Dawn Song by Sara Craven Read Free Book Online Page B

herself sinking into his
    embrace, cradled against the lean warmth of his body, letting her lips caress
    his in turn with shy invitation. He gave a soft groan of satisfaction, then
    lifted his head to watch her face as his thumb stroked the suddenly
    tumescent nipple, sending a sensation of mingled pain and delight shafting
    through her body, making her gasp helplessly and revealingly.
    No one had ever warned her that desire could be like this, she thought
    dazedly. So swift and all- encompassing, making you deaf and blind to
    everything but the primitive urgings of your newly awakened body.
    When his mouth returned to hers again, she welcomed his kiss with
    eagerness and anticipation, her lips parting involuntarily, her tongue moving
    against his in instinctive eroticism. She felt him loosen the bow at her waist
    which fastened her dress. She lay, quiescent, her eyes fixed on his face, as he
    parted the dress, pushing the edges aside so that he could look at her.
    The fragile scraps of underwear were an enhancement of her nakedness
    rather than a covering for it, the dusky aureoles of her breasts clearly visible
    through the flimsy lace bra, and the white V of her briefs shadowed by the
    darker, silky triangle beneath.

    Jerome drew a sharp breath. 'Tu es toute belle,' he muttered unevenly, his
    caressing hand slidingfrom her breast to her thigh in one lingering gesture of
    possession and promise.
    At his touch, her body melted, and she arched towards him in mute yearning,
    pleading for his tutelage in all the ways of love.
    The sudden shrill of the telephone shattered the golden intimate silence
    which surrounded them with devastating effect. It was as if someone had
    actually physically intruded into the room. Shocked back to her senses, Meg
    pulled herself away from him and sat up, dragging her dress into place with
    shaking hands.
    He reached for her again. 'Doucement,' he said hoarsely. 'Sois tranquille.'
    'No,' she said. And, 'No,' again. 'You must answer it. Or Berthe will hear it,
    and come. Won't she?'
    'Yes,' he conceded with husky reluctance. He got up, pushing back his
    dishevelled hair and walked to the bureau, snatching up the receiver. He said
    curtly, 'Moncourt,' and paused, his face freezing into blankness. ' C'est toi?'
    His tone softened perceptibly. 'Yes, I came back this evening.' He listened
    for a moment. ' Ma chere, I can't talk now. It's impossible.' His voice sank to
    a murmur. 'We'll speak-tomorrow. Yes, I promise.'
    The tenderness in his words seemed to cut into Meg like the lash of a whip.
    One minute she'd been half naked in his arms, she accused herself in self-
    disgust, on the brink of losing all self-respect—all control. Now she was
    hearing him talk to another woman—someone with whom he was clearly on
    in- intimate terms. Someone he'd been prepared to betray—with her.
    It brought home to her in the plainest possible terms how little she knew of
    him. And, more tellingly, the totally transient place she occupied in his life.
    A painful lesson, but one she'd needed to learn.
    A one-night stand, she thought, wincing. That was what she'd have
    been—all she'd have been, and yet she'd nearly allowed it to happen. Had let
    herself be taken almost to the brink, and beyond. That was what she was

    going to ultimately remember to her shame—how easy she'd made it for
    him. How stupidly, naively willing she'd proved... She choked back a sob as
    she tried to refasten her dress, her fingers clumsy with haste.
    Jerome said, 'Yes, very soon. You have my word. A bientot.'
    Back turned towards him, she heard the phone go down on its rest.
    Mastering her voice with a supreme effort, she said, 'You can call her back
    right away, because I'm leaving now. Is there a local taxi service I could
    use?'
    He came to stand behind her. His arms wrapped her tightly. His mouth
    grazed the side of her throat. He said quietly, 'I am sorry. I wasn't expecting
    any calls this evening. No one was supposed to know I