"All right," he murmured against her mouth. "If this is what you want, I agree." Her heart leaped with joy. "You're going to let me have at your sweet, snug s.e.x anytime I want." His lips brushed that tantalizing spot under her ear. Her belly fluttered. "And in turn, I'll be your most ardent lover...make you come for me. Hard. And often." He drew on her neck. She lost her breath, a fresh surge of raw hunger swamping her senses. "Agreed?" he asked.

"Yes. Agreed."

"Good." She heard the smile in his tone. He bit her earlobe, tearing another gasp from her throat. "d.a.m.n the celebration... I could be inside of you right now..."

Being in his arms was like being caught in a storm, overwhelming and obliterating. She'd completely forgotten about the celebration. He was expected to be there at the formal commencement of the feast.

Reluctantly, she stepped back. Placing a hand on his chest, she fought to reclaim a semblance of rational composure, trying to calm the urgency pounding in her blood. "You should go. They await you."

Simon let out a breath. "Give me a moment." Jesus-Christ, her proposition had taken him completely by surprise. He should have refused. But she had made him an offer not even a monk could turn down.

He closed his eyes, trying to shut out the lush vision she made, trying to ignore, with little success, the discomfort of his erection, thick, full.

"Nine hundred ninety-three," he muttered. "Nine hundred eighty-six..."

"What are you doing?"

Keeping his eyes closed, knowing that looking at her would only be counterproductive, he said, "I am counting backwards from one thousand by sevens. And you have made me lose my spot."

"Why?"

He snapped open his eyes. "In case you haven't noticed, chere, you have me stiff as a spike. I am trying to combat my rather...amorous state."

"Oh..." Her cheeks flushed sweetly. "Nine hundred seventy-nine."

"Pardon?"

"That is your next number." She bit her lip, trying to conceal a smile.

He felt a smile tug at his lips too. They both burst into laughter. Some of the tension left his body.

It gave him such delight to see her laugh.

"If your method is unsuccessful," she said, "you could try reciting the Greek alphabet."

He chuckled. "I'm glad you derive amus.e.m.e.nt from my miserable state."

She attempted to look contrite. "I'm sorry for your miserable state."

"Oh?" He stood up, sporting a mischievous grin, and slowly advanced on her. "How sorry?"

She took a playful step back. "Very. I shall make it up to you. I promise."

He took another step toward her, caught up in her playfulness. "When?"

She took another step back. "After the feast."

He groaned. That seemed like forever. He advanced. "How?"

She backed into the wall. Her smile faded. Her beautiful eyes darkened with desire. "Any way you wish...as long as it includes more kissing."

He stopped in front of her, grinning. "I believe I can live with those conditions," he said, enjoying himself. He ran his finger gingerly over the gentle swell of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, following the contour of her scooped neckline. He heard her breath catch.

His ability to resist her was nominal at best. He didn't have it in him to fight the temptation that was Angelica de Castel anymore. It was too strong. Nothing he did seemed to lessen his need for her or shatter the enchantment.

Clearly, he was on dangerous ground.

She was a n.o.ble. For someone of his social standing, she was forbidden fruit. He prayed that this fascination he had with her would eventually diminish.

He had to hold their relationship to s.e.x and s.e.x alone. This inexplicable allurement had to end. No matter how incredible it felt when he was with her, he had no choice but to cling to what was best. What was best was that by the time he returned to France, the flame of their desire would have burned out. And that he would have lost, by that time, all the invading emotions constricting his heart.

It was the only acceptable outcome. For both of them.

His plan was simple. To enjoy each other fully, extensively, with the goal in mind to cool the pa.s.sion between them that at the moment was scorching hot. In this he couldn't fail. Because there was no future for them. Not for the son of a commoner and the daughter of a count.

"You will make this up to me." He smiled and took hold of her hand. Pressing a kiss to it, he added, "In my chamber later tonight." Still holding her hand, he opened the door and stepped outside. "Let's join the feast." Walking briskly toward the merrymaking, he glanced back at the siren of his fantasies. "Eat quickly."

Chapter Eighteen.

Some distance away, the rest of the island continued with the celebration, but in the privacy of Simon's chamber, Angelica watched as he closed the door.

They were finally alone.

Antic.i.p.ation gripped her.

Conscious of her cold fingers, she clasped her hands together, trying to warm them. One hand was warmer than the other. It was the hand he'd held as he led her up the stairs to his room.

She took in a quiet breath and let it out slowly, trying to ignore her pounding heart.

He watched her from the door, his head slightly c.o.c.ked. Strands of dark hair rested on one perfect ebony brow, creating such dramatic contrast with his light blue eyes. He was far too handsome. Far too confident. And he had a way of drawing her to him, heart, body, and soul.

Dear G.o.d, had she set herself up for inevitable heartache? How realistic was it to hope that over the next few weeks he would fully engage his heart? What if he held her at arm's length emotionally the entire month? In all the time she'd known him, he'd offered her little personal information. He was even better at keeping secrets and distance than she had been.

She forced back the doubts. He would be all hers for the next few weeks. It was inevitable that they would grow closer. But would she be able to get close enough to claim his heart?

He smiled and slowly advanced. Her stomach fluttered.

His presence beside her during the feast had made it impossible for her to eat. The occasional brush of his thigh, the heat of his regard, and the intermittent caress of his hand on her arm had kept her senses on alert and her body quivering in antic.i.p.ation for what would follow the meal.

And now he was looking at her with the same desire that had been in his eyes all evening.

He stopped before her, their bodies all but touching.

With a gentle stroke of his fingers over her shoulder, he picked up one of her cascading tresses. Silently, he studied it as it curled naturally around his finger. Looking into her eyes, he brushed the lock of her hair against his lips.

She shivered.

"Are you cold?" His voice was low and soft in the stillness of the room.

"No." His closeness made her hot from the inside out.

"Are you afraid? Do you think I will devour you?" he gently teased.

She knew he was trying to make her smile, to ease her nerves. It only made her love and want him more.

"No, I'm not afraid," she said with a small smile, "nor do I think you will devour me."

"Good, because I don't devour women until after midnight."

A laugh escaped her. "Then I am safe for a few more hours."

"Precisely." He grinned, releasing her curl.

She glanced over at his bed, noticing the details of his chamber for the first time. It was decorated with wall coverings in various shades of blue, woven rugs on the floor, and a large four-poster bed with deep-blue drapery. It was elegant, serene, and tasteful.

Why was she not surprised? His birth may have been in the common cla.s.s, but there was nothing common about him. This very chamber was a perfect reflection of him-a man who had achieved success yet wasn't ostentatious. It exemplified what courage and determination could bring.

Inspired by his example, she too was unwilling to accept what fate had offered and was extending her hand to reach for more.

"Would you like me to lie down on the bed?" Mentally she cringed, mortified at her artless words. The nervous excitement, rampant inside her, was as distracting as he was.

His smile was unwavering. "No." He slipped his fingers beneath her chin. "All I want you to do at the moment is to relax. The night is young, mon ange. There is no need to rush."

Again he'd called her my angel. And it sounded sublime, soothing over her embarra.s.sment.

Taking her hands, he drew her arms around his waist, then circled his arms around her. She pressed herself a little closer, drawn to his wonderful scent and the divine feel of his hard body against hers. She never felt more alive than when she was with him.

"We've done this before," he reminded her. "We will only do that which pleases us both. I wouldn't force you to do anything you don't want to do."

She looked up at him. "I know." I love you... "I trust you."

The look on his face told her that her answer pleased him.

"Simon, I want you to treat me no differently in bed than you would any other woman."

He placed a soft stirring kiss at the corner of her mouth. "I've not been able to treat you the same as other women yet." His words and sensuous voice played havoc with her senses.

Gracious G.o.d...He was too good at this...

"You didn't eat this evening at the feast. I had a.s.sunta leave early to lay out some food here in my chamber. Are you hungry?"

Food was the last thing on her mind. "No. All I want right now is you..." Threading her fingers through his hair, she pulled his head down.

The moment their mouths met, a rush of arousal flooded her body. She laced her arms around his neck, and deepened her kiss, drawing his tongue into her mouth. His groan thrilled her. She told him with her kiss what she couldn't-wouldn't-say at the moment: how much she needed, wanted, and loved him.

Capturing her face between his palms, he angled her head, slanting his mouth over hers, taking command of the kiss. Heightening her hunger.

"Angelica," he breathed.

She kissed him again. In this, she wouldn't hold back in any way.

"To h.e.l.l with proceeding slowly," he said between shallow breaths. "I'm having you. Right now. Turn around."

Before she could command her legs, he spun her around and wrapped an arm around her waist, his fingers quickly undoing the lacing down her back with expert ease. He slipped his hands inside her loosened bodice and captured her nipples though the cloth of her chemise. She sucked in a sharp breath, his fingers plying the tips with tender tugs and light pinches, sending sensations lancing from her b.r.e.a.s.t.s to her core. Her s.e.x answered with a warm gush.

"I have fantasized about this," he murmured near her ear, "about you, here in my chamber...and what I would do to you." His words, his actions made the bud between her legs throb.

As her bodice dropped to the floor, her only coherent thought was that she would have weeks of this sort of pleasure with him.

Turning her back around, he dipped his head and brushed his lips over the material covering her nipple, then drew on it through the cloth. Her knees almost gave way.

She arched to him, driving her hands into his hair. "Simon..." His name came out a mixture of a plea and a moan.

Grasping her wrists, he pulled her arms down to her sides and returned his mouth to hers. "I like your heated enthusiasm." She heard the smile in his tone despite his own advanced state of arousal. "Let's remove these c.u.mbersome clothes."

Between hot kisses, with more determination than skill, she managed to free his shirt from his breeches, while he smoothly stripped away her clothing-his fingers brushing her bare skin, making her breath catch-until he had her down to her chemise.

Finally, she pulled off his shirt and tossed it carelessly behind her. Her gaze was riveted to the male perfection before her.

She moved her hands over the muscled contours of his chest, letting her fingers purposely brush across his nipples. With a groan, he grabbed the hem of her knee-length chemise.

"Wait." Breathless, she stepped back on shaky limbs.

"Wait?"

"I want to see you first. All of you." She wouldn't be denied the pleasure of seeing every bit of his exquisite masculine physique this time. He was all hers, and she wanted to see all of him. "That night on the ship...you remained partially dressed," she reminded him.

Despite the intense desire in his eyes, she saw a smile tug at the corners of his mouth.

Without a word, he stepped back and toed off his boots. Completely at ease, he undid his breeches, watching her reaction. She swallowed. Her insides fluttered in antic.i.p.ation. She'd never had the desire to see a naked man before. Until Simon. She so desperately wanted to see him.

Casually, he stripped off his remaining clothing and stood naked before her, allowing her to look her fill.

His s.e.x snared her attention. Its generous length and girth made her wonder how they could have possibly fit together, but they had, she quickly reminded herself, oh so incredibly...

"Come here, Angelica."

He was smiling at her-the devil-having observed her ogling him. She blushed. Tamping down her embarra.s.sment, she forced her legs to move forward.

Slipping one hand through her hair, he pulled her close and gave her a quick, hard kiss. "If you are going to look," he said, "you might as well touch."

Her heart missed a beat. His suggestion was overwhelmingly appealing. And utterly irresistible.