He shuddered and inhaled deeply. She felt both the inhalation and the shudder through his hot skin, and responded with a quiver and a sharp, inhaled breath of her own. Her pulse gave a leap. James smiled, watching her with black eyes, his face very close to her own.
“Kiss me, Kate,” he whispered.
She did, moving her head until her lips touched his. He released her hands, then, and took hold of her face and kissed her hungrily, licking into her mouth.
They were both breathless when he stopped. James pulled his head back slightly and she saw the heat in his face, the dark glitter in his eyes. “Your nightgown,” he said hoarsely. “Please, Kate.”
Shyness surged over her, but not panic. When her refusal didn’t come, James stripped the nightgown from her with haste that was almost frantic. He
