Run Wild (Escape with a Scoundrel) - By Shelly Thacker Page 0,69

had glimpsed the unfolding passion in her, had seen it in the dark, molten color of her eyes when their gazes met. She wanted the same thing he did.

He felt his breathing deepen, felt the familiar heat uncurl in his gut. Reason warned him not to venture into these waters... but the awareness of her desire increased his own to an unbearable level. Damn it, he wanted her to touch him, wanted her to look at him that way again—not with haughty disdain or disapproval or wariness, but with longing. The way a woman looked at a man, in that moment of mutual hunger before they came together.

His body, his breath, his eyes burned as he stared at her. Fantasies rioted through his mind. He wanted those sweet lips to part eagerly for his kisses. Wanted that lush body to shiver with need in his hands. Wanted to hear her cry out with pleasure when he thrust into her silken depths. Wanted to feel her shatter with release beneath him—

Nicholas stood up abruptly, turned away, raked a hand through his hair.

He was shaking. Damn him, he was shaking. Like some inexperienced, overeager lad. He had never let any woman rob him of his senses like this. He had better snap out of it before he did something he might not live long enough to regret.

He was ablaze with a fire hotter than any fever. One that time and rest would not cure. One that only her touch would cool. Desperate for relief, for some kind of distraction, he looked around the glade.

Water might prove helpful. Staring at the pool below the falls, he started toward it.

“Where are you going?” she protested when the chain yanked taut.

“To take a cold bath,” he grated out. “Do you think you could enjoy the moon from over here? Or would that ruin your evening?”

Muttering a particularly unladylike word, she rose and trailed behind him. “We already washed up before. And you’re just getting over the chills. I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“I think it’s an excellent idea.” Under his breath, he added, “It might just save my sanity.”

“What?”

“Nothing.” He prowled over to the edge of the water. “Just cooperate for once. You can sit here on the bank and dangle your feet. It won’t kill you.” The pool looked to be only about waist deep, the sandy bottom visible even in the moonlight. He stripped off his shirt.

She reluctantly dipped in a toe. “I don’t know. It feels awfully—”

Nicholas jumped in, forgetting for a second how short the chain was.

Caught off balance, Miss Delafield pitched forward and landed in the water with an ungraceful splat. And went under before he could grab her.

She came up spitting like a soaked cat. “Damn you, you blackguard. You did that on purpose!”

“Oh, please,” he snapped, sick of having to defend his every action and explain himself at every turn. “I just wasn’t thinking—”

“Of anyone but yourself! You are the most thoughtless, selfish—” Shaking with either fury or cold, she seemed to lose her ability to speak.

So she settled for sweeping her arm across the surface to splash him with a wave of water.

Nicholas gritted his teeth. Never had he wanted to turn and walk away from her more than he did at this moment. Never had he wanted a minute—just one bloody minute—of peace and solitude more than he did right now.

The fact that the chain made that impossible frayed what was left of his temper.

“Your ladyship,” he said silkily. “It was an honest mistake.”

“Honest?” she exclaimed. “Honest?” She splashed him again, apparently warming to her newfound sport. “I don’t think you know the meaning of the word.”

“Listen, angel.” He splashed her back. “Let me warn you not to start a water battle with me.”

“Too late.” She struck a third time, undaunted by his threat.

And then it was all-out war.

They locked in watery combat fit for the Atlantic fleet. Barrage after barrage of froth and spray flew back and forth. Standing toe-to-toe, they soaked each other mercilessly, quickly creating a monsoon in the tiny pool. He advanced. She danced away. She sent a tidal wave toward him. He gave as good as he got. Both refused to back down, her righteous indignation easily matching his frayed temper.

Until she started laughing.

The sound was so unexpected, he almost didn’t recognize it.

Then a moment later, he found himself laughing right along with her. The situation was so utterly ridiculous. They had nearly been killed a half-dozen times, had