Come the Night (The Dangerous Delameres - Book 1)

by Skye, Christina

  Silver lay before him, lips parted, eyes alive with emerald fire. At her breast white lace fluttered in the soft wind, teasing her naked skin. “Perhaps it is that very … blade of yours I seek, highwayman.”

  Desire rode Luc at her words. She was fearless. She was incorrigible. She was—

  Beautiful. Heartrendingly innocent. A woman to test the mettle of a saint.

  And Luc was certainly no saint.

  He fell to one knee beside her, his foil still raised a hair’s breadth from her neck. His mouth hardened as he tugged her pistol from her fingers and flung it to the grass. “And now, my lady, what new scheme will you attempt? You have no weapons left to defeat me.”

  “I have but one weapon left, my lord highwayman.” Silver rose slowly, her eyes fixed on Luc’s face. Her hands moved to the last button at her bodice. “Shall I show it to you now?”

  “Don’t, Silver.” Luc’s voice was rough with need. “There are things you don’t know — vast dangers that you risk…”

  But still she rose.

  Luc’s foil retreated before her steady advance. Only inches away from him she stopped, her fingers on the last button.

  And then that, too, was freed.

  Her hand slid to his bared chest. Her fingers parted, sliding lower. Luc groaned to feel her breasts thrusting against him.

  “I can feel your heart. It races as wildly as mine does, highwayman. Does the rest of you feel so hot and hard?”

  Luc groaned, caught broadside in a swell of pleasure at her touch. His fingers clenched. Ethics, scruples, and honor fled.

  It was night. She was heaven. And he was far too much a man.

  His head fell. He found the curve of her and drank deeply. “You can’t know what you’re doing,” he grated, burying his hands in her hair. It would end badly, but suddenly Luc didn’t care. He had no strength for anything but the joy she was teaching him.

  “But I do know.” Her eyes shimmering, Silver caught his head and planted little kisses along his collarbone.

  And as Luc looked into her shimmering eyes, he realized exactly what he’d been missing all these years.

  Heart.

  Somewhere in the dark, hot hours in Algiers he’d lost that. And without a heart colors were flat and time was dull, with no purpose.

  He drank in the sight of Silver and knew that she was his only real chance at surviving, for her heart was real and true enough for two. It flashed like morning’s first light, exquisite with all the textures of dreams and hopes that Luc had forgotten how to feel.

  Heart.

  Such a simple thing. Such a useless thing, in the narrow, businesslike eyes of money makers and empire builders.

  But Luc Delamere knew they were all wrong.

  Heart was everything. It was end and beginning. Without it life had no taste, no scent, and no purpose.

  He thought of his first sight of her, terrified yet ferocious as she faced him upon the heath. He thought of the light in her eyes and the throaty way she laughed.

  And he knew that if this woman couldn’t help him find his heart, nobody could.

  It was wrong, but he couldn’t help himself. Just once he had to feel her beneath him. To taste the swift tug of her passion…

  He pushed to his feet. With his foil he caught the ties at her skirt and sliced them neatly.

  Lace and muslin whispered to a creamy pool against the dark grass.

  Luc’s breath caught. “Sunbeam, you’ve got weapons you can’t imagine. Right now they stop my breath and tear out my very heart.” He watched her tongue skim her lips. “And I think you’ve been practicing all your life,” he growled.

  He eyed her well-licked lips. Whatever he had been thinking vanished in a rush of raw sensation as she pulled his face down to hers.

  Her lips parted wide. They sent new waves of torment to Luc’s groin. “Halt, woman. In a second you’ll be teaching me.”

  But it was too late. She already was.

  She had turned the tables neatly, slanting her head and running her tongue across the curve of his lips.

  Groaning, he caught her against him. Their tongues met and he felt his control shatter. He’d loved her from the first second he’d seen her, her eyes huge with fear and an equal determination to hide it.

  He felt his rapier pulled free. The next moment its point pricked his chest.

  “And now, rogue, I’ll have you at my bidding.” Blade steady, Silver reached to the buttons straining at his breeches. “Off with these.”

  The touch of her fingers was agony. Luc bit back a curse. “You’re bold for such an innocent. Perhaps the highwayman needs to teach you a lesson in humility.”

  Silver’s lips curved. “He is welcome to try.” Her fingers slid over the straining buttons.

  “No more,” he growled. “You’re tempting fate.”

  “Sometimes it is very … pleasant to tempt fate. Fate is so very big, after all. So very warm. I can almost feel it pulsing right here at my fingers. Fate, that is,” Silver purred.

  At her challenge Luc’s manhood rose, straining hotly. “It’s not only fate you’ll taste tonight, hellion.”

  Silver’s eyelids dropped, delicately veiling her eyes. “I sincerely hope so.” And then in one reckless movement she found him. Slowly she traced the hot length of him, staring in patent wonder. “You are … so large. In fact, I cannot possibly see how—”

  Luc gave her no time for confusion to turn to fear. He caught the rapier and sent it flying. “You will not need that blade tonight. I have a far better one.” He pulled her beneath him, pinning her to the soft grass. “Too late for fear, my beauty. You’ve roused the highwayman this night, and the highwayman will not be gainsaid.” His head fell. He tongued the rose-red tips furled and aching for his touch.

  Her back arched. “Oh, Luc. It is heaven. Sweetest heaven.”

  “Am I to assume that you like this? Being kissed this way?”

  She shuddered. “It is far too urgent to be comfortable.” Her eyes opened, dark with confusion. “Do people do this often?”

  Luc smiled faintly. “As often as possible, Sunbeam. When one is in love, of course.”

  A grave nod. “In love. I … see.”

  He knew she didn’t. He knew she was wondering how many other times before he’d thought himself in love. And she was wondering just how many other women there had been.

  “The answer is never, Sunbeam. Never have I felt like this nor even close.” His thumb moved roughly over the outline of one dusky nipple. “You seem surprised. I take it your many lovers never touched you so.”

  Color flared over Silver’s cheeks. She swung her palm against his wrist and knocked his arm away.

  “Anger? Ah, but you told me you were — let me get it right — well broken in.”

  Silver squirmed wildly, her cheeks aflame. “They did! Every single one! You simply — took me by surprise, that’s all.”

  “I’m glad to hear it. But now you’re right where I want you. And a highwayman always takes advantage of his prize.”

  He caught up a handful of lavender sprigs, his eyes burning.

  Purple buds went raining across her heated skin. “And I have a pressing urge to taste your lavender.”

  Silver’s breath caught as he bent toward her. His face was burned to deepest gold. His mouth was hard. His nose was proud, with a bit too much arrogance.

  It was a warrior’s face. A brigand’s face.

  The face of a man who knew exactly what he wanted and took it.

  Right now Silver had the dizzy feeling that she was the only thing in the world that this highwayman wanted. If so, she had no more strength to deny him.

  “Soft and fine, Sunbeam. Your taste is as sweet as your lavender.”

  Silver made a breathless sound as his lips met the curve of her shoulder, then her rib, and then the lower swell of her breast.

  He moved carefully, leisurely, tonguing every inch of her like the lazy connoisseur he was.

  Her need gre
w to a fury. She was breathless in a second, wild in five, and clinging blindly at ten.

  But he did not hurry. Smiling darkly, he broached the shadowed triangle at her thighs. He ignored her husky cry, sliding the fragrant petals back and forth across her hungry skin.

  “No, Luc! That is, surely not there—”

  And then her breath tore free. He found her, circled her, stroked her wetly. Ever deeper he swept, understanding her body better than she did, drawing the fire far inside her.

  She cried out wildly. Overhead the starlit sky seemed to spin and sway. “Luc, I can’t—”

  “You can, my love. And now you will. It is the highwayman’s command.” He laughed darkly, showing her that indeed she could, again and again, while his hard arms held her granite-safe inside the storm.

  The world went dark. Light and form were sucked away like beach sand caught before a rising wave. And then the great tide struck.

  Her back bowed. Her body tensed. Pleasure slammed through her, full and rich and heavy. She gave a breathy cry of wonder, flung into glinting currents, her nails digging at Luc’s shoulders. And as she did, Silver felt him drive his mark upon the curve of skin caught between his teeth and hungry tongue.

  She exploded to a second crest of pleasure.

  Luc laughed huskily, his hands slow and soothing as he watched her drift back to him.

  When finally she could speak — when her body took on solid form once more — Silver’s eyes opened, all emerald and smoke in the aftermath of her passion.

  She pushed to one shoulder, a faint grin on her beautiful mouth. “Is that perhaps a felon’s brand you’ve laid upon me, rogue?”

  His eyes were wickedness itself. “A lover’s brand, more like. Do you dislike it greatly?”

  For answer Silver pulled him down to her.

  She couldn’t let the bloody man think that he knew everything.

  Her lips sought his. Skimming, tugging, she turned the highwayman’s own skills against him.

  By the time she was done, he was iron jawed, white faced, the pain at his groin nigh to unbearable. “I rather think we may count your lessons complete, spitfire,” Luc growled.

  “Not yet…” She bent her head. With her hair a russet veil, she nipped his neck and planted a love mark of her own against his bronzed skin. “There. How does it feel to wear my brand?”

  The throbbing in Luc’s blood became a savage thunder. “Most arousing, my lady.” His hands slid lower, curved around her hips. He drew her closer, his hungry blade wedged against her silken curls. “And I’ll wear anything else you choose to offer me.”

  Silver smiled, a thing of aching beauty. “Will you?” She twisted, fitting herself to the awesome length of him. “Even this?”

  Her scent was rose and lavender and the fit was perfect — as close to heaven as Luc had ever thought to rise.

  But he found out he was wrong when Silver brought him yet another inch inside her.

  “Slow, my love,” Luc grated, his face taut with the effort to stay still. “You are very small, and I don’t want to hurt you this first time.”

  Silver’s eyes widened. “You knew? But—”

  “Of course I knew, Sunbeam. One touch of you, so tight and small, belied all your boasting.”

  Her cheeks reddened. “Then why—”

  Luc couldn’t bear another word. Not when she was hot and lush as honey against him. “Hush, beauty. No more talk, or not with words. Listen to me — with your body. Talk back to me just the same. Shout at me. Growl at me. Whisper hot and slow to me. Let me hear what all those sweet curves have to say.” His voice broke, hoarse with his effort at control. Every muscle throbbed, screaming at him to forget subtlety. To pin her down and impale her, fast and deep and fierce, then ride her to his own release.

  But he didn’t.

  Luc had waited far too long to rush through this moment. Were it possible, he’d make it last forever.

  But waiting was definitely not going to be easy.

  Especially when the woman was reckless, with wild, carnal ideas of her own. She pressed against him, taking him deeper.

  “Damn it, Silver, you can’t. You shouldn’t.” Luc’s jaws locked as she sank another hot, velvet inch around him. “I don’t think I can bear it…”

  He found out that he could, of course. Even though his breath was ragged and his body was sheened with sweat, he loved every second of her silken torment. She pressed against him, all warmth and light and life, a magical being sprung from his deepest dreams.

  And when Luc felt a faint tremor snake through her, he smiled crookedly. Even if he could wait, he wasn’t sure that she could.

  Her eyes were closed. Her pulse was racing. And she was struggling to bring him even closer.

  But he couldn’t go any closer. Not yet. The fragile barrier lay stretched between them.

  Luc eased his big hands around Silver’s hips, holding her still. “Listen to me. Sunbeam. I’m deep, as deep as I can go, love. Not without hurting you.”

  Luc wasn’t sure she heard him. “Silver?”

  Her hands dug into his shoulders. She twisted restlessly.

  “Silver, listen. It’s not going to be the way you think it is.”

  One eye opened. “Is that a promise — or a warning?”

  “A bit of both, I think. And I’m sorry. I wish it weren’t.”

  She shivered. Her body moved longingly against his, wanting all of him.

  “Tell me now. Sunbeam. It won’t be easy, but I’ll stop. Now, if you want it. But not later. Oh, God, not later…”

  She shuddered. “Now, Luc.” Her body whispered, teased, pleaded. Luc groaned as he read the meaning she was too lost to voice in words.

  He eased from her, wishing he could make it different for her and knowing he couldn’t.

  Fast. It had to be fast.

  In one swift surge he laid her bare. Driving deep and hard, he pierced the fragile membrane of her maidenhood. He cursed as he felt her stiffen and though she would have squirmed away, he held her still, knowing movement would only add to her discomfort.

  His fingers splayed open. He closed his eyes, fighting the urge to move, to drive, to fill her deep and fast. But he waited, only held her, only let her come to accept the size and heat of him inside her.

  Her eyes opened. She swallowed. “Blast you,” she said raggedly. “If it feels like this, why do you call it pleasure? And why were those women smiling like well-fed cats at that bloody house of assignation?”

  He couldn’t hide a smile. “You’ll see, sweeting.”

  “No, I won’t!” She squirmed, trying to push him away. “That hurt! And none of this makes any sense at all.”

  Luc smiled lazily. “But it will make sense, my sweet. Because it won’t ever feel like that again. Not for you. And I’m going to prove it to you now.”

  Silver pursed her lips, staring down at their locked bodies, clearly unconvinced.

  At her measuring glance Luc felt his muscles leap and pulse inside her.

  “Oh.” Silver’s voice was shocked. “How did you do that?”

  “I really have little choice in the matter, temptress. You do that to me. You’re more potent than any witch’s brew.”

  She frowned, her eyes dark with confusion. “Then — there’s more? It wasn’t over when you did — well, that?”

  Luc had to fight back a laugh. Or it might have been a groan. He was too far gone to know. He would never have a moment’s peace with Susannah St. Clair, but neither would he know a second of boredom.

  He found he liked the idea. Immensely.

  “Oh, there’s a great deal more. Shall I show you now?” As he spoke, Luc eased his fingers between them, teasing past the silken curls to find the hidden bud of nerves beneath.

  She gasped.

  “It starts here, my love. With this. And with this.” When he felt her open, Luc moved against her, fingers slow. His thighs tensed, sliding deeper as the tender skin parted to sheathe him.

  And the
re was nothing between them this time. Only heat. Only skin like wet silk. Only endless, howling pleasure.

  He was dying, he thought. Any second his heart would give way and he’d gasp out his last breath, in extremis.

  But he had his heart back. He felt it beating; he knew its sure heat and steady hunger. She had done that, and truly, there was only one way he could reward her.

  He moved again, much deeper. “No more protests?”

  Silver’s cheeks were faintly flushed. “That was … rather nice.”

  “Rather? Is that all you have to say? I wager you’ll like this even more.” He braced his arms and gave her his whole length, one long, perfect jolt of heat.

  Her eyes widened, locked to his. “Most … encouraging,” she managed.

  “I’m vastly thankful.” He eased back, smiling when she resisted, groaning when her woman’s muscles tensed to hold him still. “And I’m only too pleased to demonstrate how … thankful I can be.”

  He did.

  She urged him on.

  It was heaven.

  They reached out, clung and strained, there against the green grass. Breaths wild, they took and gave in matching measure, their bodies sheened with heat beneath the dancing wind.

  An owl whooshed through the roses. The moon floated over swaying fields of lavender.

  They never even noticed, heart to heart, passion-blind, love-lost.

  Silver buried her fingers deep in Luc’s hair. “Take me, Luc,” she whispered. “Take me now. Take me fast and deep, anywhere you want to go.”

  She offered him the shimmering depths of her soul then.

  He offered her the mysteries of his, troubled dreams, dark deeds, and all.

  She smiled and took all he had to give her.

  Her face was innocent; her thighs moved with luscious, wanton abandon. The combination nearly killed him.

  “Then so I shall, my heart,” Luc growled, pinning her to the damp earth, driving hard and deep and fast.

  She rose against him, clenched him fiercely, their bodies stretched in a silken counterpoint of passion.

  His forehead fell to hers. He shuddered when he heard her cry out his name and convulse around him. In that instant he drove inside her, deep, so deep, claiming her, needing her, filling her with his hot, potent seed.