Morell, George, and Jack were staring at him.
“You lied,” Morell announced when he returned to his spot. “You are an excellent dancer, indeed.”
“The lady is divine. Sadly, she’s still feeling under the weather.”
Across the room, Audrey was gently pressing a handkerchief to her face and pretending to be winded.
“I think she likes you. Don’t let her get away.” Morell moved on. Audrey passed by. Now they were both in the clear.
Nine minutes later, he slipped away, passing the guards, into the north hallway. Nobody paid him any mind. He’d watched people come and go all day. As long as he didn’t leave the northern wing of the castle, he wouldn’t get shot.
Kaldar sank into one of the shadowy alcoves. Where is she?
A minute passed. Another. Time slowed, barely moving like chilled honey.
Is she not coming? Will I have to go after her?
A familiar, curvy figure slipped into the hallway. He peeled himself from the wall, grasped her hand, and pulled her to him, pinning her between the wall and himself. They stared at each other for a pressurized electric second, the air between them saturated with desire. He’d wanted her for so long, it seemed like eternity.
She was smiling at him, that delicious, hot, irresistible Audrey smile. She wanted him, too.
All thoughts of talking fled from Kaldar’s head. He kissed her smile, tasting her lips, so sweet and pliant. He kissed her because he had to. He couldn’t help it. She tasted of wine and apples and that enchanting indescribable feminine spice that drove all reason from his head.
Her mouth parted, inviting him, and the tip of her tongue licked his. The taste of Audrey exploded in his mouth. Finally.
Kaldar pulled her toward him, his hands sliding over the firm, supple curve of her ass, and drank her in. Audrey gasped into his mouth. He pressed against her and let his tongue explore, teasing, taking, daring her to do something about it. Her left arm slid around his neck, accepting his challenge. Her right hand slipped down, along his chest, lower, to the bulge in his pants, caressing him, her skin soft and warm. Her fingers brushed against him. His body tightened in response, straining, begging for her touch. He couldn’t get any harder. She ran her hand over his shaft and stroked him, propelling him right to the edge, to the desperate place where nothing but Audrey mattered. He wanted her more than anything in his life.
They needed privacy. The dark rectangle of a door loomed on the right. She kissed him again, and he blindly found the door handle. Locked. Magic stung his hand, and suddenly the handle turned. He opened the door, and they slipped inside, intertwined. He locked the door one-handed, afraid to let go of her, and hoisted her onto the desk.
FEW people recognized the moment they fell in love. Audrey had no idea when it happened. She knew only that touching Kaldar, being with him, feeling his lips on hers, was the most important thing. Somehow, between their fight and this second, she had fallen in love with him, and when he kissed her, it felt like pure heaven.
She kissed his face, his jaw, his lips, caressing him. All of the good solid reasons she should push him away and stop seemed so stupid and small compared to what she saw in his eyes. There wasn’t even a word for it. Admiration? Affection? Desire? Bliss? Love. That had to be it.
Kaldar brushed the seam on her side, found the clasps, then her breasts were free. He bent his head down and kissed her neck, his hands caressing her body, his roughened thumbs sliding over her nipples, sending tiny shocks of bliss through her. Audrey arched her back. Every stroke of his hands, every touch, every heated press of his lips against her skin, felt overpowering, as if her senses had suddenly sharpened. The air grew hot. Pressure built inside her, squeezing her everywhere.
She reached for his vest and worked the clasp open. He shrugged it off and yanked off his shirt. As he pulled the fabric over his head, she unbuckled his belt and slipped her hand inside, pulling his shaft free. He groaned, his body tight, the muscles on his chest and stomach hard, strained bulges.
He was beautiful.
Audrey stroked him again, running her hand up and down his hard shaft, and he slipped his hand under her skirt, up her thigh. He pulled off her panties. His fingers dipped into her, right into the center of the aching pressure.
Oh God. She almost cried out, and he kissed her. “Shh, love. Shh.”
He slid his fingers higher and touched the sensitive mound just above her ache. A thrilling jolt shot through her, so intense she jerked back, then immediately leaned into him, eager for more. He kissed her neck, sending small shivers down her spine. His fingers made small, slippery circles, sliding, hot, clever, touching just right. Pleasure spiked inside her, the pressure rolling, concentrating down, toward that spot and his hands, each touch bringing the rush of euphoria closer, as if it spiraled down. Her breath was coming in short, rapid gasps. The tension built and built. She felt as if she were flying, her brain flooded by bliss and Kaldar.
The pressure came together into a single tight knot. She couldn’t stand it any longer. It peaked, and a wave of exquisite, intense pleasure swept through her, quick and followed by spasms.
He thrust into her, his shaft a hot hardness inside her. She locked her legs behind him. They moved in a steady rhythm. She kissed him, winding herself around his body, echoing every thrust, feeling every movement he made inside her. A steady ache began to build in her again, that same insistent, exhilarating pressure.
Someone tried the door handle. She clamped her hand on Kaldar’s mouth. They froze. If they got busted, she would say . . . To hell with it. She didn’t care.
On the other side of the door, a woman made an irritated “Hmm” noise. Kaldar pulled out of her—she’d almost gasped in frustration—and moved across the carpet to the door.
Another “Hmm.”