Lilac Temptress (47 page)

“
What are these?” Drake
asked curiously.

“
These are invitations that
were addressed to me from Lady Maudet’s admirers. She is assumed to
be staying at Faircrest as Rosaline’s guest. Lady Maudet is of much
interest to those eligible bachelors who laid eyes on her at our
last ball. Since you are not a rival of these gentlemen, they
request an audience with her.” Randal sighed and then turned on his
heel. “Our business is finished.” He exited the room.

Drake shuffled through the letters in
his hands reading the names of the suitors. He was astonished to
see some of the most reputable bachelors in New Orleans requesting
her. However, he had no intention of passing the letters on to
Sierra.

* * *

Late into the night Sierra tiptoed
down the hall holding her breath, as if simply breathing might
alert Isadora in her conveniently chosen room, across from Drake’s.
She wished she had chosen that room now. Avoiding Isadora at all
costs was the only way she had managed to get through the week
without Drake present—without him there she felt alone and
abandoned, left to fend for herself against the mythical monster
Medusa herself. Without him there she passed her time assisting
Jeanette with her work, becoming more and more acquainted with
duties a mistress of the house may have. Without him there her
hopes of ever winning his affections dwindled, and without him
there her heart ached.

She wanted to knock on Drake’s closed
door, but she feared the sound might carry through the very silent
hallway. Quickly thinking, she decided to rotate the brass
art-carved knob she, and let out a sigh of relief when finding the
door unlocked.

Exhaling upon entering the room, she
quickly closed the door behind her. She leaned her back against it
and stared around at the dimly lit room in awe. The space was large
and wonderfully masculine with its dark burnished bedroom
furniture, and tall windows covered with heavy russet colored
draperies.

Drake was nowhere to be seen, but she
knew he was there. She could feel his presence. The veranda doors
were partially opened, letting in a light breeze. Sierra began to
make her way through the room toward the balcony when Drake
suddenly stepped from behind the water closet door, causing her to
inhale a sharp breath. She immediately leapt backwards, stumbling
on the royal blue, Bergère French upholstered armchair behind her.
Her eyes roamed over his hard-carved, stark naked body.

Drake lips curved into a deliberate
smile. Standing only a few feet away, Sierra gaped at him, and he
enjoyed it. He knew that he should not entertain her, and send her
away immediately, but her penetrating eyes made him feel more
desired than ever, and he couldn’t bring himself to tell her to
leave.

“
Do you always make it your
business to invite yourself into a man’s bedchamber and gawk at his
indecent exposure?” Drake’s face gleamed as he became increasingly
aware of his arousal and her brightly blushing cheeks in response,
giving her embarrassment away. She clearly desired him. If he could
do anything well, he could read a woman’s thoughts when she pored
over his form.

Sierra immediately glanced away, her
eyes absently resting on his bath linen, which hung over the back
of the armchair. “This makes us even,” she said, nervously lifting
the towel and holding it stiffly toward Drake. She refused to
further let him see any hint of her mortification.

Drake’s sudden memory of her nakedness
and the devilish thoughts it elicited was too much. He swallowed
the distance between them in a heartbeat. Looming over her with a
self-assured look on his face, he gazed at her longingly, refusing
to tear his eyes away. He reached out to take hold of the towel,
his fingertips barely brushing the delicate fold between her thumb
and index finger, before pulling gently.

The subtle move sent an electric shock
through Sierra’s body, causing her to catch her breath and
relinquish her hold.

Stepping back into Sierra’s full view,
Drake wrapped the towel around his waist slowly, noticing how her
eyes followed every movement he made.

“
Why are you here?” Drake
asked bluntly tilting his head sideways and folding his arms across
his chest.

“
You said we could talk
later. I waited up for you. This was the only time I might get you
alone to speak—when you are not too overly engrossed in your
work.”

“
Engrossed?
” Drake elevated his brows,
not liking the fact that she had made what he did in his study all
day sound so trivial.

“
I didn’t mean it as an
insult. It’s just that I’ve never seen a man work so hard,
especially when he is to be married in just a few days. I think you
are using your work as an excuse to run away. You’ve been avoiding
me, haven’t you?” Sierra’s eyes swept over his exposed chest while
she tugged at a strand of her loose hair, wrapping it around her
finger.

Drake smiled knowingly, recognizing
her idiosyncrasy when she was nervous; when she twirled her hair
like that she was undeniably titillating.

“
I wish to stay out of the
crossfire,” Drake countered, eyeing Sierra so intensely that her
face began to redden even more. He would not dare tell her that all
he wanted to do was make love to her.

Sierra wavered further against the
armchair. She was so powerfully attracted to him that she struggled
to keep her composure. “I... I wanted to apologize for the damage
I’ve caused you.” Sierra realized her breathing was heavier, but
willed herself to gain self-control in Drake’s presence.

“
Nonsense, you haven’t
caused me any trouble at all.”

“
But that article... and
your father...” Sierra’s voice stammered as she searched Drake’s
semblance. Drake took another step closer, coming mere inches from
her face before reaching out to thumb her cheek.

Sierra’s pulse quickened at his touch,
her breasts rising with each breath. They locked eyes for only a
moment before Drake lost all his composure and lifted her into his
arms, bringing his lips to bear down on hers. It had been too long.
His body literally ached with need, and his manhood grew painfully
hard. First he nibbled at her lips, and then he moved into a
richer, more invading kiss, his tongue commanding hers slowly and
teasingly.

Sierra’s stomach fluttered, and her
head spun at the same time. One of Drake’s strong hands held her
face close, and the other squeezed her buttocks in an act of
dominance. His body sweltered against hers. She went limp in his
arms, intoxicated by his very essence.

Drake withdrew momentarily, hesitating
as he searched her pretty features.

Sierra’s eyes were still shut, her
body immersed in euphoria while she lingered in the tingling
sensations she was feeling.

“
You shouldn’t have come
here, sweetheart,” Drake said in a low, guttural whisper. He lifted
her loose hair from against her cheek into his hand and inhaled it.
She smelled of lilacs. She made him remember when he first pulled
her against his body, and all the passion he had felt back then
came rushing back into him like a storm. He longed for her, he
thought he might risk everything for her... die a thousand deaths
just for this moment with her, to taste her.

“
You will be my ruin,” he
mumbled as he buried his head in her hair, and then unleashed
little kisses in a gentle assault along her neckline, reveling in
her femininity. The time between their last encounter and this most
recent taste of heaven had truly been a living hell for him. He
knew that he would not be able to resist her this time, no matter
how he might try to convince himself otherwise. He had been
fighting his desire for her ever since they had left Jadesville and
now the unreleased tension brimming within him, compelled him to
make up for lost time.

Sierra wrapped her trembling hands in
his hair—an unspoken invitation to invade her mind, body and soul.
She wanted him to feel how she needed him now more than anyone or
anything she had ever needed in her life—Drake ruled her heart. She
wanted to rule his. She wanted him to forget Isadora and fill
himself with thoughts only of her. It was time to tell him that she
loved him, but she didn’t know if he would accept her feelings—and
right now, she didn’t want to risk ending this moment with her
admission.

Drake clutched Sierra against his
body, giving her a reassuring look that made her feel unafraid of
her inexperience. He touched as much of her as he could manage
while slowly kneeling on both his knees before her.

Sierra gripped his muscled shoulders;
his head pressed to her stomach. She stared at the outline of his
firm buttocks still wrapped in his towel as he leaned onto her.
Tears formed in the corners of her eyes as he slid his hands
underneath her nightgown groping her thighs with an eager and
demanding force.

Drake reveled when he found that there
was nothing under the cotton gown she wore, only the warmth of her
skin to greet him. He clutched her gown, sliding it upwards while
planting kisses on her kneecaps and thighs. Reaching the softness
between her legs and lower abdomen, he gently nudged her legs
apart, and pulled her slightly forward to give him access amid
them. He leaned back on his knees, positioning her body above his
face; he pressed his mouth between her legs, against her warm
center—tonguing, probing and kissing her worshipfully. She tasted
of sweetness and he savored the flavor of her as he made circular
motions with his tongue between her sensitive folds—licking and
sucking and dipping inside her.

Sierra’s knees buckled giving way, but
Drake held her firmly, placing one hand on her hip to anchor her,
while gripping her thigh with the other. He rocked her forward and
backward to change his area of focus—pleased at her responsiveness
to him. He wanted her to hunger for everything that he was. The
thrill of touching her was more than he could stand.

He tore away from her
lovely form to look at her lovely face, only to be enraptured once
again. Tears of pleasure trailed down her cheeks as she bit and
then licked her lips, while her eyes remained transfixed with a
yearning so palpable, that his breath caught within his
chest.
God what am I doing?
Drake thought as his intensity elevated.
Who is seducing whom?

A loud rapping at his door
distracted Drake. Sierra sprang backward from him, her face
flushed, her insatiable eyes wanton.

Oh God, not now...
Drake stood to his feet immediately, all of his
senses and powers of reasoning promptly returning to him.
Shrugging he glanced toward the door with
contempt.

“
Drake, are you in there?”
He heard the unwanted sound of Isadora’s voice through the other
side of his door. He turned toward Sierra who was already swiftly
stepping through the veranda opening, disappearing into the
darkness of the night.

Drake collected himself and
opened the door.
For God’s sake, what the
hell is she wearing?
He glared, cocking his
head to the side.

Isadora sauntered into his room,
dressed in a thin chemise gown, so translucent that it left nothing
to the imagination. Drake stood in a guarded position, his hands
folded across his chest as he gave her a once over.

Isadora sinfully grinned. There was no
other way she liked seeing Drake, than half unclad. “Have I caught
you at a bad time?” she asked glancing over him. “It looks like you
have just finished your bath.” She moved toward him placing her
palm on his cheek. “Your eyes are glossy. You are so warm and still
wet.”

Drake stepped away from her. “I was
just going to bed,” he evaded the truth.

“
It’s been almost a week
and we have barely spoken. Since you haven’t been around me lately
to radiate in my brilliance, I thought it might have become
difficult for you to breathe. We simply must spend more time with
each other.” Isadora moved nearer, ready to persuade
him.

“
I see you have a flair for
the dramatic tonight.” Drake eyed her, his tone uninterested. “My
apologies, Isadora. I’ve been rather preoccupied with business
matters.”

“
And I with wedding
planning,” Isadora agreed softly as she trailed a line down the
center of his chest with her forefinger. “I think there is
something we can do to fix this distance between us. Let’s not wait
any longer.” Isadora hinted mercilessly about wanting him to lie
down with her.

Drake stepped away from her again,
glancing briefly toward the cracked veranda doors. Shame rippled
through him. He knew that Sierra was out there, listening to every
word that was being said, and he regretted his dishonesty—allowing
her to stay hidden on his account, protecting him.

“
There is no distance
between us. Not anymore than there has ever been, Isadora.” Drake
spoke plainly. “You and I both know that our marriage will be
nothing more than a business arrangement.”

“
I don’t understand you,
Drake. Is this not how we both planned things?” she asked,
confusion in her voice. “I was hoping,” she let the silence linger
for a few heartbeats before adding, “that we could become closer.
Especially after we are married, but you are being very cruel and
unfair to me, Drake,” Isadora sighed. “This woman
Sierra—”