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slowly. She didn't start nodding with him. Damn, where had his plan to make her desire him run afoul of
such trouble?
She reached out and fingered the collar of his oxford shirt. "You did promise me obedience, Kendrick."
"Aye." Would that she'd order him to strip on the spot!
"And you agreed to do whatever I asked. Anything."
"Aye, I did."
"Then I ask you not to touch me."
His face, and his hopes, fell. Past his feet, past the floor beneath him, straight to hell. It was all he could
do not to weep. "If you will it so," he managed, finally.
"I do," she said, unconcerned. She stepped back a pace from him and smiled serenely. "There's a
favorite saying in antique shops back in America."
"What?" he asked, unable to muster up any enthusiasm for conversation. Didn't the woman know she had
just broken his heart? His one desire aye, his fondest wish had been to love her truly, to bring her
pleasure, to possess her fully and by so doing, allow her to possess him in like manner. And now she
couldn't bear the feel of his hands.
" 'Look but don't touch'."
He lifted his eyes and his jaw hung slack. He watched as the gossamer robe slipped down Genevieve's
arms and pooled at her feet. Nightclothes? What dolt had ever termed what little she was wearing
nightclothes? Kendrick continued to gape at her as she moved to stand between his knees.
"Sit up straight, Kendrick."
He sat bolt upright, trying not to flinch at her fingers' movements against his throat. He gaped some more
as he looked down and watched her unbutton his shirt. She pulled it free of his jeans, unbuttoned the
cuffs and slipped it down off his arms. It joined her robe on the floor.
Then he felt the touch of her slender hands on his bare shoulders. He looked up and met her eyes. There
was hesitancy there, in direct contrast with the expression of bravado she wore. In an instant, he
understood what she was doing.
His wife was seducing him.
And in another blinding flash, he realized what she intended to do once he was down on his knees
begging her to carry him to bed.
She was going to turn and walk away.
Heaven help him, she wanted revenge. Well, she could have it, for about ten paces. Then, assuming she
hadn't tied him up and left him to rot, he would scoop her up, carry her to his bed and love her until they
both couldn't move. Revenge? Ah, what a sweet sound. Her fingers brushed down over his chest, over
the scars scattered here and there, along the scar Phillip had given him. Her hands trembled. Kendrick
closed his eyes and tried to look pained. Genevieve was touching him. How he'd longed for this. He
sucked in his breath as her hands smoothed across his belly, then back up over his ribs. Ah, Genevieve,
don't stop!
She didn't. She ran her hands over the muscles in his arms, coming down to touch his hands that rested
on his thighs. He opened his eyes and watched her look down. He knew the moment her gaze drifted
over his groin because color immediately sprang to her cheeks. He closed his eyes and tried to look
miserable,
"Are you enjoying this?" she asked, suspiciously.
" 'Tis torture. Plain and simple torture."
He peeked out of one eye and saw her frown.
"You wouldn't lie, would you?"
"Moi? Never."
"Good." She beckoned with her finger. "Come closer, I m going to torment you with kisses now and I
don't want it hurting my back."
It was his pleasure to do whatever she wanted. He hooked the chair behind her with his foot and brought
it closer to his love, then rested his feet on it. She was, quite conveniently, trapped between his legs, the
desk and the chair, but he pretended not to notice.
"Close your eyes, Kendrick."
He obeyed, dutifully. And he groaned silently when her lips brushed across his. Already his hands were
itching to wander purposefully over her body. He clasped his hands behind his back in an effort to
behave. And then he stopped thinking about anything but Genevieve's mouth against his, Genevieve's
fingers sliding into his hair, the faint scent of her soap and skin. She hesitantly parted his lips and began to
kiss him deeply. He groaned before he could stop himself, then opened one eye a bit to see how she had
reacted to that slip. Her eyes were closed and she wore a look of intense concentration. He felt a smile
start in his knees and work its way up. She was distracted. Maybe she wouldn't notice if he just
happened to put his arms around her in a friendly embrace. He unclasped his hands.
She left his mouth and kissed her way up his neck.
His fingers twitched.
She nibbled his earlobe.
His fingers, and his toes, curled fiercely.
"Are you suffering yet?" she breathed into his ear.
"I don't think you understand who you're tormenting," he rasped. "Know you not that I was one of the
fiercest warriors of my day?" Aye, that's why I'm fair ready to weep so you'll help me to the floor
and bed me immediately.
"You promised you wouldn't touch me. You're a very honorable knight, my lord."
"Honor be damned," he squeaked as she gently touched her tongue to his ear. "By the saints, Genevieve,
cease!"
She pulled back and smiled at him. "All right." She pushed past his leg and walked away.
"Oh, no you don't," he said, shaking his head to clear it. "You vowed to torture me and you've hardly
finished."
"You told me to stop. Kendrick, you promised not to touch me!"
"What I want to do is wring your neck!"
"All the more reason to keep your hands to yourself."
Kendrick pinned her against a bookcase, holding her captive with a hand on either side of her body. He
scowled down at her.
"I do not like this."
"Tough."
"You're making me daft!"
"You've been pushing me away for a week and I'm getting back at you. Now, I want you to suffer! I'm
not quite through torturing you, so keep your hands off me until I'm finished."
Kendrick scowled some more, then an idea born of sheer desperation came to him. He pushed back
from the bookcase.
"Don't move."
"Where are you going?"
"I'm taking my hands somewhere where they won't be tempted to throttle you. But I'll be back."
He stomped across the library, leaving her standing near the fire. So she didn't want him to touch her, did
she? That meant only his bare hands and he knew just how to solve that.
Chapter Twenty-nine
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