“I would of course be delighted to check on your injuries,” he said, his gaze riveted on hers, “but in the interest of fair play, I must warn you, I am here not as a doctor but as a man. A man intent upon…” His voice trailed off and he reached out to slowly drag a single fingertip along the delicate line of her collarbone.
She looked at him with wide, luminous eyes. “Upon what?” she asked in a breathless voice. “Seduction?”
“Seduction,” he repeated slowly, savoring the word like a fine, rich claret. “Now that is a tantalizing, arousing idea. And one I will certainly ponder. Next time.”
Confusion flickered in her eyes. “Next time?”
“Yes.” He arranged his features into a mask of regret. “As delightful as seduction would be, I’m afraid this visit is for revenge.”
Without giving her a chance to reply, he stood and smoothly whisked her towels from the small table. Then he moved to the far end of the fireplace, well out of reach, and casually rested his shoulders against the white marble mantel.
Her gaze shifted from the empty table to the towels he held, then swept the room. Her night rail and a robe lay across the foot of the bed. The nearest thing to cover herself with were the towels he held. She looked at him and pursed her lips.
“I understand,” she said, nodding. “This is your revenge for what happened at the lake. I saw you naked and wet, so now you shall see me naked and wet.”
“ ‘Tis only fair. And I did warn you I would seek retribution. But you seeing me naked and wet isn’t all that happened at the lake.” A slow smile curved his lips. “And I fully intend to retaliate.”
He was deeply gratified by the unmistakable flare of interest in her gaze. Without breaking their eye contact, she leaned forward, laid her folded arms along the edge of the tub and rested her chin on her stacked hands.
“What if I don’t get out of the tub?”
“You’ll eventually have to.” He smiled and crossed his ankles. “I’m prepared to wait as long as it takes.”
“Hmmm. And if I refuse?”
“Then I suppose I shall be forced to climb into the tub with you.”
“Would you really do that?”
“Is that an invitation?”
Her lips twitched. “No. It’s a question. I’m weighing my options and need an answer.”
“In that case, my answer is yes, I would. In a heartbeat.”
“I see. Well, I shall need a moment to reflect upon this and plan. To decide what to do.”
“Take your time,” Nathan said with a magnanimous sweep of his hand. He bent down to set the towels on the edge of the hearth rug and realized he’d scooped up her book along with the towels. Plucking it from the top of the pile, he read the title and raised his brows.
“Ah, the infamous Ladies’ Guide,” he said, straightening. He opened to a random page and read:
“ ‘There are countless ways Today’s Modern Woman can seduce the gentleman she desires. She is hindered only by her imagination. Suggest a moonlit stroll with the intention of veering off onto a private path for an outdoor tryst. He won’t be able to resist a note, unsigned but scented with your fragrance, upon which you’ve written only a time and place.’ ”
Looking up, he nodded approvingly. “Yes, either of those would work very nicely for me. Shall I continue?”
“If you like. I believe the next suggestion involves the lady discreetly stroking her gentleman through his breeches.”
Nathan glanced down and silently read the next two lines. “It does indeed.” He couldn’t decide if he was more intrigued or disquieted by her choice of reading material. He found the thought of her using any knowledge gained from the book on him highly arousing. The thought of her using it on anyone else shot white-hot jealousy through him. He closed the book and set it on the mantel, noting she regarded him with an unreadable expression.
“What are you thinking?” he asked.
“Do you really want to know?”
“Yes.”
“I’m wondering how it is that you manage to set me on fire even while you stand two dozen feet away and I’m submerged in water.”
Before he could decide which surprised him more-her reply or the smoky voice in which she delivered it-she cut off any hope of him speaking by slowly rising. Water sluiced down her body, a shimmering waterfall cast in gold by the firelight. His gaze meandered down the length of her and desire hit him low and hard.
He had to swallow twice to find his voice. “I’m not certain if ‘rise from a steaming pool like an enchanting water nymph’ was listed in your Ladies’ Guide as a seduction method, but if so, I commend you, as you’ve quite got the hang of it.”
“It’s not listed, but I’ll make a note in the margin.” She gracefully stepped from the tub then walked slowly toward him, her hips gently swaying, bewitching him with each step, with the half bold, half shy look gleaming in her eyes. She halted when only an arm’s length separated them. Everything in him craved to yank her against him, crush her to him with all the randy fervor of a green lad. He pulled in a slow, deep breath to calm his hammering heart, but that only served to fill his head with the delicate scent of roses.
“I thought you said it was into the bed for me,” she whispered. “That I needed to rest.”
“It is into the bed for you. But not quite yet.” His gaze moved over her with a hunger he fiercely fought to tamp down. Their eyes met, and his heart tripped at the arousal he read there. A touch of shyness, yes, but his Victoria was no coward.
His Victoria…
Dangerous, unsettling words. For she wasn’t his. Would never be his for more than a few stolen moments. But for these stolen moments she was, so he’d worry about that later. “The proverb claims that ‘Revenge is sweet,’” he said in a rough whisper. “Let’s see if it really is.”
Clasping her hand, he led her toward the far corner of the room, stopping in front of the oval, full-length cheval glass. Standing between her and the mirror, he brushed his fingers over her smooth, flushed cheek. “I want to touch you, Victoria.” Even as he said the words, it struck him that this wild, urgent turbulence roaring through him was more than simply a “want” to touch her. It was a need. Beyond anything he’d ever before experienced.
He stepped around her to stand directly behind her. “I want you to see me touch you.” So you can see how much I want you. So I can see you wanting me.
Victoria stood perfectly still, scarcely daring to breathe as she took in the sight of herself, naked, and Nathan standing behind her. The vision simultaneously shocked and aroused her. She made an unconscious move to cover herself, but he caught her hands from behind and shook his head. “No,” he whispered against her temple. “Don’t hide from me. Or yourself.”
A full-body blush engulfed her and she locked her knees to keep her balance. She’d stood naked before her bedchamber mirror on numerous occasions, studying her form, running her hands experimentally over her body, her curiosity burning. What would it feel like to be touched by a man? And not just any man. This man. Who had captivated her imagination from the first time she’d set eyes on him three years ago. Her heart jumped with anticipation of finally discovering the answer.
He reached up and gently pulled the pins from her hair, letting them fall to the carpet. Her haphazard pile of curls unfurled, falling over his hands and her shoulders, rippling down her back to her waist. Lightly clasping her upper arms, he leaned forward and buried his face against her hair. “Roses,” he whispered. Somehow she found her voice. “It’s my favorite scent.” His gaze met hers in the mirror. “It’s now mine, as well.” The warmth of his hands on her skin, the heat emanating from his body, enveloped her like a velvet cloak. Heart pounding, breaths coming in choppy pants, she struggled to maintain some semblance of outward calm, but her efforts proved futile. Dear God, the way he was looking at her… no man had ever looked at her like this before. She supposed because she spent all her time in polite society, and there was nothing polite about the intensely carnal desire glittering in Nathan’s eyes.