How to Steal a Thief's Heart - Bree Wolf Page 0,33

soft tremble in her lip stripped him of every last bit of control.

Long strides, harsh and impatient, propelled him toward her, his gaze no doubt reflecting the longing that suddenly gripped him for she all but flinched at the sight of him…and then retreated a step, unable not to.

It did not matter, though, for the distance between them had disappeared.

Reaching for her, Pierce slipped his hands under her cloak where they found her small waist, settling where they’d been before. Then he yanked her against him, and the moment her lips parted on a gasp, he took her mouth with his.

Chapter Twelve

The Heart of Caroline Hawkins

The moment his lips touched hers, Caroline’s mind went blank. Shock froze her limbs, and she all but hung in his embrace, unable to move, unable to think, unable to…

Oh, no, not to feel for she did feel. In fact, that was all she did.

She felt his large hands on her waist, urging her closer still. She felt his hard chest pressed against hers, his heartbeat almost sharp against her own. She felt his mouth move over hers with increasing pressure. She felt his teeth nip her lower lip, and when she gasped, she felt his tongue slip into her mouth, touching hers.

Caroline’s senses reeled with the sensations coursing through her body, her mind still unable to process all that was happening.

All she was feeling.

Never in her life had Caroline not thought.

Thoughts of any kind were her constant companions. Worries. Concerns. Strategies. All these and more constantly occupied her mind, forcing it to be always aware, always alert, always prepared.

For if she didn’t think, who knew what would happen? What if she forgot to bow her head and act the demure wallflower? What if she spoke her mind and someone noticed the sharp mind hidden behind those thick spectacles? Would the world end? Would everything she’d worked for for so long come crashing down, burying her underneath?

Fear was also a constant companion, and Caroline could not deny that it held her trapped. Still, the moment the masked man’s mouth claimed hers—for there certainly was no other word for it!—it was as though the door to her prison sprang open.

Her thoughts vanished, rushed to free themselves, leaving her alone…

…and free.

Her first instinct had been to push him away, to chide him for this audacity, to slap his face. However, the more her mind quieted, the more Caroline realized that she wanted to do something quite different.

Never had she danced or flirted or received compliments. Always had she sought to keep gentlemen at bay, to keep herself hidden from them. Certainly, the man who held her in his arms was no gentleman. But perhaps that, in and of itself, was utterly perfect.

And so instead of push him away, the hands that settled against his chest moved upward, curiously exploring the man who’d brought her this rush of emotions. A low growl rose from his throat when her fingers brushed against his skin where his jawline dipped down to his neck. She could feel his pulse thudding there, a sharp thump against her fingertips, an odd match to her own.

Pushing herself up onto the tips of her toes, Caroline angled her head, allowing him to deepen the kiss, her arms wrapping around his shoulders. His hands moved to her back, pressing her closer against him as they stumbled backward until the cold brick wall caught them.

And then she heard it.

The soft nicker of a horse nearby.

Again, Caroline froze. Only this time, her mind did not remain absent. Like an army charging down a hill, it returned, elbowing aside all she’d felt, all she’d hungered for, and reminded her of the stakes of her actions.

What if they were discovered? What if she was seen out alone at night? And in the company of a man no less? A masked man?

Images of her parents’ outrage filled her mind, and her blood ran cold. What was she doing?

Wrenching her lips away, Caroline fought to clear her head, her hands slipping back to his hard chest, now straining to hold him back as he sought to reclaim her. His breath came as fast as her own as he stared down at her, his eyes brown pools of desire. Temptation urged her to give in, but common sense snuffed it out without delay. How could she have acted so carelessly? How dare he kiss her in such a manner?

Regret came to his eyes as his hold on her lessened, his arms sliding from