Chapter 39

"If something interested me, perhaps. But it doesn't. This salmon now, this pork tart?" Not to mention the door. Remember?
"Very well. Then I'll just have to come to-"
The log cracked open in the fire. Dear God, never mind hearing his words, she didn't want him over here, parading about naked whatever his body was really like. She hadn't exactly seen all of it yet. Been possessed by it maybe. But that was--all wasn't the word to use. Not given the sudden electric tingle between her legs.
She shrugged. "Oh, you do what you want, Lord Hawley. I hope you think I'm interested in your naked parade."
"Well seeing as you say so, Cassidy."
Her hair stood on end as he swung his feet to the floor-it felt as if it did anyway.Why the hell had she said what she had when his body was such a thing of beauty, the desire to be possessed by it was an overwhelming wave. She'd had enough of this, remember?And this morning she hadn't exactly been immune to him either. This morning she'd seen she'd been wrong about sex being a lot of fuss about nothing. That it was ... in fact ... a reason to leave.
From head to toe, she wanted him, was she going to have a bastard like him for a heap of old papers though?A bastard who thought he could insult her into bed with him?
On his terms.
And yet, damn it, what would she have if she didn't have these papers? A half hour's head start and Ruby knowing she'd messed this up? After all these years of squirrelling every brass farthing under Starkadder's nose? The other girls and Gil's too? All because she hadn't left last night when she should have? When she hated being owned too?
Before he could protest, she rustled across the floor and pushed him back. Then she straddled him in a swish of black muslin. Not that he was likely to protest. Still, one thing she'd learned this morning, in addition to the fact she had urges the same as anyone else, it was better to control him than the other way about.
Another session of pleasure wasn't what she sought here, so this-this kiss would have his lips aflame, not the other way about. Now that might just surprise him. But if anyone was going to lose restraint here, it wouldn't be her.No. This would be on her terms.
His hands clasped her thighs. An instant force to be reckoned with. When his contempt for her said it all? Don't make her laugh.
Her hand edged between their bodies and he groaned as her fingers curled around his taut flesh. This bit of him she could so easily dig her nails into, put an end to this now. It would serve him right, especially when this bit of him, was so electrically connected to him, she tasted the charge in his lips.
Grunting, he twisted around and flipped her onto her back.
"Hmmm. So now what, Miss Armstrong? How are you going to surprise me?"
Truthfully? She'd no idea--she wasn't expecting this-but she would think of something. Let him turn this round on her? No.
"No ... no ... wait."
If she'd struggled to push a mountain off her, she couldn't have tried harder to budge him. He landed on his back with a soft thump in the mattress.
"Hmm. Believe me, Miss Armstrong, I'm all eyes."
"I said ... Just let me ... " She thought wildly. "Let me get my stockings off. It won't take a minute."
"That's good to know, because ...I don't know I can wait."
He reached up to drag her back down. What would be best given this awful expectation he plainly had of her? How to get him at her mercy? How to return this to her satisfaction? From out of the blue an idea came, where all her best ideas came from. Well, she was Sapphire after all.
She reached across and wound the stocking around the bed rail. It was daring and slightly degenerate. Slightly? It was appalling. But if there was one way to keep control while showing him how skilled she was, then this was it. Now, this encounter would be down to her. How clever was that? He'd be the one being owned.
"Miss Armstrong ... "
"Yes, Lord Hawley."
"What do you think you're doing?"
What did he think she was doing? With his wrist, a piece of stocking, and the bedrail? What did it look like for goodness sake? That she was practicing her embroidery?
"I'm making you comfortable. My way."
His eyes glazed. Oh, he wanted to, didn't he? Now all she need do was straddle him. Yes. Then he could do the rest. There would be no more talk of proof or armories and he would never discover just how much of a front the glittering Sapphire had, of necessity, lived behind, although frankly Sapphire had her uses. Maybe she was being too hard on her?
She gathered her skirt and straddled him. "In another moment, or so, you can give me what I want. What you want too, I'm sure of it. A man like you."
She leaned forward and brushed his lips with hers. "So don't be coy. Or I'll just have to tie your ankles as well."
"Christ, Miss Armstrong ... "
"Cassidy. You should call me it, just as you did a second ago." She reached for the bedrail.
The air left her body in a startled gasp as he shifted suddenly and she landed on her back on the mattress. Now he was on top, his breath brushing her lips, her hair, as he gazed down into her eyes. His hair fell like a silk curtain across his face.
What would it take to overcome her defenses? That wall she'd systematically erected around herself? Nothing much at this moment in time.
"Well, Cassidy, we do it this way, or I won't be able to stop myself. Do you understand?"
She teased the stocking across her lips. "But isn't that what you want? For me, the greatest jewel thief in London, to surprise you? Hmm? Show you my ... prowess?"
"You being quiet is what I want."
"Yes, but-"
"Now."
Covering her mouth, he met her tongue with his own. Simply because a man looked like this and dived on her like this too, it didn't mean she should succumb though.
"Excuse me asking but is you doing it your way because you don't want to have me, as much as I don't want to take you, Lord Hawley?"
A sort of lie if ever there was one.
"It's because I don't want to take any chances on a permanent reminder, if you must know."
She didn't. But it did make sense.
"Fine." Shecleared her throat. Made a play of sorting her dress. "Then just you get on with it. Far be it for me to stand in your way."
"Stand?"
"Lie. I meant lie."
"Then I will."
Perhaps had she offered him this lack of interest from the start, instead of determining to face him on an equal footing, she would now be in a better position? Only she wasn't exactly disinterested. More like playing a part of expecting this, anticipating that and meeting it all with a stoicism she was proud of.At least he didn't hurt her as he pushed into her flesh, although she felt so tight, she bit her lip. Not because she expected the sudden short movements to harm her, but because she knew one thing. This was brisk. This was businesslike. While it was, she should rejoice that, unlike this morning, she felt nothing.
Now she'd tasted that much though, she wasn't certain about the rejoicing. The stoic faces she was making either.