. “No.” He shook his head.
    The barn door hinge creaked, ending his blind contemplation. Lila stood in the doorway. He thanked God for the semidarkness that shielded his expression. Unfortunately, he could see her pout from a mile away.
    “What are you doing in here in the dark all alone?”
    “I wanted to get away for a moment. To write a bit.”
    She frowned. “You have to write? Today?”
    “Lila, writing is my job. I don’t make excuses for the time I put into it.” He knew anger over her stunt with Tom entered into their conversation. He didn’t stop to ponder if that was fair.
    “Why are you hovering in the doorway like some frightened child?”
    She looked at him like he was mad. “I can’t come in here with you. Alone .”
    “Oh, I see.”
    “Do you?” 
    Ah...here we go. He had known she would not let the incident with Charlie pass; it would have been better for her if she had. He smiled—wanting the battle, tasting it. Slipping the flask into his pocket, he walked to her, his quiet footfalls and a horse’s high-pitched whinny the only sounds. He stopped just before their bodies touched. A slight tremor rolled through her. She was not as brave as she let on.
    She intended to push him away. Before she could, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the barn, her body bumping against his. The door slammed shut behind them. She opened her mouth.
    He didn’t waste the opportunity.
    Grasping her head with one hand, he dropped his lips to hers. Now, he wouldn’t have to waste weeks trying to get her to open them.
    She didn’t fight, but moaned and leaned into him.
    Still holding her wrist, he wrapped his arm behind her back and plunged his hand through the stiff mess on her head; a hairpin pitched to the ground.
    He knew she no longer cared if they were alone in the barn.
    He used what he knew. His hands, his mouth; hot and demanding one moment, gentle and coaxing the next. He brushed his lips along her jaw, to her neck, took a bit of skin between his teeth and sucked.
    Her breath leaked out in choppy puffs. “Please, again.”
    “Like this?” His mouth returned to cover hers. All he could think was how much she tasted like strawberries.
    He didn’t care for strawberries.
    Fine, he wanted something from this. He wanted to frighten Lila; tell her without words he was not a man to toy with...or gossip about at some country picnic.
    As he had come to understand with his first sweet taste of passion—there were many ways to get a message across. Lila’s kind learned much faster this way...and certainly with marked retention.
    Surprisingly, this method of persuasion embarrassed him.
    Though he was pretty good at it.
    He favored talking openly...exploring ideas...exchanging thoughts, but hell, when had he ever had the chance to do that with a woman?
    A tremor glided across his skin. For the first time in his life he was experiencing that...and he found he thrived upon it, upon her .
    Upon Charlie.
    What was he doing in response to this new emotion? This new...friendship? Standing in some damned barn kissing the hell out of her cousin.
    He let his hand fall free and stepped back. He bent to gather her hairpin, allowing her time to gather her senses.
    Lila arranged her hair as best she could and smiled at him. “My, you’re full of surprises.”
    He glanced toward the barn door. He wanted to flee. From the smell of witch hazel, which clung to her skin; from her coy smile and smug response; from the watchful, premeditated gleam in her eyes.
    Disappointment filled him. He could not stay in the hollow, dank, odoriferous barn another minute.
    He brushed past her,