Pure Temptation

by Auria Jourdain

  TALIA CLOSED HER EYES, her head swimming as Talon rid her of her skirts. Unadulterated need flooded her like the waves at high tide. She’d never felt such pleasure... raw, burning desire that ached to be quenched. Her core throbbed as he caressed her breasts with his rough palms. He venerated her nakedness with his fervent gaze, silver flecks glimmering in his eyes. “You’re so damn beautiful, Talia.”

  Holding her gaze, he skimmed his hand over her legs and touched the sable triangle at the apex of her folds. As he slid his fingertip to her rosebud and parted her nether lips, a conflagration seared through her veins. She threw her head back with a whimper.

  He lingered there, massaging her nub with no mercy. Intense pressure pulsed at her core. Her dampness soaked his hand, and he hesitated. “I shouldn’t...”

  She bucked against him, driving his fingers closer to her maidenhead. “Touch me, Talon. Please.”

  As he inserted a finger into her velvet sheath, the slow caress threatened to undo her very being. She rocked against his hand. He pressed another digit into her, increasing the strokes. Her heart raced, matching the rhythm of his quickening ministrations.

  Sudden pleasure erupted through her body. Crying out, she grasped the hand still dallying and jerked against him. “Oui!”

  “Damnit!” Talon quickly removed his fingers. Disoriented, she sat up on her elbows. He shook his head with a somber gaze. “I have no right to do this, Talia.”

  She opened her mouth, but the words jumbled in her throat. Fervently, she grabbed his face in her hands, kissing him with every ounce of emotion she had left. After all they’d been through, she might never get another chance to experience the desire he’d ignited within her.

  She cupped him seductively. “Please, Talon, make love to me. I can’t leave this earth without having you inside of me... without feeling such a glorious experience.”

  His pupils darkened. With a feral growl, he hauled her into his arms and laid her back on the sand. As the moon rose above them, they lost themselves in each other’s exploration.

  He planted kisses over her face, burning a path to her neck and beyond. His desperation was infectious, and she answered every kiss and touch in kind.

  As the waves crashed upon the shore, he broke away. At her protests, he kissed her swollen lips. “Nay, love. I won’t let you go.” He peeled his waterlogged breeches from his legs. Talia gasped in delight. The hard planes of his abdomen forked to an impressive shaft that proudly rose to his navel.

  Reveling in his girth, she eagerly wrapped her fingers around him. She’d never seen a man so virile. “Dieu, you are glorious.”

  He rolled his head back with a guttural moan. “You’re going to be the death of me, woman.”

  Her folds tingled as she explored the large head of his manhood. As she traced a path around the velvety tip, a spot of dew slid down the reddened surface. Her thumb mopped up the moisture. Drawing it to her lips for a taste, she hummed her approval.

  Moaning, Talon pushed her to the ground. “It’s my turn.” Gathering her close, he rose above her to situate himself between her knees. He dallied between her legs, his soft touches thrilling, maddening. As he slicked his hardness through her wet nether lips, her eyes narrowed.

  Vaguely aware of the mating ritual and the pain that preceded it, Talia held her breath. Despite what people thought, she’d never been this intimate with a man. Indeed, she’d charmed many, but these feelings of desire were entirely new.

  Fear trembled through her as she looked up at him. “Talon...”

  Lacing her fingers with his, he placed a sultry kiss upon her lips. “I’ve got you, love. I want you—God, I need you. It’s been so long...”

  His gaze held hers. As he pressed his hips against her pelvic cradle, she nodded. His hard member found her heated center. With a long, slow stroke, he drove into her.

  A cry left her lips, the sharp sting surging through her body like a jolt of lightning burning across the sky. Tears streamed from her eyes as she pressed a palm to his chest and tried to push away. “Dieu!”

  Talon froze. “Bloody hell, you’re a virgin!” He laid on top of her, immobile, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Cupping her cheeks, he turned her gaze to his. Guilt streamed from his eyes as he planted soft kisses over her face. “Jesus, Talia, I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I thought you were—.” He swallowed hard. “You seem so...”

  Wrapping her arms around him, she buried her face in his chest and inhaled his scent, instantly comforted by the smell of sand and sea. This was her fault. All those years, she’d made passes at men, seducing them, she hadn’t understood the repercussions of her actions. She’d pushed him, and the impending result was pure bliss. She felt no remorse as his thick manhood filled her completely.

  She brushed her lips against his. “You have nothing to apologize for, Talon.”

  Kneading her breasts, he drew his hips up and moved. “My God, you’re so tight.”

  Passion replaced pain as he slowly shifted inside, reigniting her need. With every soft sway of his hips, her desire burned brighter. She grabbed his backside and forced his length deeper with a searing kiss.

  “You aren’t making this easy.”

  “Make love to me, Talon.”

  As if in a trance, he slowly slid in and out of her tightness, stoking her fire to unimaginable heights. The brazen heat of his lovemaking rushed through her veins, her body singing in harmony with his. “Dieu, what’s happening to me?”

  His strokes surged deeper. He thrust faster, pressing kisses across her neck. “Come with me, love,” he whispered.

  With his words of encouragement, pleasure exploded at her legs. Arching back, she whimpered, her womanhood throbbing with his every stroke.

  In a state of frenzy, he drove harder into her warmth. She dug her nails into his arms, trembling against him with wild abandon. Gripping his shoulders, she cried out his name as he tipped her over the edge of heaven-sent rapture. A few moments later, a long groan left his throat, and he collapsed against her.

  AS THEY LAID UPON THE sand, Talon held Talia in his arms, the passion subsiding. She nuzzled against his shoulder, her breathing heavy. Brushing his fingers over her cheek, he stared at her exquisite form. Her lips curved into a content smile, and guilt infiltrated his body like a plague.

  Jesus, I took her innocence.

  In the cool of the night, her nipples peaked, her magnificent breasts heaving up and down. Her delicate fingers fanned over his chest awakening his body once more.

  He groaned. What in the hell was happening to him? Talia Montrose had cast some sort of spell over him, and he was spinning out of control.

  Physically, he’d never felt anything so wonderfully satisfying in his life. The passion they’d unleashed was thunder mixed with lightning—a power so strong he couldn’t fathom where it ended or began. Her smooth, velvet core had hugged his cock as if God had fit her to him perfectly.

  Closing his eyes, he sighed. But he shouldn’t have allowed it to happen. It could never be between them. He was Romani. She wasn’t. And there were rules.

  One thing was for certain... he had to end it now.

  He rose as silently as possible, taking care not to wake her. Padding past the beach to the waterfall, he dove in, hoping to free himself from the consuming desire that threatened to undo his very soul.

  “ARE YOU READY, Monsieur?”

  Taking a deep breath, Talon busied himself with their supplies as Talia’s sweet breath whispered across his cheek. He refused to look at her.

  After last night’s fiasco, he hadn’t slept a wink. How could he? His dreams had turned him into a lust-filled monster whose thoughts were only of her. He needed to find civilization and get the hell out of this mess before she reduced him to an irrepressible heathen. He glared at her.

  She recoiled from his cold gaze. “What’s the matter?”

  He slammed his hat on his head and tossed the knapsack over his shoulder. “Nothing. We need to get going.”


  Giving him a sidelong glance, she pressed her lips together. “Bon. Should we go through the forest or stay on the beach?”

  “Shoreline. It will be hot in those woods, and I’m not sure what creatures lurk in there.”

  “Talon...” She reached for him, but he sidestepped her advances. As she tried to protest, he stormed ahead of her in stony silence.

  Ignoring her pleas to slow down, he strode along the beach, his never-ending thoughts keeping him company.

  Why was this woman so ingrained in his heart? He hardly knew her. Aye, she’d intrigued him since he saw her on the pier at Lisbon. Not a fortnight ago, he’d discovered she was a spy. He’d kept his distance for the good of the mission. But when she’d accosted the slavers, he’d lost control of his senses.

  The beautiful minx had handled herself in a way most men couldn’t. Upon revealing her status as one of DuPont’s agents, she had angered him to the point of wanting to jump off the vessel and swim to shore.

  And then she seduced him.

  Their first kiss had been magical—he’d never felt so alive. But she used her wiles. She’d charmed him just as she had the slavers in the hold, Perez, and even Alberto. Worse, she’d made him believe she cared.

  “She lied to me.” He kicked a shell across the sand and cursed. “Why’d I take pity on the damn woman?” Clenching his fingers around the knapsack, he walked faster. He couldn’t trust her. She was manipulating him.

  He scratched his beard and sighed. Then why had she given herself to him so freely? Discovering she was a virgin had set off a series of emotions within him that he couldn’t discern—fear, elation, and anger...

  Glancing over his shoulder, he glared at her as she trailed behind him. He wasn’t sure what game the chit played, but he had to end this mission—now.

  The only way to do that was to find civilization and take the first ship back to England as soon as possible.

  “Sacre bleu! Talon, wait!”

  Ripping the bottom hem from her skirt, Talia hastened her steps to catch up to Talon. Unfortunately, his brutal pace hindered her feat. His long strides covered more terrain than hers, and he was yards in front of her.

  What is wrong with that man?

  She cursed under her breath. He was obviously angry, although she didn’t understand why. She’d loved their time together. He’d been gentle. He’d made her feel beautiful. And he’d seemed satisfied as well. Falling asleep in his arms, she felt whole for the first time in her life.

  By sunrise, he’d abandoned her.

  As he disappeared around a ragged rock face, she picked up her pace. “Talon, please stop.” She picked up her skirts and ran. “Talon!”

  He ignored her pleas. He’d left her behind.

  Plopping onto her bottom with a sob, she collapsed upon the sand. Besides Alex Lafitte’s flirtations and the occasional target getting handsy, she had little experience with the ways of men. Truthfully, the stronger sex was intimidated by her. And she had no interest in the self-centered fops of New Orleans.

  She thought Talon was different. No man had ever ignited a conflagration through her veins with a mere kiss. His lovemaking had electrified her senses into oblivion.

  Then why was he treating her so poorly?

  Wiping the moisture from her cheeks, she frowned. Surely, he wasn’t upset about her being a virgin. He was experienced, was he not? He certainly knew how to be gentle with an untried woman.

  Brushing the sand from her hands, Talia took a deep breath and stood. She gathered her skirts, chastising her self-degradation. She hardly shed tears, especially not over men.

  Feeling cleansed, she scanned the beach. Talon’s footprints dotted the surface heading south. Holding her head high, she continued her trek. “To hell with Talon Barberry. I’ll find my own way home.”

  After a time of following his trail, she shielded her eyes and gazed at the sky. The trees draping from the mountainside had shaded her from the midday sun, but the cliffs were beginning to subside. She scanned the rocky terrain ahead. “Mayhap I’ll rest until sundown.”

  Passing a shore break, she halted. Not twenty feet in front of her, Talon slumped against the rocks with his head between his knees. The tide rushed around him, soaking his trousers as it broke around the boulders. He wasn’t moving.

  Gasping, she raced to him and sank to the ground. “Dieu, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

  Slowly, he raised his head, remorse haunting his dark eyes. Rubbing his temples, he swallowed a croak as his Adam’s apple bobbed. “Talia, I’m sorry. I had no right to take you. I thought you were experienced! I had no idea you were chaste. It wasn’t right.”

  With a soft cry, she gathered him in her arms. As he leaned into her, she placed his head on her breast and stroked his hair. “I don’t hold you responsible, mon cher. I wanted you as much as you wanted me.”

  “Nay, you don’t understand. It goes against everything I believe in...” With a hiss, Talon tried to escape her hold.

  Wrapping him in a protective embrace, she kissed his neck. “Hush,” she crooned. “We escaped a gaggle of unruly pirates only to be cast out to sea. We lived to tell the tale. Who knows how long we’ll be on this earth? Live for today, Talon. I have no regrets.” Cupping his cheeks, she kissed his forehead.

  He stared into her eyes. Stroking her breast, he swept his thumb over her nipple and groaned. “I meant what I said. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.”

  Lifting her chemise, he took a taut pink bud into his mouth and sucked. Heat radiated through her, and she melted against him like molten lava. His hands explored as if he’d never have his fill. His hot mouth blazed a trail over her breasts to her tummy, and she whimpered.

  As he lifted her skirts, her folds tingled, wetness dampening her thighs. He hesitated, but she opened her legs, pulling him to her. “Oui, Talon. No regrets.”

  His pupils darkened. Laying her back he ripped off her clothes with a guttural moan and took her on the powdery sand.

  Chapter 15

  “Mon dieu, look! It’s a harbor!”

  Thank God. Relief flooding Talon, he grabbed Talia’s hand and strode toward the welcome sight in the distance. They’d spent two days walking due south and hadn’t seen a soul. As they rounded the rocky shoreline, the cliffs that had blocked their view of the surrounding environment gave way to a massive mountainous peak covered in lush green foliage.

  Clapping her hands, Talia gasped. “We’re in Martinique!”

  Lacing his fingers with hers, he kissed the top of her hand. He could have stayed on that desolate beach with her for days. But without knowing where they’d landed, the isolation made him wary. It felt good to see civilization again.

  He scanned the small coastal town. Bells clanged from ships moored at the pier as they made their way toward the hubbub. Dockworkers unloaded slaves and stacked crates of sugar and rum on the pier. “This must be the center.”

  “Oui... St. Pierre, to be exact.” Glancing over her shoulder at the beach they’d traversed, she scratched her head. “I can’t believe I didn’t recognize it. Papa often brought me here on business trips.” She smiled. “When I was ten, I wanted to climb to the top of Mount Pelée” She pointed to the hulking volcanic form that they’d circumvented for days.

  Talon chuckled. “I have no doubt you tried, love.”

  They approached hundreds of shackled bondsmen lined up along the shore. The traders lashed the bondsmen’s feet with a brutal switch of their hand, and the slaves tripped over one another in fear. Rage darkened Talon’s mood as he thought of Marcus. He’d never see beyond the injustice of such a barbarous trade. “Hell and damnation, those bloody—!”

  Talia touched his arm. “We have a mission. We must find passage to Guadeloupe.”

  Reluctantly, he followed. As they crossed the main thoroughfare, he blinked, nearly struck blind from the gold, salmon, and mint green rowhouses lining the narrow streets. Towering three stories high with balconies gracing each flat, the
edifices donned louvered shutters flapping in the warm tropical breeze. “Blimey, our caravans have nothing on these people.”

  Talia frowned. “Pardon?”

  He cleared his throat. “Er, it’s certainly a colorful place.”

  Giggling, she linked her arm in his, and they headed toward the town center. The British flag soared above a domed building set in stone. Talia paused at the steps. “This is the government seat. We might be able to find help here.”

  A nearby soldier wearing a lobster red uniform eyed them suspiciously, and Talon muttered, “I thought this was a French colony.”

  She hummed. “They fight back and forth too often. I can never keep track.”

  Patting her hand, he winked. “It’s a good thing I’m English. Watch and learn.” They climbed the marble stairs to the front doors.

  Two Redcoats stood at the entrance with stoic faces. As Talon stepped up to greet them, they whipped their bayonets from their backs. “Halt, sir. What business have you here?”

  Puffing out his chest, Talon gave the men a cheeky smile. “Good day, chaps. As you can see, we’ve had a mishap. My lady-friend and I require passage to Guadeloupe, and as an English national, I thought perhaps we might find assistance here.”

  The guards snickered at Talon’s overly dramatic prose. The man in front of him lifted his head and sniffed derisively. “You may talk like a Brit, but ye look like a filthy gypsy to me. Git on with ye! Ye aren’t welcome.”

  Insolent buggers! Clenching his jaw, Talon went to invade the man’s space, his play-acting forgotten.

  Talia placed a hand on his chest and stepped in between them. “Pardon, Monsieurs, please forgive my colleague his insolence. My name is Talia Montrose. My father, Fernando, has many business associates here.” She traced a path across the taller guard’s forearm seductively. “By chance is Lord Taylor here? He and my father are good friends. He’s expecting us.”

  “Lord Taylor, milady? Montrose, you say?” With wide eyes, the guards released their death grip on their weapons and stepped aside with a bow. “Indeed. Please, proceed with caution.”