For a long moment their eyes held. Then, taking her hand, Dare slowly turned it over and placed a kiss on the inner side of her wrist. His light caress made her tremble. Next, his lips moved over her palm, his tongue flicking the sensitive skin, and it was all she could do not to pull away.

His breath scorched her fingers as his lips moved to the tips. When he suckled the middle one, a heavy ache flowered low in her abdomen.

"I should warn you," he murmured, his voice husky. "I've learned a few things since I last knew you."

"I can imagine," she said, her own voice dismayingly breathless.

His eyes would not free her from their intensity. To her surprise, though, he released her hand and stood. Going to the door, he locked it, then returned to her side and set the key on the table, along with the wineglass he took from her.

Time, dangerous with the undercurrents of passion, seemed to hang motionless as he stared down at her.

Her heart thudding, Julienne rose unsteadily to face Dare, unwilling to allow him the advantage. Her legs were weaker than she thought, and she leaned one hip against the table for support.

"Well?" he asked, the lazy drawl filled with challenge.

Holding his stare with bold, cool poise, she reached to unfasten the hooks at her back, slipping down first the bodice of her merino gown, then her chemise. Her breasts spilled out above the white cambric. Offering him a smile, she turned and rested her hands behind her on the table, an elegant courtesan's gesture.

His mouth twisted crookedly. "So you mean to tempt me with your luscious body?"

"Let us see who can summon the greater resistance."

"As you wish," he said, his eyes alive with delighted interest.

With one foot he shoved her chair out of his way and stepped closer, his regard moving with leisurely thoroughness over her. A pulsing began deep inside Julienne in response to his heated gaze.

She managed to conceal her quivering excitement when he slowly drew a finger along the line of her collarbone, then traced a path between her breasts. But when he reached out to cup one curving swell, Julienne felt her heart leap.

With a knowing look, Dare splayed both hands over the ripe fullness of her breasts. Her nipples tightened shamefully, responding to his wicked teasing. His thumbs caressed the rosy peaks until they were distended and hard, and Julienne had to bite her lip to keep from pleading with him to stop the torment. She didn't want him to stop. She wanted to press herself against him, wanted Dare to soothe the delicious ache he was creating.

As if he could read her mind, he took her by the arms and drew her against his chest. The full shock of his hard, supple body went through her. He was all honed muscle and lean strength-and he was wholly aroused. She could feel his rigid erection even through their layers of clothing.

She drew a steadying breath, trembling with need. She felt feverishly hot where her body was held tight against his, excruciatingly sensitive where her bare breasts rubbed the brocade fabric of his waistcoat. Yet every instinct she possessed told her Dare was fighting the same urgent need.

His own breath was rapid as he dipped his head. His lips moved against her throat, then skimmed upward over her jaw, her cheekbone. "Kiss me, Julienne," he whispered, the words like velvet on her skin.

He gave her no chance to refuse. Instead he claimed her mouth, his lips soft and rough in turn.

His kiss was shatteringly familiar. She opened for him, shuddering beneath the raw force of his passion, but he didn't seem satisfied. He slanted his mouth to deepen the kiss further, his tongue sliding in heated, sinuous rhythm within her mouth, awakening her mind and body from their coldly held reserve.

She felt as though he were drinking the breath from her. Julienne shivered uncontrollably. The bold press of his heated loins was making her weak; her soft, secret flesh melted with sleek moisture, even as a warning voice clamored in her mind, telling her to beware.

It was a struggle to remember the femme fatale role she had intended to play. Her breath was coming in soft pants when she finally pushed him away.

At least she was having the effect she wanted, she saw. A dark flush of desire stained Dare's high cheekbones, while his eyes were hot and glittering. Frowning, he raised an eyebrow, as if to demand an explanation for her delay.

Deliberately Julienne glanced down at the swelling bulge at his groin. His breeches stretched taut, concealing his straining manhood. With a siren's smile, she reached out to brush her fingers over the placket, letting her hand fondle his hardness beneath the white satin.

She heard Dare stifle a groan, saw his jaw clench. "Keep that up and we might not reach the bed."

"As you said, who needs a bed?"

Requiring no further invitation, Dare reached down to unbutton his breeches and drawers. Desire burned in his eyes as he released his swollen male flesh. Instantly his arousal jerked upward against his belly, pulsing and erect.

Julienne caught her breath at the sight of him, huge and urgent, her gaze riveted. She badly wanted to touch him, to caress the thick, satiny length, the velvety pouch of his heavy testicles…

Evidently Dare wanted her just as badly. With visible impatience he leaned around her and pushed the dishes and crystal back to give them room. Then he lifted her up and set her on the edge of the table.

Julienne tried desperately to conceal her own treacherous excitement as he pulled up her skirts slowly, baring her to his gaze. It had been so long…

A streaking heat shuddered through her as he stared at the dark curls crowning the apex of her thighs, at the plump folds of female flesh already moist with her own need. His own gaze remained riveted as he reached down to caress her.

All her muscles clenched at the lazy stroke of his hand along her inner thigh. She felt her breath coming short and shallow as his fingers searched out the womanly softness of her-and it faltered sharply as he slid them against her honeyed crease.

"I would say you are thoroughly aroused now," he murmured.

She could feel her will weakening, but when his fingers brushed more boldly, Julienne caught his wrist, staying his hand.

Dare's gaze narrowed on hers. His hand was still between her legs, cupping possessively. "Do you still insist on denying you want me?"

She couldn't bring herself to lie. "No," she whispered.

"Part your legs wider." It was a low, throaty command, one she wanted to obey. She shut her eyes briefly at the wild excitement coursing through her, steeling herself against the burning warmth that flowed from the palm of his hand. When his fingers gently probed her slick cleft and slid inside, she arched against him. Then his caresses became more rhythmic, and she imagined that it was Dare's magnificent arousal thrusting deep inside her…

She tried to stifle a whimper, but it escaped her. In answer, Dare stepped between her spread thighs, his intent clear.

You should stop him, a desperate warning voice urged. But the blood was pounding in her veins, stirring a fiery heat within her. She couldn't form a protest when he gripped his swollen member and eased the silken head into her quivering flesh.

Julienne gasped at the enormous, pulsing size of him. He was shockingly hard, filling her to bursting.

When he swelled upward into her clinging heat, she tried to writhe away from him, but his hands prevented her, holding her hips still. A faint smile curving his sensual mouth, he withdrew his long shaft almost completely, until she moaned aloud with the loss.

Then he surged into her again, making her softly cry out his name.

It took only one more slow plunge to set her aflame. When he delved even deeper, burying himself inside her in another demanding stroke, Julienne gave in to the ravening hunger. Softening helplessly against him, she began to answer his thrusting hips, matching his pace and his sweet, relentless rhythm.

A sob welled in her throat at the primal force building inside her. It was elemental, primitive, and Dare was using all his skill to drive her even higher. She glimpsed him as her head fell back in surrender; his teeth were clenched, his handsome features contorted with pain and pleasure as he rocked her against him.

Then rapture engulfed her. She gripped his arms fiercely as an incoherent sound of panic sounded from her throat, but his mouth captured her scream. Wildly she dug her nails into his muscles as she erupted in a fiery, shimmering explosion, but Dare responded ruthlessly, his straining thighs forcing hers even wider to prolong her ecstasy.

The powerful convulsions left her so dazed, she could only cling to Dare as he drove himself to his own convulsive climax. When his throes of passion finally diminished, she sagged against him, exhausted.

The tremors faded slowly. She could still feel him pulsing within her own sated flesh, could hear his heart hammering beneath her cheek.

When finally he pulled away, leaving her tender and aching, she could have wept.

He was silent for a moment as he fastened his breeches.

"I think we should call this a draw," he observed impassively, his voice husky yet without inflection of any kind.

Julienne stiffened, suddenly realizing what she had just allowed to happen. Her mind spinning, she glanced down at her wanton dishevelment and drew a sharp breath, aghast. Sweet heaven.

Flushing with shame, she pushed down her skirts and fumbled to straighten her chemise and bodice. She could feel Dare's gaze on her, yet she looked anywhere but at him. She felt stripped bare of all defenses, her emotions naked and exposed.