Her fingers found the untucked hem of his shirt, and she slid her hand under the edge, skimming lightly over his skin. His muscles jumped beneath her touch, and he drew a sharp breath, the air whispering past her cheek like a kiss.

“You don’t know,” he rasped. “You don’t know what you do to me.”

She could see the passion in his eyes; it made her feel womanly and strong. “Tell me,” she whispered, and she arched her neck to bring herself up to his lips for a soft, fleeting kiss.

For a moment she thought he might. But he just shook his head and murmured, “It would be the death of me.” Then he kissed her again, and she didn’t care what she did to him, just so long as he kept doing the same thing to her.

“Sarah,” he said, lifting his lips from hers for just long enough to whisper her name.

“Hugh,” she whispered back, and she could hear her grin in her own voice.

He drew back. “You’re smiling.”

“I can’t stop,” she admitted.

He touched her cheek, gazing down at her with such emotion that for a moment she forgot to breathe. Was it love she saw in his eyes? It felt like love, even if he had not said the words.

“We have to stop,” he said, and he gently tugged her nightgown back to its proper place.

Sarah knew he was right, but still she whispered, “I wish we could stay.”

Hugh let out a hoarse chuckle, almost as if he was in pain. “Oh, you have no idea how much I wish the same thing.”

“It’s hours yet until dawn,” she said softly.

“I won’t ruin your reputation,” he said, bringing her hand to his lips. “Not like this.”

A bubble of mirth floated inside her. “Does that mean you intend to ruin me some other way?”

His smile turned hot as he stood and pulled her to her feet. “I would very much like to. But I shouldn’t call it ruining. Ruin is what happens to a reputation, not what happens between a man and a woman. Or at least,” he added, his voice dropping sensually, “not what happens between us.”

Sarah shivered with delight. Her body felt so alive; she felt so alive. She did not know how she managed to walk back to the house. Her feet wanted to run, and her arms wanted to wrap themselves around the man next to her, and her voice wanted to laugh, and deep inside . . .

Deep inside . . .

She was giddy. Giddy with love.

He walked her to her door. No one was up and about; as long as they were quiet, they had nothing to fear.

“I will see you tomorrow,” Hugh said, lifting her hand to his lips.

She nodded but said nothing. She could not think of a word big enough to capture everything that was in her heart.