Every Night I'm Yours. Christie Kelley

Crooking his finger, he said, “Come here.”

      She shook her head. “I don’t believe that is a good idea.”

      “You want to learn about passion, don’t you?”

      “Yes,” she squeaked. “But not in a carriage where the coachman might hear and people passing might see and—”

      “I have no plans to make love with you in a moving carriage,” he murmured. “I just want to kiss you.”

      She bit her lower lip as she appeared to think this over.

      “Avis, what exactly are you afraid of?” Certain she would never admit her fear he expected no answer.

      She raised her gaze to meet his. “You,” she finally whispered.

      “Me? Why?”

      “I am not quite certain. I can’t seem to figure out who you really are. Jennette always told me you were such a gentleman and overly nice to women. But you’ve never been that way with me. You kissed me to win a wager. You blackmailed me when I tried to get out of an arrangement you coerced me into.” She threw her hands up in exasperation. “And every time we’re in the same room we end up making rude comments to each other.”

      All right, he definitely had to make some changes in his manner with her. “You don’t make it easy.”

      “What do you mean? I am a very easy person to know and like! You are the only one I cannot seem to get along with.”

      “Perhaps that is because we both have always known what might happen if we did get along.”

      “Oh? And that would be what?” she answered in a sarcastic tone.

      “This,” he said, sliding to the seat next to her. Slowly, he brought his mouth down to hers.

      Avis knew she should push away from him and deny his accusation. But his mouth caressed hers in such a sweet manner she had to respond. Slowly, he parted her lips and they tasted each other. The action drew a moan from deep in her throat. She let her hands move up to his hair and touch the silky, dark strands.

      She wanted him to be wrong about their attraction to each other, but at least from her perspective, he was right.

      She had been attracted to him since that first kiss over eight years ago. She had thrust away from him that night, terrified by the sensations he invoked. This time, she wouldn’t have to push him away.

      He pulled back, smiling down at her. Her cheeks blistered with heat and disappointment.

      “I think we had better stop before I go back on my word and make love to you in this carriage,” he said in a husky voice.

      Expecting him to move back to his seat, she didn’t know what to say when Banning dragged her up on his lap, holding her against his chest. She thought about scrambling off, but the clean, spicy scent of him and the motion of the carriage were lulling her to sleep. And sleep would keep her from the motion sickness that always plagued her when she rode in carriages. She’d deliberately stayed awake most of the night just so she might be able to sleep during their trip. As she drifted off, she realized just how nice a man Banning could be, for a blackmailer.