Moontide Embrace (Historical Romance) (30 page)

"Have you missed me?" he breathed next to her ear, as
the sweet scent of her dulled his mind.

"Oui,"
she replied. She could feel the heat of his hand
through her red leather gloves. Her body was a trembling
mass, and she thought she would faint had he not been
holding her up.

"You lie, but then that is expected. Do you know who I
am then?"

"Oui,
I know who you are."

"You knew I would come back?"

"I never doubted it."

Judah stared at her soft lips. The rest of her face was
concealed by a red silken mask, and her red wig was in
place; but he remembered so well her midnight-black hair.
He felt strangely alive, and his blood flowed hotly in his
veins. The meeting had happened just the way we had
planned. Now all he had to do was lure Bandera back to
his room at the inn and make love to her. Revenge would
be so sweet. Judah would see that Sebastian learned he had bedded his wife.

When the last chord of music died away, Judah led her
across the floor and into a deserted study. Wordlessly he
stared at her. He wanted to savor the moment to make her
squirm. If she was frightened, however, she was not showing it.

"How did you know me? Have I not changed?" Liberty
asked in a husky voice. She was so happy that Judah had
recognized her.

He peeled back her red glove and planted a burning
kiss on the inside of the wrist. "The dress, Bandera. You
were wearing it the first night I saw you. Have you forgotten?"

Liberty felt her heart plummet. He had once again
mistaken her for her sister. She resisted the urge to remove
her mask. "Of course," she replied, deciding to play along
with him for a time. "How foolish of me to have overlooked that."

He reached out and softly touched her lips. "What else
have you forgotten, Bandera?"

"I have not forgotten you."

His voice came out in a hiss as he pulled her into his arms. "You still think to dangle me on a string? It could
be dangerous to flirt with me. I am not like your husband
or those milksops you call 'gentlemen.' "

Liberty knew she was playing with fire by pretending to
be Bandera, but she couldn't seem to help herself. "I am not trying to dangle you, Judah."

"Prove it."

She could feel the heat of his body as he pressed her more tightly to him. "How can I prove it?"

"Come away with me for this one night."

"I . . . that would not ... be possible."

He shoved her away. "Are you afraid of me after all?"

"No, I have never been afraid of you."

He held out his hand to her. "Then come with me."

She hesitated for only a moment before reaching out and placing her hand in his. "Where shall we go?"

Judah was unsure. Her quick decision had thrown him
off balance. He had expected an argument. "We will go to
my room at the inn."

"All right."

His laughter was almost sinister. "Somehow I thought
you might, Bandera. I did think, however, that it would
take longer for you to make up your mind. Have you no
doubts as to whether I will bring you back?"

"It does not matter?"

He drew in a deep breath. No, he couldn't allow her to
pull him back into her web. He would be the one in control tonight. He had an old score to settle, and she
would be the instrument of his revenge. His heart was
pounding as he led her toward a side door.

"Wait. My cape," she reminded him.

He unhooded his own cape and fastened it about her
neck. "It may be a little long, but you can hold it up." He smiled, as if waiting for her to find another excuse not to leave with him. "This is your last chance to change your
mind," he warned.

"I will not change my mind," she assured him.

"I did not see Sebastian. Will he not think it strange that you have disappeared?"

"Sebastian did not attend the ball tonight. I was supposed to stay with a friend, but she and her mother
feared the war was coming to New Orleans so they left for
the country."

"How convenient for us," he said in a sarcastic voice.

The moon was shining brightly as they stepped out into
the garden. Judah led her to a waiting coach and gave the
driver directions to the inn where he was residing.

Sitting back in the carriage, he pulled Liberty into his
arms. She gasped when his lips came down hungrily on
hers, stealing her breath and sapping her strength. His
hand burned through her gown as it slipped up to softly
caress her throbbing breasts. Suddenly breaking off the kiss, he stared at her. "Damn you, Bandera." His voice was thick with passion. "I thought I had forgotten what
your lips felt like; it seems I was wrong. But be warned —I
will not allow you to make me a slave to your body this
time."

Liberty felt tears form in her eyes. Again she was playing a role that had been meant for her sister. She doubted Judah had given her a thought in the days, months, and years he had been away. There was pain in her heart as she tried to pull away. "I do not know what
you mean, Judah." She was ready to end this farce, strip off her mask, and admit who she was. "You have never
been my slave."

"Like hell," he said, even then needing to touch her. His
hand, like a vise, clamped around her arm, and he
brought her close to him. "You do not even know the hell
you put me through, do you? I would have done anything to please you. After you helped Sebastian betray me, I
thought I hated you. I dreamed that you gave yourself to
me at Zippora's cabin. I have to know if it was a dream or madness?"

Liberty bit back a sob. "We are both mad, Judah. I am
not what you think. I am — "

"Let me finish. "I thought about you, or I think it was
you," he said doubtfully. 'Tor many lonely nights I was a
prisoner of my dreams. That night in Zippora's cabin,
you pulled me so tightly into your web that I can never
escape. I cannot stop dreaming about that night. You are a fever in my brain, and I have lived for the day I could face you again. But I never thought you would be in command of the situation."

"Judah, I do not-"

"I was going to use you tonight, do you know that?"

"I began to suspect that was your intention."

"And still you came?"

"Out"

This was not Bandera the betrayer . . . this was the sweet lover that had haunted his dreams. How could he
hurt her? "Perhaps this was not such a good idea. Say the
word, and I will immediately take you back to the ball."

"I want to be with you, Judah. But I think you should
know—"

"I know you are married to Sebastian. Do you think that matters to me?"

"Judah, will you listen to me. Sebastian is not—"

He pulled her forward, his lips depriving her of speech.
Liberty knew she was letting herself in for more heartbreak, but she wanted to be with Judah—just for tonight.
If she told him the truth, he would surely take her back to
the ball. When they reached the privacy of his room, she
would tell him that she was not Bandera.

"There was a time when you had me where you wanted
me," he said against her lips. "You know I have to destroy
Sebastian, don't you?"

"Oui,
I know."

He laughed softly. "You haven't changed. What a cold-
hearted wench you are. I'd bet you would even help me
place the noose about his neck, wouldn't you?"

"I have no liking for Sebastian."

By now the coach had pulled up to the inn, and Judah helped her alight. Liberty was glad she wore a mask,
because of the knowing glances cast their way by the men and women in the public room. Nonetheless, she allowed
Judah to lead her up the rickety stairs.

"Does it not bother you, what they are thinking?" Judah asked.

"It bothers me," she answered, staring straight ahead.

"One would think you were new at this sort of enter
tainment. I happen to know better." Again his voice was
cold and accusing.

Liberty bore the insult in silence, and when they reached the top of the stairs, he whisked her into one of the rooms.

Liberty glanced around her, realizing they were quite
alone. One candle burned low in a pewter sconce, casting
shadows about the small room. Wine and two crystal
glasses sat on the low mahogany table. Upon seeing them,
Liberty knew that Judah had expected Bandera to come
with him. She watched him remove the eye patch and his
plumed hat and toss them aside.

"How easily you walked into my little trap, Bandera. Did you believe the lies I told you so I could lure you here?"

"Oui,
I believed you. You don't think I'm in the habit of going to a gentleman's rooms, do you?"

He stepped closer, glaring at her, trying to see her face behind the red silk mask. "Your habits are reprehensible,
even to me, Bandera. I know you find married life with my cousin less than fulfilling, and it is reported to me that you are not discriminating when you are looking for a lover. Rumor has it that you would as soon bed a common fisherman as one of your French blue bloods."

Liberty was glad that she was wearing her mask for it
hid the blush that stained her cheeks. She knew about her
sister's indiscretions, but she didn't like to hear about them from Judah. She decided it was time she ended this
farce. Reaching up to remove her mask, she was startled
when Judah stepped forward and trapped her hand in a
viselike grip.

"No, leave it on. I don't want to look into your lying
eyes while I make love to you. It is better if you wear the mask of deceit —it fits you very well. Later, I will remove
the mask so I can look upon the face of betrayal."

"Judah, I-"

"Do not speak my name," he said, reaching up to unlace the bodice of her gown. He had already had numerous glasses of wine and his mind was muddled. Still, he sensed that something wasn't right. He kept seeing soft blue eyes filled with trust and compassion.
Little Liberty was again weaving herself into his consc
iousness. He tried to push her aside. He wanted to hate the whole Boudreaux family. After all, Liberty had the
same blood in her veins as her beautiful sister who played
with men's hearts as if they were toys.

Liberty had dreamed of Judah's return. She had imag
ined that he would know her immediately and would
realize he loved her. That fantasy had been shattered by
cruel reality. Even if Judah knew her true identity, he was so obsessed with her sister that he would turn from her in
disgust. But she had never, in her wildest imaginings,
dreamed that he would look at her with such loathing.

"Now you will pay for your faithlessness and betrayal,
Bandera," Judah hissed between clenched teeth. "How
long I have dreamed of having you in my power, you
scheming bitch!"

Liberty backed away from him, while fear pounded in
her brain. "Judah, I am not Bandera. You know me . . . I am-"

His laughter was deep and sinister, causing the hair on
the back of her neck to stand on end. "I told you that you
took me for a fool once, Bandera; do not expect me to play the fool twice."

Liberty stepped back, coming up against the bed. "Judah, listen to me—please do not do this. You will only regret it later."

He drew closer. "I do not think so, Bandera. I will be
taking my pleasure and striking out at Sebastian at the
same time." He pushed her gown off her shoulders. "Do
you think Sebastian will be in anguish when he finds out I
have had his wife?"

Liberty knew she could stop Judah by just removing
her mask. Why did she hesitate? His eyes were filled with
burning passion. He might deny it, but he wanted her. She had seen his hand tremble when he touched her.
Liberty stood like a statue while he pushed her gown past her waist. She saw the raw need in his eyes as he hastily
untied ribbons, and did away with stays and undergarments.