Page 42 of Along Came a Rogue

“When I command it.” He grinned deviously, then gave a teasing cluck of his tongue, scolding her. “Haven’t you been paying attention?”

She scowled. “That doesn’t sound fair to—”

“Put down the sketchbook and pencil.”

Her heart skipped. His first order sounded more like a request than a command, but she did as he bade her and set them aside. “What next, then?”

His gaze fell to her mouth. “Lick your lips.”

“Lick my—” She stopped. Then softer, not quite believing…“You want me to…seriously?”

The grin faded from his face, and a dark, intense expression replaced it. He repeated quietly but firmly, “Lick your lips for me, brat.”

Her blood began to hum. She slowly did as he ordered and traced the tip of her tongue over her lips. An ordinary movement, one she did several times each day without a thought, but now, with him watching her, the gesture felt undeniably erotic.

“Like that?” Her voice came much huskier than intended.

“Exactly like that,” he murmured. His eyes fixed on her mouth for a heated moment before traveling slowly down her body. “Now lift your skirt.”

Her skittering heart completely somersaulted. He’d already seen her naked—for God’s sake, he’d washed her!—but now, with both of them fully clothed in the carriage, revealing even the smallest bit of skin seemed somehow more intimate. Vulnerable. And wantonly exciting.

With a shaky breath, trying to hide the trembling in her hands as she ran them down her legs to her knees and grasped the muslin in her fingers, she pulled her hands back and drew her skirt upward. The lace-edged hem rose slowly up her legs, scandalously stockingless, to reveal inch after slow inch of bare calf. Everywhere his gaze grazed her legs, she felt a shiver of heat as real as if he were actually stroking his fingers over her skin.

The hem reached her knees, and she stopped.

“Higher,” he rasped.

Her heart pounded fiercely, joined by the throbbing ache between her legs, as his desire-hooded eyes fastened on her skirt. Despite the casual way he continued to lean back in his seat, she could see the arousal in him and hear his breathing turn rapid and shallow in anticipation.

Emboldened by his reaction, she nudged the hem higher to teasingly reveal legs closed together at the knees and a short stretch of bare thighs above. The skirt bunched modestly across her lap and hid from his view the triangle of curls beneath. Her own breath came short and quick now, her mouth suddenly so dry that she had no choice but to lick her lips again beneath the heat of his stare, which slowly caressed up one naked thigh and down the other.

“Higher, brat.”

“Higher?” Instead of the surprised squeak she expected, the word came as a throaty moan.

He gave a single, jerking nod, his gaze lingering wickedly at her lap. “I want to see all of you.”

For a moment, she didn’t move—she couldn’t move! She’d never even undressed in front of a man in the daylight before, and now, to reveal herself in a such a wanton way, in a rolling carriage in the afternoon sunlight, no less…But his eyes stayed on her, patiently waiting and wanting, making heat and moisture gather between her legs, and she knew she couldn’t stop. She was helpless to his commands, because as much as he wanted to see her revealed, she wanted equally as much to bare herself to him.

“Is this what you want?” she whispered. She placed her hands just above her knees and slid her fingers back along her thighs, pulling up the skirt until it reached her hips and bared her from the waist down.

The air ripped loudly from his lungs. Her eyes flew up to his face, but his gaze was fixed on her legs, on the long stretch of nakedness beneath the waist of her dress and the little patch of curls just peeking out from between her closed thighs. His expression burned, filled with such raw desire that she shivered beneath its heat.

“Jesus, brat.” He shifted uncomfortably in the seat. “You’ve got me hard already.”

“Good,” she purred, running her hands up and down her bare thighs, drawing his attention to her core. “Then I’m winning.”

He drew a shaky breath and mumbled, “I think we’re both winning.”

As she stared at him, a devilish realization fell through her, and she suddenly understood how to play this game. Even though he was giving her commands, she was the one in control because she held the power to grant his wicked wishes. And she liked it. Very much.

With a seductive smile, she ordered softly, “Then command me again.”

It was his turn to lick his lips. “Open your legs.”

Raw excitement jolted through her. With her thighs trembling, she slowly parted her knees a few inches, just enough to teasingly reveal a small glimpse of what lay between her legs but not wide enough for his seeking eyes to have a good look. A frustrated sound tore from his throat. A thrill pulsed through her at the power she possessed over him, with the mutual control he held over her.

“Wider,” he growled, his eyes fixed on the spot between her legs. “You know what I want. Open your legs to me.”