‘Come with me!’
CHAPTER NINE
HAND IN HAND they ran, giggling like teenagers, past an open-mouthed Rosa, along corridors and up staircases, until finally he stopped and they stood panting in front of a door.
Heart thudding, feeling a knot of tension in her stomach, Prudence stared at him. ‘Where are we?’
He was silent, and then abruptly he leant forward and, tipping her head back, kissed her hard—kissed her until she couldn’t think or speak or breathe.
He lifted his head and stared into her eyes. ‘Somewhere private,’ he said softly. ‘My bedroom.’
With infinite tenderness he ran his fingers over her trembling cheek, his eyes fixing on hers.
‘You don’t need to worry about being disturbed. No one comes up here but me.’
She stared at him for a long moment, her chest tightening, for she knew he was trying to let her know that this was important to him. Wordlessly, she nodded, her breath sharpening at the blazing, possessive intensity of his gaze, and then his head dropped and his mouth captured hers, parting her lips and kissing her passionately.
Suddenly he was pushing her backwards, through the door and across the room to the bed. Her hands slid over his back and through his hair, and then she cried out hoarsely as his lips slid down her neck and over her throat and collarbone, grazing her nipples through the thin fabric of her blouse.
One hand was on her hip, the pressure making her squirm against him. Her eyes closed as his warm breath caressed her throat. She felt cool air on her thighs as slowly his fingers pushed up the hem of her skirt. And then his hands moved higher and gently he pulled the silken strip of her panties from her.
He lifted his head and gazed down at her, breathing unsteadily, his eyes dark with passion. ‘You are so beautiful,’ he murmured. ‘And I want you so much.’
Dry-mouthed, she watched him slide down the bed. ‘What are you—?’
But her words died on her lips as he dipped his head and lowered his mouth to the small triangle of damp curls at the top of her pelvis. She gasped, squirming beneath his touch, almost frightened at how badly she wanted him to keep touching her. Her pulse was pounding; her skin felt hot, burning with a fierce white heat. Inside she was tightening, her body tugging her towards the darkness.
Curving her back, she balled her hands into fists, curling and uncurling as she felt his warm, flickering tongue probe and caress. Suddenly her head was spinning. She clutched him closer and a fluttering, dancing pleasure shimmered over her skin, growing faster and stronger, quickening in time to her pulse, until finally her body tensed and she arched her pelvis against his mouth, burying her hands in his hair.
She lay spent and shaken, and then he slid back up the bed. She shuddered helplessly as his tongue found the soft swell of her breast. Moaning softly, she pulled frantically at the buttons of his fly, her breath stuttering in her throat as she felt the hard, straining male flesh as she eased his jeans down.
At the touch of her hand he groaned and, reaching out blindly, she pulled him inside her. His hips lifted to meet hers and he thrust deep inside, then deeper still, his mouth capturing hers. She gripped his arms, her body throbbing in response, moving and shifting frantically against him. His hands tightened convulsively in her hair and his mouth sought hers. Her muscles clenched and, digging her nails into his back, she cried out loud as her entire body jerked against his. And then she heard his own cry as he tensed, arched and drove himself inside her.
Later, their bodies aching and sated, they lay entwined on his bed.
‘I meant to ask you something, earlier.’
His deep voice broke into her thoughts and she tipped her head up to gaze at him. ‘What is it?’
He smiled, his eyes lighting up as they moved over her face and body. ‘I wanted to ask you why you came back. The second time, I mean.’
She frowned. ‘I told you. To get my job back.’
He nodded. ‘But there are other jobs. Surely no job was worth having to put up with me?’ Raising his eyebrow, he studied her face, watching the slow flush of colour spread over her skin.
‘I didn’t want to let my uncle down.’
She looked up at him, her eyes wide with misery and confusion, and he felt a sudden fiercely protective rush towards her.
‘You didn’t. But if you’d told him who I was he wouldn’t have wanted you to stay—?’
She shook her head. ‘I couldn’t tell him. He needs the money,’ she said flatly. ‘Edmund’s stupidly generous with everyone and he’s got in a muddle. Anyway... Your fee will make everything okay. That’s why I had to come back.’
His eyes were warm and clear, like single malt whisky. ‘I see. So you put up with me to make your uncle happy? Despite everything that happened between us, you let it go? For him.’ He shook his head. ‘I think that makes you pretty strong and loyal and kind too.’
Recognising her words, Prudence blushed.
Laszlo frowned. ‘You know, we might be more like one another than we care to admit. I think if we’d concentrated on how similar we are, rather than focusing on our differences, we could’ve made it work.’