Lacybourne Manor (Ghosts and Reincarnation #3)(44)

He felt his gut clench with unease.

When he didn’t answer, she went on, “Drink?”

“I’m fine, Sibyl,” Colin answered, surveying her closely.

He fought his body’s demand to drag her back into bed while she looked over her shoulder and out the door.

“Do you want a…” she hesitated, looked back at him and then tossed her head in an act of frustration, about what only she was privy, “tour of my house?”

There was something meaningful to that offer, something outside the realm of their bargain, something that made that unease in his gut spread.

He forced his tone to be gentle. “I’d very much like a tour of your house but later. Now I want you to come back to bed.”

She hesitated then walked to the side of the bed. Her hands at the waistband of her jeans, she kicked off her shoes.

Something made him ask quietly, “You’ve never done this before, have you?”

Her eyes flew to his. They were back to the colour of sherry, with but a hint of green close to the pupils.

Without a word, she shook her head.

Then she took off her clothes swiftly and, with a graceful gesture of her arm, tossed them across the room. Then even more swiftly, she lifted the covers and slid under them.

She resumed her position on her belly, her head turned away from him. Even na**d in bed at his side, her position closed her off to him, removing herself from him and Colin didn’t like it.

At all.

He slid the covers down again to expose her back and ran the flat of his palm up from the gentle curve of her rounded bottom up to the expanse of smooth skin between her shoulders.

And again, as he did, Sibyl trembled.

He stared at her back, her hair and realised she was all his.

For two months.

And he gloried in that thought.

He pulled her hair away from her neck and kissed her between her shoulder blades.

Then he lifted his lips to her ear. “You’re doing very well.”

She didn’t hesitate in her response.

“Thanks.” Her voice betrayed she meant none of the gratitude that word meant. “Just what every girl wants to hear.”

That feeling of unease spread precariously close to his cold heart.

“Sibyl,” he called.

She didn’t turn to him and sighed before asking, “Can’t we just go to sleep?”

“No,” he answered honestly. Sibyl Godwin, Colin had long since decided, would not get very much rest that night.

Nor, likely, for the next two months.

She rolled, dislodging his hand and lay on her side, up on her elbow. He settled on his elbow facing her while she pulled the covers over her br**sts. He noticed her eyes were no longer sherry, they were back to emerald. The effect of the colour change was extraordinary.

“Well, of course, you have to get your money’s worth,” she snapped tartly after she caught his eyes.

“I’ve already had it,” he replied truthfully.

At his remark, her eyes rounded and he watched in fascination as she pulled her lips between her teeth for a moment as if literally biting back words she wanted desperately to say.

And her eyes melted back to sherry.

That’s when he knew he could kiss her.

Much later, when he lifted his head and she followed it with hers to keep in contact with his mouth, he finished what he meant to say.

Smoothly, in one fluid movement, he slid inside her magnificent, tight wetness and, while he did, she exposed her throat to him as she arched her back and neck in an open demonstration of the pleasure she felt at allowing him inside.

Her legs lifted up, her knees at his sides so high they were nearly tucked into the pits of his arms, and her thighs tightened against him. This action drew him exquisitely deeper into her.

“Sibyl,” he called her name as he settled inside her, not moving and practically gritting his teeth with the effort, she was so splendid.

Her head righted, hair wildly tumbled on the pillows framing her passion-filled face.

“Colin,” she whispered, his name from her lips, said in that husky tone of sex, caused his body to twitch involuntarily.

He fought back his response and warned, “I may have had my money’s worth but you still owe me two months and I’m going to have them.”

Her eyes rounded again but her h*ps moved, inviting the movement of his.

“Sibyl –” he started but her hands were urgent on his waist, her nails digging into him.

“Yes, Colin, yes,” she breathed, impatient. “Two months. Now, will you just please move?”

Colin grinned.

Then he did as Sibyl asked.

Chapter Nine

Danger

The phone was ringing.

Sibyl decided to ignore it, her answerphone would get it. She was too deliciously tired to bother.

When it stopped ringing, abruptly, she smiled sleepily but her smile was short-lived.

“Hullo?”

She heard this said in a husky, baritone voice.

Instantly awake, she twisted violently in the bed, pulling the covers over her br**sts, just in time to hear Colin say, “She’s right here.” His clay-coloured eyes, rimmed with their lush lashes, slid to her. “It’s for you.”

Ignoring the rush of warmth in her belly at the sight of his eyes and him in her bed, she snatched the phone out of his hand and covered the mouthpiece. “Of course it’s for me, who would it be for? Mallory?”