Mad for Love: Even Gods Fall in Love, Book 2 Read Free Page A

need to—” She turned, intending to race from the pavilion, but he stopped her with one outstretched hand, palm up.
    “Stop. If you rush from here in a distressed state, people will see you and assume all manner of things. Do you want that?”
    Blinking realization back into her confused brain, she understood what he was saying. Bringing other people into this would force events neither of them wanted. Or at least, they shouldn’t want. She’d only just met him, for heaven’s sake.
    At a cautious distance, she watched him. He glittered, the myriad buttons on his coat catching the light of the full moon, the sapphire pin at his throat gleaming with insouciant wealth. His waistcoat was embroidered with silver thread—even that caught the light when he moved. She wore soft satin and pearls. She wouldn’t glitter like that. Besides, he stood in clearer light, between her and the exit.
    “I’ll take you back.” He spread both hands now in a gesture of appeasement. “I’m sorry. I meant to kiss you, but not go that far. Just initiate. And it’s your fault, you know.”
    “How do you work that out?” All she’d done was—well, if to accompany a man to a quiet place in a garden was provocative, then she had been so. “I’m not experienced in this—kind of thing.”
    “I know. I can tell,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. The low tones increased her sense of intimacy, and she repressed the urge to step forward, back into his arms. “You’re lovely, Aurelia. More than I can express. The moment I saw you I wanted you, and I still do. However, I’ve forced civilized behaviour on myself, and I have enough control not to do anything you don’t want me to. Barely.” He smiled, a gleam of teeth in the gloom.
    “Sir, what can come from this?”
    “My name’s Blaize. I’d like you to use it. After all, I’ve made free with yours.”
    “You have a terrible reputation,” she said. As she’d told him, she was too high-minded to listen to gossip.
    “Well earned, I assure you.” He said it as if he didn’t care one way or the other. “It doesn’t mean I’m not capable of being reformed by a good woman.”
    Although her mother would have reprimanded her for unladylike behaviour, that didn’t suppress her snort of derision. It made him smile. “If I believed that, I wouldn’t just be innocent. I’d be a fool.”
    “It could be true.” He moved toward her, but only to offer her the support of his arm. “If you’re feeling better, we should make our way back. I won’t apologize because I don’t regret a moment of having you in my arms. It will be my fervent ambition to repeat that experience.”
    “But I couldn’t help myself—” She broke off, aware of revealing a weakness he could well take advantage of, should he wish.
    “I know. I felt it too. I know what I want. Precisely and in great detail. I know all the ways I want to pleasure you. To touch your bare skin, to leave no part of you unkissed and uncaressed.”
    She caught her breath, startled by his frankness, but pleased he didn’t hold back, as so many men did. They assumed she’d faint or something equally ridiculous if they told her the truth, in detail. Stories of roses and princesses had ceased to enthral her many years ago. These days she longed to experience the real thing. That, she had to admit, had driven her out here with him tonight almost as much as her desire for this man. A desire she couldn’t allow to get out of hand again. Already people would notice her absence, and if she wasn’t careful, word would spread. Such behaviour had led to society condemning a young woman out of hand and forcing an issue neither party wanted.
    “I won’t let it happen to you,” he said, as if she’d spoken her fears aloud.
    Alarm spiked through her. Occasionally her mother had done that, answered unspoken questions. Aurelia had accepted her explanation, that her mother knew her well. But this man? “Did you read my