Carpathian 03 - Dark Gold

driveway to the safety of his car. Damn the man, damn the house, and damn every awkward thing that had happened! Savage was not going to drive him away forever!
    From the sanctuary of his vehicle, he waved to Alexandria, happy to see that she looked somewhat distressed for him. He almost wished he had allowed the bee to sting him; she might have insisted on nursing him back to health.
    
    Alexandria shut the door with more force than was necessary. "You are the most infuriating man in the world," she accused him.
    
    Aidan raised an eyebrow. "One of my more annoying yet endearing qualities." His slow, sexy smile was teasing.
    
    Alexandria nearly lost her train of thought, distracted by the melting warmth that smile caused.
    Abruptly she caught herself, straightening her shoulders and summoning as much anger as she could manage under the circumstances. "Nothing about you is endearing. That was so… so—"
    She broke off, searching for the right word, but her vocabulary failed her. Nobody should have his smile.
    
    "Brilliant?" he prompted, helping her out.
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    " Insensitive comes to mind. Childish . Are you going to behave this way every time he comes here?"
    
    Her hands were on her slender hips, her sapphire eyes flashing sparks. He wanted to kiss her.
    His golden eyes warmed, and his gaze dropped to her mouth. Instantly her body responded to that dark, sensual look. She backed away from him hastily, her hands up for protection. "Don't you dare, you escapee from an insane asylum."
    
    "Do not dare what?" His voice was soft, mesmerizing, seductive.
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    She could feel the touch of it like fingers stroking her skin. She ached with it, went liquid with it.
    "Just stay across the room from me. I mean it, Aidan. You're lethal. You ought to be locked up."
    
    "But I have not done anything." He smiled and moved slowly toward her. "Yet."
    
    "Marie!" In a panic, Alexandria called out as loudly as she could.
    
    Aidan laughed as the housekeeper hurried in. Little coward, run while you can . Although they were half a room apart and Marie was squarely between them, Alexandria felt the brush of his fingers on her skin, her face, her throat. They trailed lower, feather-light, to touch the aching swell of her breast before the sensation was gone.
    
    "What is it, Alexandria?" Marie asked, her hands on her hips, glaring at Aidan.
    
    He held up a placating hand, laughing. "I am innocent. I was a perfect gentleman to her visitor."
    
    "He spilled Thomas's coffee, made him sneeze, smeared whipped cream over him, and chased him with a bee," Alexandria accused. While Marie struggled to keep a straight face, Alexandria delivered the final outrage. "And he was going to wither my flowers."
    
    "Aidan!" Marie reprimanded sharply, but there was laughter in her eyes.

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    
    Aidan was really laughing now, his head thrown back, his golden eyes glowing, his face transformed, almost boyish with mischief. Neither woman could resist the pure joy, the fun he was experiencing for the first time in centuries. It made Marie want to cry with happiness, and it was an aphrodisiac to Alexandria, knowing she wielded so much power over such a creature.
    
    "She is not telling the truth. Ivan spilled his own coffee and dipped his arm in the cream puffs. I was nowhere near him. And the bee probably just happened by. How can I be responsible for an insect's attraction to that man?" He looked wide-eyed and blameless. "As to the flowers, I was only glowering at them because she was acting so silly over the damned things."
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    "Silly?" Alexandria echoed. "I'll show you silly, you savage beast." She started toward him purposefully, but Marie held up a hand.
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    "Now, now, children. Joshua is up, and we wouldn't want him to find the two of you fighting."
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    "We wouldn't want him to find out his hero has feet of clay," Alexandria corrected, glaring at Aidan.
    
    He moved toward her then, a deliberate stalking, gliding around Marie in his silent, fluid way, making Alexandria's heart pound frantically in anticipation. His perfect mouth was curved in a taunting smile. Hastily she stepped backward, tripped, and would have fallen if he hadn't reached out a hand and caught her.
    
    "Running away, little coward?" he whispered softly, teasingly, dragging her close into the shelter of his arms.
    
    Marie discreetly left the room, deserting the younger