themselves. Silver tore her gaze away from him. „I don’t know

what you mean.“

Nicholas experienced a thrust of disappointment that

surprised him. What had he expected, he wondered cynically.

Just because the girl seemed more honest than most was no

reason she would admit to her lustful indiscretions. The

woman who occupied a man’s bed one night was seldom the

woman he met in the ballroom the next. „I’ll endeavor to make

my meaning clear… later. I’ll make sure you understand every

nuance and shading.“ His dark eyes glinted through half-

lowered lids. „Unless you’d care to change your mind?“

„I don’t understand what you’re saying.“ She shrugged

impatiently. „It makes no difference. I won’t change my mind,

so you may as well leave. Good afternoon, your highness. That

is, if you really are a prince. It wouldn’t surprise me if you

were one of those detectives and only pretending.“

He was dismissed, Nicholas realized with amusement, and

with a royal indifference that would have done justice to an

empress. „And it wouldn’t surprise me if you were a princess.“

Her gray eyes glinted with anger. „You’re laughing at me.

I’m no princess, nor would I want to be. I am what I am. Silver

Dove Delaney. Apache. White. Half-breed.“

Nicholas inhaled sharply, feeling heat flow through him

and his stomach knot painfully. Christ, she was magnificent.

Burning. Flaming with life. Her breasts were lifting and falling

with every breath, and he felt a sudden desire to reach out and

cover one of those breasts with his palm, to feel the fire, the

softness. He pulled his gaze away from her and tried to

remember what she had just said. „Apache? That’s an Indian

tribe of your American Southwest, isn’t it?“

Her lips curved in a crooked smile. „Your fine detectives

didn’t tell you I was a half-breed? Well I am and I’m also

illegitimate. My father thought my mother was good enough

only to bed and forget. Not that it matters to me. I had no need

of the Delaneys.“

„Yet you’re doing your best to protect one Delaney.“ He

was scarcely aware of the words he was speaking. He just

wanted to keep her talking, watch the play of expression on

her face. Passion. He could feel the passion in her reach out

and touch him like a stroking hand. My God, he wanted her.

She had him achingly full, ready as he had never been before.

Merde, and he hadn’t even touched her yet.

But he would soon. He had never been more certain of

anything in his entire life than that he must have Silver

Delaney in his bed.

„I said I had no need. I didn’t say I wouldn’t choose to

give.“ Two bright spots of color blazed beneath the golden

smoothness of her cheeks. „I do what I please. And it pleases

me to help Dominic.“

And, Nicholas thought angrily, it pleased her to offer her

body to this Sebastien and no doubt to any other man who

caught her eye. He experienced a hot thrust of emotion that

was totally new to him. „You appear to be exceptionally

generous in your giving. That could be very dangerous for a

woman. Some men prefer that such generosity be confined

solely to themselves.“ His lips twisted. „I’m beginning to

believe I may be included in that group. I find it quite a

surprising discovery.“

A bewildered frown wrinkled her brow. „Half the time I

don’t understand what you’re talking about. Do all Russians

say one thing and mean something else?“

„Probably, though it’s a trait not confined entirely to my

countrymen.“

„What a waste of time and effort. It’s far more sensible to

say exactly what one means.“

He threw back his head and laughed. „You like honesty?“

His ebony eyes were suddenly dancing roguishly. He took a

step closer to her. „All right, I’ll stop being Russian and adopt

your American ways.“

„Nicholas,“ Mikhail said warningly. It was the first time he

had spoken since she had entered the room and Silver’s gaze

flew to the face of the huge Russian. The Cossack’s gaze was

fastened on the prince with apprehension and rueful

resignation.

„She wants honesty, Mikhail,“ Nicholas said in a reckless

tone of voice. „Why not give it to her?“ His gaze held Silver’s.

„Shall I tell you what I want? One, I want Dominic Delaney.

Two, I want to take off all your clothes and carry you to a bed,

even one in this nunnery. Not necessarily in that order. At the

moment the urgency is definitely for the latter.“

Her eyes were wide and wondering as a child’s. „You wish

to fornicate with me?“

He chuckled. „Good Lord, I’d wager you didn’t learn that

word at the staid Mrs. Alford’s academy.“ He nodded. „That’s

exactly what I want to do and shall do at the earliest

opportunity.“

She gazed at him for a moment, her cheeks scarlet. Then

she shook her head, hard. „No.“

„Are you afraid I can’t please you?“ His tone was only a

level above a seductive whisper. „I promise you won’t be

disappointed. Come with me now. I have a carriage waiting

and we’ll go back to my boat. You don’t belong here among all

these prim young misses.“

A pained expression appeared on her face but quickly

veiled. „No, I don’t belong here. No one knows that better than

I do.“ Her chin rose. „But I don’t belong in your bed either.“

„You’re wrong; that’s exactly where you do belong.“ He

bowed mockingly once more. „But I can wait. It may even

whet my appetite.“ Something hot and wild flickered in the

darkness of his eyes. „Though I doubt it, because I’m already

very hungry indeed.“ He glanced over his shoulder at Mikhail.

„You see, my friend, I was very good. I didn’t throw her down

on the rug as you thought I might. Now we can go.“

„A good idea,“ Mikhail said dryly. „This is no place for you

either.“

Nicholas made a face. „You’re right. It’s difficult to breathe

in here.“ He turned back to Silver. „Good afternoon, sweet, I’ll

be looking forward to our next meeting.“

„I’m not sweet, and we won’t be meeting again.“

He tilted his golden head and regarded her apprais-ingly. „I

was mistaken. You’re quite right: there’s nothing sweet about

you. You’re like the vodka made in the Kuban. Hot going

down and explosive after. I’ve always had an insatiable thirst

for that vodka.“ He turned to the arched doorway and then

turned back as a thought occurred to him. „Silver Dove?“ He

burst out laughing. „Good Lord, what a misnomer. You’re

more like a firebird.“ He put on his black silk hat and strolled

leisurely out the door.

Silver found herself staring after him, seething with a wild

confusion of emotions. „He’s mad,“ she muttered. „He

couldn’t have meant…“

„He meant it.“ Mikhail Kuzdief had paused beside her and

was gazing down at her, his deep brown eyes oddly

sympathetic. „And he is not mad, only a little wild. Still, it

would be better if you ran away.“

„Why?“ She looked at him in surprise.

„Nicholas is used to getting what he wants,“ the big

Cossack said simply. „But if you are not here…“He shrugged.

„He saw you only once. Maybe – “

„Why are you warning me?“ Silver asked curiously.

„Because I think Nicholas is right. You do not belong

among the tame hens in this place.“ His gaze gravely searched

her face. „But I am not sure you belong anywhere else either.“

She flinched. „If I don’t, I’ll make my own place.“

A faint smile touched Mikhail’s lips. „Yes, that is what we

must do.“