Free Dare to be Mine by Kim Allison Page A

through his dark
locks, removing the hair from in front of his eyes, for Daniel wanted nothing to
impede his view of the enchantress.
    Elyssa wore an informal riding outfit
she'd had for years. The snug brown pants and jacket covering a pale gray
blouse were considered quite unladylike and Elyssa rarely wore it. She donned
the outfit at the last second before unexpectedly leaving the solace of her
bedroom in the dead of night. Her eyes wary, Elyssa appeared almost on the
verge of bolting, and Daniel wanted to say nothing to prompt her to do so.
    "I knew you would come," his
low voice caressed. Elyssa trembled at the sound of his voice, smooth as silk
and too seductive by far. It had been a mistake to come, she admonished
herself, for the man held some sort of power over her, and she'd been a fool to
forget that.
    It was obvious by merely looking at him
that he was no man to be put off by anyone, male or female. His chest,
partially bared to view, tempted Elyssa to flex her fingers across its width.
His shirt was halfway unbuttoned and untucked, his dark pants still inside his
black boots. His raven hair, left long and loose, gave
him the look of a rogue. A beautiful, tempting rogue.
    He was a blackguard, pure and
simple––making her blush simply by staring at her so. Elyssa had told herself
he would be long gone by this time. She’d convinced herself she was merely
going for a late night walk to rid her mind of the cobwebs put there by Percy.
    In truth, Elyssa was surprised to see
him still there, over two hours later than he'd asked her to meet him. And even
after all the time he had waited, his reaction to her late appearance prompted
not words of aggravation, but a purely male look of admiration and a husky I
knew you would come.
    Breath indrawn at his alluring voice and the hand outstretched toward her beckoning to
join him, Elyssa's mouth spoke of its own accord. "Only to tell you we
must never the hint of a smile e we see each other again."
    The half smile on Daniel's face
disappeared at her words. Hearing the stable hand's restless moving about in
his bed of hay, Daniel gently grabbed Elyssa by the hand and pulled her back
toward the direction in which he'd been waiting.
    It was only a matter of seconds that her
fingers were entwined with his, but long enough for Elyssa to fall victim to
his easy charm, his utter allure. She glanced down at the sight of their
clasped hands as they began to walk the length of the stables, relished the
warmth of his fingers holding hers captive. And before she could fully
comprehend the incredible connection she felt with the stranger, he loosened
his hold.
    Her gaze followed his, her eyes widening
at the sight that met her. Elyssa was shocked to see not only a lone lantern
dimly lit and hanging on the wall, but a soft blanket laid invitingly in the
corner, a bottle of wine resting comfortably within its folds. If she'd doubted
it before, Elyssa could certainly harbor no misgivings any longer, for the
scene was blatantly meant for seduction. Her seduction. And although that tantalizing thought brought a wave of enticement rushing over
her, Elyssa was likewise appalled that the man thought her so easy and willing
a bed partner.
    Daniel was unable to read the expression
on her face as she stared at the scene before them. The dim light cast a shadow
of her perfect profile against the wall. Daniel was momentarily speechless, for
it seemed every time he saw Revee, she was even more lovely than before. He was a man smitten, and the thought startled Daniel. He'd had
countless women over the years, but he failed to recall even one female that
had ever kept him spellbound for more than a night or two.
    Looking at Daniel abruptly, Elyssa said,
"This was a mistake. I must leave." She managed to rush past Daniel
before he even realized she meant to desert him. Running to catch up with her,
Daniel reached the door just before Elyssa, blocking her escape ..
    "Do not leave," he said
urgently. "I