'Til the End of Time by Iris Johansen Read Free Book Online

you.”
    “Study? You make me feel like an insect under a microscope.”
    “Hardly an insect, but you’re definitely a new species to me.” His hand reached out to gently touch her cheek. “Don’t jump. I’m not going to hurt you. Anytime you want me to stop, just tell me.”
    His fingertips were exploring the clean line of her cheekbone. His touch was infinitely tender, and she felt melting weakness again flow through her. The darkness, the soothing softness of his voice and gossamer touch were having a mesmerizing effect on her. She found she wanted only to lie here and be lovingly stroked. Lovingly. How had the word suddenly insinuated its way into her consciousness?
    “I’ve wanted to pet you like this from the moment I saw you in the ballroom.”
    Her chest was so tight, she was having troubleforcing breath into her lungs. The darkness was heady with the scent of cinnamon and thyme and the clean, woodsy scent of the man beside her. It took a moment before she was able to force the words out. “Was that before or after you decided you might have to shoot me?”
    “Before, during, after. I’m beginning to think it may never change now.”
    Loving. The word again brushed through her mind with the same delicacy as his touch on her cheek. It was crazy to think of the word in connection with Karpathan. He was hard and dangerous and … loving. The word popped up through the haze with maddening persistence. “What are you saying?”
    “That you have a very peculiar effect on me.” His fingers drifted up to rub her temple with a touch as light as a breeze on a May morning. “I want to know you.” His laugh held a note of wonder. “Lord, I’ve never wanted to know everything about a woman before, but I do now. I want to know what you like and don’t like, what you think.” His voice abruptly hardened. “And why the hell you have a lover who’s more than twice your age.” He felt her stiffen against him. “Oh, all right, forget that last, but we’ll definitely be going back to it.”
    “I don’t think so.” She spoke with a coolness she didn’t feel. “Take your hand away, Karpathan.”
    He removed it instantly, and she immediately experienced a wild sense of loss.
    “You see, no threat,” he whispered. “But I think you’re missing it as much as I am. I believe touching each other may become addictive for us. Now that you’ve seen how obedient I am to your every wish, may I touch you again?”
    She opened her lips to refuse, but somehow the words didn’t come. After all, what harm could it do? Being caressed by Karpathan was very pleasant, and, as he had said, there was no threat.
    He rightly took her silence for assent and his fingertips were once more stroking her temple. That’s right, relax. You don’t have to do anything, not even make a decision. I’ll take care of everything.”
    It had been a long time since there had been no decisions for her to make. She closed her eyes and let the blissful warmth and security flow over her. “Only because I want to rest for a while, Karpathan. I’m still the one who’s in charge.”
    “Of course you are,” he murmured. “But it wouldn’t hurt to talk to me. That’s what darkness like this is for. You can toss out a word or sentence and it just floats away. Talk to me, Alessandra.” His fingers were smoothing the soft hair away from her temple. “Are you an American?”
    “I have an American passport. What is this, some kind of third degree?”
    “Perhaps. How long have you been with Bruner?”
    “Since I was fourteen.”
    His hand hesitated before resuming stroking. “Remind me sometime to tell you what I think about dirty old men.” The harshness in his voice was barely controlled. “He obviously wanted to catch you young enough to train you to his specifications.”
    The roughness of the condemnation jarred her out of her dreamlike state of contentment. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. James isn’t a dirty old