wallpaper in a vain attempt to create some space between them. The air seemed thick, throbbing with tension. They were almost nose to nose. The light from the nearest sconce outlined the harsh line of his jaw, the bulge of his shoulder. She caught a hint of brandy on his breath, and it warmed her, curled her stomach.
His eyes narrowed. “You are the most aggravating woman I have ever had the misfortune to encounter.”
“And you are the most irritating man.”
She forced herself to hold his gaze. She understood this game; to close her eyes would be to admit defeat, and she refused to flinch first. She kept her eyes on his as he brought his hand to her cheek and spread his fingers along her jaw, just daring her to move. His hand was so large, he touched both earlobes at the same time.
She shivered.
“Do you find this irritating, Miss Danvers?” he murmured. His thumb stroked her chin, then slid to the corner of her lips.
She found that she was breathing hard, little pants against his skin. Her stomach swooped as he slid the pad of his thumb to the center of her lips and snagged her lower lip, folding it down. His eyes darkened.
In a sudden move, he yanked the ribbon that held her mask. It fell to the floor, and Emmy felt instantly exposed. The tiny piece of cloth had given her more confidence than she’d realized, the illusion of safety.
“Better,” he murmured. “I see you, Emmy Danvers.”
Was that a threat? A warning?
“Considering you’re half blind, that’s quite ironic,” she managed on a shaky exhale.
His eyes were slate blue behind a tangle of dark lashes. Emmy regarded him with suspicion as he slid his hand around to the nape of her neck.
His lips touched hers with a static jolt that made her gasp. He pulled back, just a fraction, as if gauging her reaction, and then closed his eyes. He seemed to be waging an internal battle with himself. Emmy held her breath.
“Sod it,” he breathed.
There was no hesitation this time. No uncertainty. His mouth molded over hers confidently, the perfect weight, neither too soft nor too aggressive. Heat curled inside her. He increased the pressure, and her lips opened at his silent command. She gasped as his tongue tangled with her own.
Brandy and sin.
Emmy closed her eyes. He traced her lower lip then slid back for more, angling, pressing, repositioning; an endless slow burn that grew more and more urgent with every swirl of his tongue. Reason slipped away.
Madness. This was madness.
Nothing had ever felt so right. His mouth was even better than she remembered. Hot and insistent. Addictive. Her blood was a dull roar in her ears, blocking out the sound of the club only feet away.
Pretend. Just for a few moments. Pretend we’re enemies who kiss. Pretend we’re not enemies at all.
Another kiss. A deep, wet slide. Slow and languid, as if he had all the time in the world. As if he were savoring the taste of her.
Don’t stop! Don’t ever stop.
Seized with a reckless desperation, Emmy captured his lower lip between her teeth. He groaned, a low sound of appreciation deep in his throat, and her pulse leapt with delight. Interacting with him made her feel stingingly, achingly alive. She wanted to ruffle his feathers, to goad a reaction out of him.
You’re supposed to be avoiding him!
Don’t care. Closer. More.
She flattened her palms against his chest. His skin was hot beneath the cotton, his heartbeat strong. His delicious masculine weight pushed her up against the wall and an aching heaviness pulsed between her legs.
His hand slid to her ribs then up the side of her breast in a wicked slow caress. Her nipples peaked inside her bodice, and she gasped in dazed wonder. His kiss became a challenge, a gauntlet being thrown down. Who would stop first? Who would pull away, admit defeat?
Not me.
Air whooshed out of her lungs as he caught her waist and lifted her, pressing her hard against the wall. Emmy wrapped her arms around his neck and marveled at his strength as he grasped her bottom in both hands and crushed her to him.
“God—” He sounded breathless, almost pained.
“Emmy!” Another voice, Luc’s, sharp and insistent.
Harland froze. And then cursed. He loosened his arms, and she slid back down to the floor, the wall at her back the only thing keeping her upright. Cool air rushed between them.
Emmy stared at him in astonishment. What had just happened? She could barely