Royally Claimed - By Marie Donovan Page 0,26

than my idea,” he admitted. “What does the lord of the manor do to the vulnerable maiden when he catches her?”

“Frank!” She was happy he couldn’t see her blushing.

He sighed. “Well, if you’ve ruled out the chase scene, let’s light some candles.” He pulled out some matches from next to the fireplace and lit several candles as well as a lantern. With the additional light, she saw it wasn’t just his hair that was wet.

“That raincoat didn’t do you much good—you’re wet down to the skin.”

He shrugged. “The door on the outbuilding blew open and broke a pane of glass when it hit. I was standing right under the gutter overflow trying to fix the latch and the water ran down my back. I’ll dry out soon, especially once I get this fire going.” He knelt at the hearth and patiently coaxed the kindling and smaller logs to full flame.

“That looks great. Now will you go change?”

“Fine, fine,” he grumbled, snagging a lantern to take upstairs. “Don’t go anywhere. I don’t feel like chasing you across the yard, however literary it would be.”

He went upstairs and she frantically patted her hair down, but the humidity was wreaking its vengeance on her for daring to try to straighten it. She gave up and finger-curled a few strands around her face.

And anyway, they were using candles and firelight, and didn’t every woman look better in that light? She looked down at her ruffled blouse, which was as droopy as her hair was puffy.

Was she keeping it on or taking it off? She realized Frank hadn’t brought her to his island specifically for making love, but it seemed as if the opportunity was presenting itself.

He reappeared in the doorway from the hall. She nearly swallowed her tongue at the sight. He wore old gray sweatpants riding low on his hips, a white towel slung around his neck—and nothing else. The firelight turned his skin to molten gold, the dark hair on his chest narrowing into a delicious line pointing south. All that separated her from him was a tug of the elastic. She had the sneaking suspicion he was flying solo underneath his pants, so to speak.

“Are you comfortable now?” she managed, reaching for her glass of wine to moisten her mouth.

“No, I am not, Julia.” As she stared at him, his waistband started to shift and pull with his arousal, making it very obvious how she affected him. Her jaw fell.

She dragged her gaze up to his face.

He shrugged ruefully. “I cannot help it. I could put on different clothing to hide my desire for you, but we would both know the truth. I am not ashamed that I want you, and I believe you want me, as well.”

Her jaw dropped the rest of the way at his blunt speaking. “I…uh, well, uh…” She couldn’t stop sneaking looks at his perfectly sculpted body. His body that was walking toward her. No, make that stalking toward her.

“You feel it, too, don’t you? Even stronger than before.”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Then I am yours tonight.” He tossed the towel aside. “Do with me what you will.” He stopped in front of her, heat and maleness radiating off him.

But that was all he did, despite how his pants were buckling under the strain. She understood that the choice was entirely hers. Yes, she was stranded on his island and totally under his physical control. He could do anything he wanted to her and she would be helpless to resist. Helpless to resist his touch, his mouth, his seduction. She let out a little groan at the images that conjured up. Maybe her fantasy of being chased and captured wasn’t just an idle one.

But she understood why he was making her decide. He had always left the choice up to her. Even when he should have chased after her.

Julia didn’t want any more lost opportunities. She reached out to touch his cheek. “I want you, too, Franco.”

He closed his eyes in what looked almost like relief. He cupped her wrist and nuzzled her palm. “Then what are we waiting for?”

He sat on the leather couch and guided her to sit on his lap. He was full and hard against her bottom, but contented himself with kissing her cheek and jaw. “So soft, so smooth.” He rested his forehead on hers. “Julia, it’s been so long.”

She put her finger on his lips. “Let’s leave the past in the past. Tonight, everything is new. We are new.”

“Agreed.” She thought she