Chapter 248

"What?"

"That I wish to. It is only when I kiss you that I know you, Kassandra. "

Every word that came out of his sensuous mouth was a caress and a promise. "What happened to that phenomenal willpower of yours that had the rest of us quaking in our boots?"

Laughter—hearty, gorgeous, and spine-tingling—enveloped her. "In this case, I have decided not to employ it."

"You can see Helene, Kassandra, but you must tell me the truth or kiss me." The choice is yours. "

How very neatly he had trapped her, and how very stupid she had been in challenging fate when she had said Darian knew nothing but duty. His words now were honeyed, so damn seductive that her heart thudded. "What if I asked you questions?"

But I have never lied to you. If you ask me a question and I do not tell the truth, you are free to kiss me as much as you want to.

"Thanks but no thanks," Kassandra managed to say, past the whooshing of her heart.

Turning away from him, she ran back to the sanctuary of her workroom, wonderin