She knew they were being kind, but she really did not want to face Lord Glengarry. She did not wish to give the man any encouragement until she knew her mind on the matter.

Mary gave her a small push. “Go on. There are many guests out on the terrace there is nothing untoward in seeking fresh air.”

Flora excused herself with a discreet murmur, and with cheeks blazing in embarrassment at their obvious plan, she walked at a sedate pace, toward a future she did not want. Her steps slowed the closer she got to the open doors. Her fingers played with the pearls at her neck as her throat tightened. She glanced over her shoulder and saw the women were no longer watching her, so she ducked sideways and hurried toward the grand curved staircase. Upon walking upstairs she crossed the long portrait gallery and through a few more corridors until she found the small library.

Without thinking she lifted the latch and slipped inside. Several lamps had been lit around the room and the windows at the far end were open letting in a cool breeze. She drifted towards the fresh air not really taking in the room at all.

She stood by the window, her hands on the windowsill taking deep gulping breaths, trying to quell the hopelessness beginning to overwhelm her.

“Sensible minds think alike.”

She jumped out of her skin, turning at the familiar velvety voice. Her heart sped as her eyes found his.

Like a virginal girl she could not get her mouth to work. She stood mesmerized by Dougray’s beauty. He always looked magnificent in his formal attire, but tonight as he sat sprawled on the couch, his midnight blue jacket covering a burgundy waistcoat, with his cravat hanging untied at his throat, his handsome face looked wicked, and dangerous, but so inviting. Her feet wanted to dance across the space dividing them, daintily tumbling her into his lap.

Raven-haired, deep-set blue eyes, coupled with his iron physique, caused her knees to tremble. She’d never wanted him more.

Was she fooling herself or was his self-assured stare full of heat and desire? She needed to sit down.

“I was about to come and find you. I was merely having a few drams for courage.” He patted the settee beside him. With a hint of a devilish smile tugging at one corner of his tempting mouth, he said in a whisper that intimately flowed down her spine, “Take a seat before you fall down.”

She could not move. She could barely breath.

Pinned by his piercing stare, she shivered at the force of the unbridled sensuality in his beautiful eyes. What was he playing at? Lady Claire. Think of Lady Claire.

It was no use. From halfway across the room, the heat of him seemed to engulf her. The enveloping visceral reaction took her by surprise. She’d been alone with him plenty of times and been able to control her response to him. Why was tonight different? Her heart lurched as he gave a knowing smile. “I prefer to stand thank you, I love the fresh air.”

“You’re scared to sit by me,” he goaded.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Why would I be afraid? I’ve known you since I was a young girl.”

His heated gaze ran over her person, from her feet to her face, indecently stopping at certain points along the way. “You are not a young girl any more,” his husky declaration saw her thighs clamp together.

Dougray was an expert seducer but he’d never tried his skills on her before. For one brief year when she was nineteen he’d—courted her—stolen her heart and then stood by and let her marry Iain.

Her heart slammed behind her ribs like a drum’s doomful warning. She would get hurt if she even thought of playing this game with him.

Still, ignoring her own mind’s warning, her feet moved and she sat where only moments ago his hand had been. To her disappointment, and relief, he did not touch her. He was busy pouring her a drink.

“Why did you want to find me?”

He handed it to her. “Drink. You look as if you need it.”

She took a big gulp only to splutter. “Whisky?”

“You’ve been drinking it half your life.”

She nodded as she fanned her mouth. “I wasn’t expecting it, that’s all.” The fiery liquid gave her courage. “I wasn’t expecting you either. I have been waiting outside the card room all evening. How did you leave without me seeing you?”

His devilish grin widened. “Waiting for me?” He leaned close and whispered in her ear, “How intriguing.”

She pulled back. “To introduce you to Lady Claire.” At his puzzled frown, “You are looking for a wife. Lady Claire would be perfect.”

His face blanked and he turned away and downed the rest of the whisky in his glass and set it on the table with a loud clunk. He turned to face her. “I don’t need any help in finding a woman to be my wife.”

Her heart almost stopped beating. He’d found someone. She wasn’t ready for the pain that engulfed her.

So lost in her anguish, she at first did not notice his hand slowly stroking her bare arm above her glove—up and down, seductively. “Why do you look so stricken? Don’t you want to know whom I have selected?”

She swallowed hard and succumbed to a violent shudder. He was being cruel. She wanted to tell him to stop, but any words fled when she caught the faint whiff of Dougray’s exotic incense that clung to his skin like a jealous lover—Sandalwood.

“No words. That must be a first. I’ve never known you to have nothing to say, Flora.” The way he said her name made her think of sex.

He pulled her into his arms. “So are you going to kiss me?”

Flora melted at the question. Her heated brain and her battered heart warred over the answer—her heart won—she wanted his lips on hers like she wanted her next breath.

This was madness. He’d just confessed to having found a woman to marry yet here she was in his arms eager as a puppy to please. This man aroused her with a simple smile what could he do with a kiss, a touch, a …

Take this one chance, before he is lost to you forever, in case you have to endure another loveless marriage, her body and mind clamored in her head arguing with each other.

She faced him and when she saw the desire swirling in the blue depth of his gaze she yielded willingly. His head drew close totally focused on her lips and her body thrilled. He was impossibly handsome, and for one night he would be her real fantasy. Her gaze traveled over his chiseled face with it’s tantalizing strong bone structure. His eyebrows were thick and black which made the blue of his eyes appear darker. But it was his lips that made women swoon. Sculptured, full, and soft, she was dying for a taste.

She beat him by leaning forward and pressing her lips to his. His mouth opened under her lips in surprise.

His warm, silken lips caressed hers. Oh, sweet bliss. Never had a kiss created such a riot of sensation. This was nothing like the kisses they had shared years ago. He was giving all of himself to her, no doubt because she was no longer a young virgin, but was an experienced widow.

Just the type of women he loved to dally with.

She didn’t care…

Flora wrapped her arms around Dougray’s neck in a mix of hapless craving and wild relief. This was her chance—her one chance before he married—and she would give herself over to it. When he pulled her onto his lap she did not resist.

His kiss blurred the lines between fantasy and reality, and she didn’t care. She’d waited and wanted this for too long. Besides, she’d never felt so alive—never. Recklessness sang through her veins, screaming take it all! Joy thrummed along every tingling nerve ending. All the while, not believing she had been brave or foolish enough to do this.

Unsure of herself to start with, she soon lost herself in the kiss. Dougray’s hand curved tenderly around her nape while the other sunk into her hair. His grip was tight, but it thrilled her.

His lips beguiled hers, moving back and forth with exquisite skill. She tilted her head back farther and seized on the idea to take the lead. She slipped her tongue into his mouth and savored the taste of him. He was delicious. Her pulse was a reckless rhythm as she clung to him. She could feel the hardened length of him pulsing against her bottom and it spurred her on, transporting her to a state of dizzying heights.

She wanted him to take her. To lay her down, strip her of her gown and make love to her. To ravish her on this couch before her bravery fled and she thought too much about the other women before her and likely those to come after her.

For the past three years she had managed to ignore the lonely ache to be touched, caressed, held. Iain had been a good man but he never fired her body like this. She had never loved Iain.

One simple kiss told her that Dougray knew exactly what her body yearned for. Her hands clutched his broad chest wishing she could feel his heated skin. She let her hands roam his chest while her tongue reveled in his virile taste. A moan escaped as he drew her closer, trapping her hands between his muscled strength and her softness.

He left her gasping his name as his wayward mouth left her lips and descended along the side of her neck. Her hands moved lower too, stroking him through his trousers as his lips found the top of her exposed bosom.

“Undress me.” Only when he stopped did she realize she’d said the plea out loud.

HE’D ALMOST DRIVEN himself crazy all day wondering what her lips would feel like. It had been so long since he’d last kissed her and he’d never let any kisses go this far. Since the conversation in the dining room this morning, he had thought only of her.