Indiscretions - Elizabeth Adler [56]
“Of course. You only let me have a sandwich for lunch,” said Vennie, running an expert eye down the lengthy list of appetizers. “Good heavens, what a choice.”
Morgan watched in amusement as she considered, one finger running down the list, murmuring comments as she read.
“Morgan? Would it be all right if I had two starters and no main dish? These are all so good … I simply must have snails, but then I’d love some of that mountain ham.”
Morgan sighed in mock regret. “No fondue, then?”
“No fondue,” she said firmly.
“Thank God.” Morgan grinned in relief. “I would have endured it for you, but no one else. Vennie, you can have three starters if you wish, or four or five.”
“Two, thank you,” said Venetia.
“You really know exactly what you want, don’t you?” Their eyes met across the flickering candle.
“Sometimes,” demurred Vennie, “sometimes I do.”
They ate surprisingly little for two people who had been so hungry, but it all tasted, as Vennie said, “sublime,” and afterward they slow-danced, arms wrapped around each other, her head tucked against his chest where, thought Morgan, it belonged. At midnight, fatigue began to take over, and despite the fact that this was not the moment for it, Venetia yawned.
“Sorry,” she said guiltily, “it’s just that I’m so tired.”
Morgan laughed. “Well, at least it wasn’t boredom,” he said, taking her hand and escorting her through the hotel to the elevator.
“Have you ever been kissed in an elevator before?” he murmured, as the doors closed and they were alone.
“Never,” she whispered happily.
His kiss was different this time, less tender and more demanding. It lasted until the doors slid open again at their floor, revealing them to the amused gaze of a waiting couple.
Blushing, Venetia hurried down the corridor holding on to Morgan’s hand; she hadn’t expected to see anyone, she’d been so lost in Morgan’s kiss.
They paused outside her door and Morgan inserted her key into the lock and pushed open the door. He thought she looked tired; the healthy color of the afternoon had drained from her face, leaving her pale and shadowed and very beautiful. He couldn’t bear to leave her.
“Vennie?” Her eyes met his. “May I come in for a good-night kiss? I mean, we don’t want to be caught out here in the corridor, do we? The elevator was scandalous enough.”
Venetia smiled. “I’d like that.”
His arms felt good around her, so good … she’d like to sleep in Morgan’s embrace, it would feel wonderful. Her lips parted under the force of his kiss and Venetia waited for it to happen—that miraculous surge of physical emotion, the fireworks that would explode within you, the passion that left you helpless and trembling. Wasn’t that what you were supposed to feel when you loved someone?
Morgan ran his hands down her slender back, pressing her even closer, drifting light, caressing little kisses over her closed eyelids. God, he wanted her … he stopped kissing her for a moment to gaze at her lovely face. She looked so beautiful—and so tired!
“I’m a brute,” he said, kissing her on the cheek. “You’re exhausted. You need to be tucked up in bed to sleep until you awake—like the princess in the fairy tale.”
That was it, of course, thought Venetia, as he left her with a final kiss, it was just that she was tired. Kicking off her shoes she sank thankfully onto the bed, thinking of Morgan. But you were supposed to feel more than this, weren’t you? It wasn’t as if Morgan were just any boyfriend, he was special in a lot of ways. When she was with him, she always felt so … so looked after. She couldn’t remember having felt like that since she had left home and Jenny for school in England. Yes, Morgan looked after her. Take now, for instance; she knew he had wanted to make love to her, but he had been so gentle and considerate. But shouldn’t passion ignore fatigue? she thought uneasily. Shouldn’t the touch of his lips have inflamed her? Jenny had always succumbed to passion—if she hadn’t, then the three of them wouldn’t be here, after all