Other than that, there was very little gossip about her, good or bad.
It occurred to him that he had come too close to her somehow during the night of the ball and the carriage ride afterward. No wonder she had become suddenly skittish and refused to stay. By caressing her beautiful body with all the expertise he possessed, he had managed to storm her heart as well. Her surprise at his doing so had been genuine.
There was certainly something between them. Call it animal attraction. Her sensuality could very well be her undoing, if he had his way. Marko knew that Severin desired him. Her amber eyes glowed brightly when they merely talked—he knew what the light in them signified. Without intending to, she had given her innermost self away to some degree in the carriage.
Since then, her body—the way she leaned toward him, came a trifle too close—had seemed to promise much, but they were not progressing on that front. She would not say yes and she would not say no. Very well. He might have to help her arrive at a decision somehow where sex was concerned. He felt that she owed him, ungentlemanly and rude as it was. If love had nothing to do with her desire, then he could live with that. Lust would do.
A bribe and a bottle of good port for her manservant would smooth the way to bliss. Failing that, he could go to her house and demand that she see him—no. He would just walk in…
The last chord died away and Marko heard the almost noiseless click of a piano lid closing. Severin had played beautifully, soulfully, quite unaware that he listened unseen. She sighed and put the sheets of music in order before she rose, pushing back the padded bench with a faint scrape.
He heard the questioning meow of Severin’s cat, following her mistress about the adjoining chamber. Silk skirts rustled over polished floors. Then Severin swept through the double doors that led to her bedroom and stopped, her lips parting with surprise. “What are you doing here?”
Her glorious eyes moved over his body in a sensual way. It was the one response she could not seem to control around him. Good. He had hoped for that.
“Waiting for you,” Marko said nonchalantly. Would she shriek? Have him thrown out? He was prepared for anything.
Severin glided past the bed on which he lay, stopping in front of the looking glass on her lace-topped dresser. “But it is the end of the day and I was about to take my bath. And I do not remember inviting you.”
He stayed where he was, but his heart beat faster as she began to take down her hair, looking at the reflection of him in the silvery glass, her back to him.
“No, you didn’t.”
“Then how did you get in?”
Marko shrugged. He was quite at his ease stretched out on her featherbed, luxuriously so, in fact. He rolled to his side, bracing himself with one arm and letting the other rest on his side. “I let myself in. Your manservant did not hear my knock and I tried the knob. The door was unlocked. I heard the music playing and decided to enjoy it from in here.”
“I see.” Her tone made it clear that she didn’t believe one word of his explanation. “How indiscreet. Anyone could have seen you enter unannounced.”
“Would you rather I used the trellis or the balcony, Severin?”
She laughed a little. “Do you wish to play a romantic hero? You are well suited for the role.”
“No. Not in that way. In any case, it is raining. The front door seemed much easier.”
“Oh?” Severin gave an unladylike snort. “I imagine my man was easy to bribe, too.”
“I did not have to.”
Her gleaming hair rippled over her bare shoulders. He longed to bury his face in its fragrant softness and forget about the world, be consumed by the heat of his passion for her. Severin’s nearness sent a thrill through his body. He wanted to kiss her madly, but he stayed where he was. She turned to face him, putting her hands on her hips and looking him over.
Marko could almost feel her gaze upon him. He was nearly as aroused as if she had touched him. Since he was fully dressed, from his fitted half-coat to the breeches tucked into his high boots, the sensation was not comfortable. He drew up one leg and bent his knee to conceal his physical reaction to her hot-eyed study of his body.
“Boots in the bed?” she murmured. “How uncivilized of you.”
“I could not very well strip, Severin. You might have screamed when you saw me.”
She permitted herself a small smile. “I don’t think so. I have seen you naked before.”
“Not all the way.” He remembered their first encounter in his carriage with renewed chagrin.
Her eyes glowed with amusement, much to his irritation. “Nearly. But I was not ready.”
“Are you ready now?”
The question was bold, but she was bolder. Severin sat on the bed and leaned over him. He restrained himself from running his hands through her hair, even though soft tendrils brushed his face.
“Yes,” she said. And then she kissed him. That they had done, but—
Marko could not hold back another second. His arms went around her and he rolled her over until he was on top, pressing her down.
Her lips parted and her eyes shone with desire as strong as his own. He kissed her neck, then felt something touch his cheek. It was a pendant, a drop of amber set in gold. The fine chain it hung from had come unclasped.
Marko captured the pendant before it rolled away, preventing the chain from tangling in Severin’s tumbled hair. The gem was as smooth and warm as her skin.
“It is my talisman,” she said softly. “Look closely. There is a flaw in it that looks like an eye.”
He closed his fingers over the heavy drop of amber. “I would just as soon not be watched, if you don’t mind.”
Severin laughed in a low voice. “Then put it away.”
Marko found a small pocket that usually held a watch and tucked the pendant and the chain in there without another thought, going back to kissing her. Severin moaned into his mouth as he caressed her breasts, arching her back, almost shoving her body into his exploring hands.
So she too had held back. The knowledge pleased him.
She was unfastening her bodice, revealing her breasts. Her nipples were dark, tightened with arousal.
No doubt she craved a good sucking on both. He fastened his lips upon one and rolled the other between his fingertips. It was exciting to make love to her when she was nearly dressed. He might want to keep her that way, at least for a little while.
Severin took hold of her skirts and lifted the rustling stuff over her knees.
She was utterly beautiful and wanton. No, he wanted her just as she was, a flower of silk with those lavish skirts pulled up and spread around her bare legs.
Marko sucked her nipples in turn, and stroked the rounded thighs that she allowed to fall open. Because they were on a bed and not in a closed carriage, she could open them very wide.
His fingertips trailed from her knee, moving several inches up from there. But as he had done then, he did not touch the juicy flesh between them. He looked forward to witnessing her complete sexual excitement.
Marko nuzzled her neck, letting her rub her bare breasts and hard-sucked nipples against his shirt. She gave little cries of pleasure and tugged at his coat.
He rose halfway and dragged it off, flinging it across the room.
Severin swiftly undid the tie at his neck, parting his shirt fronts and sliding her hand inside to touch his chest. She seemed to enjoy the light tickle of the hair upon it, and the Wolf knew how much he enjoyed feminine nails lightly scratching at his sensitive nipples.
Her hand moved down to his waist to draw his lower