His eyes traveled down to her waist, which was wasp-thin, then to the slight flair of her hips. He usually preferred more voluptuous curves, but she was perfectly proportioned, he noticed as he took in the long, slender thighs and shapely calves.
Damn! He had forgotten the shoes. The tedious buttons were almost impossible to handle in the dark, but he finally succeeded in undoing them all.
When he had slipped her shoes off silk-encased feet, he returned his gaze to her face as his fingers slowly parted the camisole. She didn’t stir. His eyes wandered aimlessly, until he rewarded his patience and looked down at her.
He had imagined how she would look, but the fantasies were inadequate and he wasn’t prepared for the vision that greeted his eyes. Two perfectly shaped breasts, round, high, and firm, were displayed. Her skin was as creamy and white as a magnolia blossom. The nipples that crowned each soft mound were virginally pink. Botticelli would have adored her. Her ethereal beauty was definitely quattrocento. Rosa wasn’t far from wrong. In her naked loveliness, she appeared to be an angel.
But Jared was mortal, and he wanted her as he had never wanted a woman before. He carefully lowered his head and kissed the pulse in her throat. Then his lips traveled with a blissful laziness over her breasts, nibbling and licking lightly so she wouldn’t ever know that he had worshiped at this temple of her body. She was forbidden to him. It was a self-imposed denial, but that made it even more binding.
But now, now…
He raised his head and touched one rosy nipple. Gently rolling it between his fingers, he watched in fascination as it responded to his touch and became pointed and inviting. Unable to resist, his mouth opened around it. It melted against his tongue like a piece of sugar candy, and tasted even sweeter.
His eyes lifted once again to the face that lay in peaceful repose in the cape of black hair. “Lauren, forgive me,” he whispered as he lowered his mouth once again.
* * *
When Lauren awakened not long before noon, she couldn’t remember the events of the past few days or why she was sleeping so late and wearing her underwear and stockings. She stretched cramped muscles as she pieced together the fragments flashing through her memory.
Elena! She recalled the girl’s illness and jumped out of bed, throwing back the single blanket that covered her. Why was she sleeping on top of the bedspread? Disoriented, she stood in the middle of her room, her hands on either side of her head, trying to banish the yellow spots that danced against the black curtain which seemed to have fallen over her eyes. She reeled dizzily. She had stood up too fast for the blood to flow into her head. Lack of proper food for the past six days had rendered her weak.
Rosa bustled in as Lauren was feeling her way back to the edge of the bed.
“Señora Lauren, you are awake! You have been sleeping like a baby.”
“How is Elena?” she asked quickly. The radiant look on Rosa’s face dispelled any fears.
“She is weak and sleepy, but she ate some toast this morning and talked to Carlos.” The happy features drooped a little. “We had to tell her about the niña, and she is very sad. But seeing Carlos made her feel better. She is grateful to you, señora. I thank you, too.” Her lip began to tremble.
“I’m glad I could help Elena. I only wish we could have saved the baby, though after the high fever, Isabela might never have been completely healthy.”
“Sí, her little soul is in heaven and she is well now. If I know Elena and Carlos, they will make another niño soon.” She grinned broadly. “I brought your breakfast.” She stepped out to the hall and retrieved a tray she had left on a hall table. The delicious aromas emanating from the dishes made Lauren’s mouth water. When had she last eaten a complete meal?
“Señor Jared told me to see that you stayed in bed and ate everything on the tray.”
“Is he… I mean, are the rest of the family healthy? I haven’t seen them for almost a week.”
“You saw Señor Jared last night, señora. Don’t you remember? You fainted in the kitchen. He brought you up to bed. Carried you in his arms.”
The room was spinning again and in her ears was a great roaring. She sipped the scalding tea and tried to keep her hand from shaking as she placed the cup back on the saucer.
“No… no, I… uh… don’t remember that. I know I was very tired.”
“He was angry I think for you to be so tired. You would like a bath, señora, sí?” Without waiting for an answer, Rosa waddled into the bathroom, gathering up the discarded clothes lying on the floor beside the bed.
Her clothes! Jared had put her to bed. Jared had undressed her!
She had dreamed of him during her deep sleep. She recalled the dreams vividly now. Jared was leaning over her and looking at her tenderly. His head was resting against her flesh. If only her arms hadn’t been so heavy, she could have reached up and run her fingers through the sun-bleached hair that tickled her throat. In one dream, Jared was whispering Spanish words against her ear. In another, he had been doing something with his mouth that spread a delicious warmth through her.
She finished eating slowly, distracted by the memory of her disturbing dreams. When she began undressing, she noticed the ribbon from her camisole was missing. She would have to tell Rosa to be more careful when laundering her underwear.
She stepped into the bathtub and welcomed the soothing warmth of the water. It had been days since she had enjoyed the luxury of a bath. Cupping her hands and ladling a handful of suds over herself, she was shocked when the soapy water caused a stinging sensation on her flesh. Involuntarily she gasped. Examining herself self-consciously, she noticed her nipples were slightly sore, though when she touched them, they tingled and a thrilling shiver coursed through her body. Her breasts were chafed, as if abraded by something scratchy. Whatever could have—
Her eyes dilated with the horror of the thought. Trembling fingers crammed against tight, compressed lips gone white with shock.
No! No! That could not be. Her dreams and this actuality had nothing to do with each other. It was unthinkable. Still, she quaked at the possibility. Jared, unshaven, seeing her, touching her, kissing…
Hastily she got out of the tub, dried quickly, and wrapped a robe around her before returning to the bedroom. “Where is Jared?” she asked Rosa timidly as she prepared to go downstairs and visit Elena. She wanted