The image was startling. She froze and he let out a noise from deep in his throat. ‘Or a chair. Anywhere out of harm’s way.’
‘I like the bed idea...’
He mounted the steps and kicked the door open, carrying her through the hallway and depositing her unceremoniously so that she was sitting at the kitchen bench.
‘Do not even think about moving,’ he said, with such determination that she was pretty sure the smart thing to do was what he said.
As soon as the front door slammed shut again she wriggled off the bench. Stars flashed in her eyes and she steadied herself by pressing against the fridge. Water. She needed water.
But she was already wet.
She needed to not be wet.
She swore angrily, mentally shaking herself.
Get changed, then drink something.
She nodded.
It was an excellent plan.
Only Rio wasn’t gone long, and her fingers were fumbling too much to perform anything efficiently.
When he walked back into the cottage and found the kitchen deserted, he checked her room.
The door was wide open, and standing by the window was Tilly, in the process of pulling a dry dress on. He saw a glimpse of her naked back, her curved bottom and pale hips. Enough to fuel his fantasies for years to come, he thought grimly.
‘Dio...’ he groaned.
She spun around, and had he been looking at her face he would have seen how unexpected his intrusion was. But his eyes were trained on the body that he’d just caught a tantalising glimpse of, and he possessed her with his gaze when he didn’t dare touch her.
Her fingers dropped to the hem of her dress, lif
ting it, her eyes trained on his, her meaning clear. If he didn’t act quickly she was going to be naked again, and he sure as hell wouldn’t make any promises about how he’d respond to that.
‘I told you,’ he said with grim determination. ‘This is not going to happen.’
It didn’t make sense. He felt it too; she knew he did. He wanted her. ‘But I...’
‘You can barely stand up, Cressida. Do you think I am the kind of man who would take advantage of a woman so inebriated?’
Alcohol had apparently robbed her of any inhibitions. She walked towards him, her curves hypnotising him as she moved.
‘How about letting an inebriated woman take advantage of you?’ she suggested quietly, wrapping her arms around his neck, lifting her body higher, pressing her soft round breasts to his torso. ‘I want this to happen. Sober or not, I want this.’
He closed his eyes for a moment and then stepped backwards. ‘Well, I do not. Especially not like this.’
His words cut her to the quick. Even alcohol couldn’t dull the throb of pain.
‘Oh.’
He expelled a long, slow sigh, as if taming himself while subduing her. ‘Lie down,’ he commanded in a dictatorial tone that was softened by a small smile. ‘You’ll feel like hell in a few hours.’
‘I need water,’ she said belligerently.
‘I’ll bring it.’
She didn’t thank him, even though she knew she ought to. She practically stomped to the bed and lay down, not bothering to pull the covers back.