Demon Angel Read Free Page A

earlier—will they laugh the louder for his prick being exposed to their gaze?"
    "Not one lady," Hugh said beneath his breath, but Lilith had no trouble discerning his words.
    "Ah, aye," she said. "Lady Isabel. She is far too kind a creature to laugh at another's misfortune. And she would not think the better of you for being the procurer of their amusement. Does her opinion matter so much?"
    To her frustration, she could not read his face, and he had unusually strong shields for one so young—as if he often hid his thoughts even from himself. But the granite voice with which he replied gave her the answer she sought. "Name your side of the bargain, lady."
    "A kiss." He looked at her with surprise, and she arched a brow. " 'Tis nothing but a meeting of lips. It only has meaning when there is love or a promise involved, and there is neither between us."
    "It should not be given without love or promise," he said, but his gaze fell to her lips.
    "So idealistic." She grinned and slid her tongue over her teeth. "I should love to corrupt you."
    A chuckle rumbled from him as he leaned over. "I promise I would not be worth the effort."
    She had to rise on her toes to meet his lips. They were firm and cool beneath hers, and he did not immediately pull away, but neither did he deepen the kiss. She felt his tension—as if he expected her to take the kiss farther, and both feared and hoped she would.
    Oh, to choose between desire and fear. Her instincts cried for her to take his mouth fully, to subject him to a sensual onslaught, to play on his fear—but her instincts had guided her wrongly with him before. And so she decided to both assuage his fear and deny his desire by ending the kiss.
    She nipped gently at his bottom lip and his mouth opened.
    The beat of his heart skipped and increased, drumming loud in her ears. Pleased by his involuntary response, she stepped away to gauge his reaction. He blinked and straightened, his cheeks flooding with color.
    "I see you make a habit of only taking a man so far," he said ruefully.
    Had he said it in any other tone, it would have been a condemnation of her as a cock-tease. Instead, he made sport of himself.
    "Only as far as they will," she replied; for truthfully, she could not act contrary to a human's free will.
    "Perhaps you mistook mine."
    She pushed the absurdly pleased rush of emotion away, and wondered if she should feel insulted that he suggested she'd misread him. "I think not."
    "I've never pitied Sir William before this day." He smiled as he delivered the backward compliment, then bowed. "My lady."
    Lilith seized the reins beneath his horse's chin before he could turn away. He frowned.
    "Do you not realize the women will speak of your brave venture into the ruins after they reach the castle?" The words tripped from her mouth. "Mandeville will discover who saw him thus."
    Hugh nodded solemnly, his beautiful mouth tightening. "Of course I have realized, my lady. But the dishonor of his reaction—should it be dishonorable—will belong to him alone. I will not compound it by threats or humiliation."
    She narrowed her eyes and studied him. How foolish to set himself up for the punishment Mandeville would undoubtedly deliver when its avoidance could so easily be had. Then inspiration struck: he had already made one bargain. It should be easy to convince him into another. "I will enter into another agreement with you, Sir Hugh. You undoubtedly want Sir William to have no knowledge of your seeing him—I can guarantee that."
    "How?"
    She lowered her lashes. "Come now, you do not think I will reveal my secrets?"
    "I think you have already revealed them." His gaze fell to her chest.
    She did not need to feign her laughter. When it faded, she asked, "What say you?" He had little choice but to accept her offer; he must know that.
    "What shall you ask in return?"
    She hid the triumph that shot through her. "I do not yet know, but it shall be an equal favor." When he hesitated, she pressed,