She shook her head.
“Well, I’d say it is a good job you escaped his kisses,” Rafe whispered, arching his head a little toward her. “Who would want to be kissed by such a man, eh?”
“You talk a lot,” she breathed. He could feel it nestle into his embrace.
“Perhaps I’m trying to fill the silence as I stand here wondering what you are thinking,” he whispered again. Her hands had tightened over the railing beside him, but he noted she still didn’t walk away. She could have easily backed up from him and returned to the ballroom. Yet she did not.
She is curious too. Does she feel this strange heat?
It had been a long time since he last felt it. The last time he had known this curious feeling was with Juliet, a long, long time ago.
Do not think about her now.
“So. Was I right in my guess, ma’am?” he asked softly, reaching for her delicate hand on the railing. He gently took it in his fingers, lifting it high, giving her every opportunity to pull back from him. “Were you wondering what a kiss could feel like?”
“I…” She paused. That hesitation made him bold. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles through her glove, wishing he could kiss her skin instead. Her chest rose a little, suggesting she had taken a rather deep breath at that touch. “I should not be thinking such things,” she whispered as he lowered her hand an inch between the pair of them.
“Is there any harm in it?” Rafe asked, raising his brows. Then he realized she could not see owing to his dark mask. He smiled a little instead, for she had made it quite clear she could see his lips. “You owe him nothing, certainly no loyalty.” He followed her gaze in the direction of the doorway.
“…No. I suppose I do not.” She stepped into him a little.
“If you are curious, ma’am, I’d be honored to be your test subject,” he whispered to her, longing for the kiss now.
“I shouldn’t…” she said softly again but still didn’t pull back.
“Might I grace your hand with another kiss instead then?” He reached for the edge of her glove and drew it down from her elbow. The silk slipped over her pale skin delicately, teasing her with the touch. When he reached her hand, he drew the glove off her fingers, one at a time, holding her gaze the entire time that he did it. As he revealed her wrist, he turned her hand over and kissed the inside of her wrist, an intimate touch. His eyes never left hers as he made that kiss.
Her breath most certainly hitched this time at that touch. She stepped forward, her eyes flitting down to his lips.
Now…
Rafe lowered her hand and angled his head, waiting for her to come and meet him. For one so seemingly shy and quiet with her thoughts, she clearly had some boldness in her, for she was the one to press their lips together. She was nervous, her lips merely brushing his. He captured her lips a little more firmly, wishing to show her how thrilling a kiss could really be.
Why am I doing this? To make her smile after what she just saw? Or for my own thrill?
Rafe couldn’t answer his own question. All he knew was that this kiss was a surprise. He was supposed to be behaving tonight, and this was far from behaving, but he had been drawn into it by this mysterious lady’s presence.
He angled their heads together and bit her bottom lip, playfully, urging her to part her lips for him. When their tongues brushed for the first time, her hand took hold of the lapels of his tailcoat, anchoring her body to him. One of his hands brushed her waist, pulling her body into his so they were nestled together.
Scandalous indeed…
Out here on the balcony, they could be seen at any moment, even by Windham if he intended to chase after the woman he had just betrayed. Despite that knowledge, Rafe couldn’t pull back. The kiss had the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end, the fingers of one hand on her waist eagerly drifting to her hips as he angled them together, deepening that kiss.
Then, it was suddenly over. She pressed a hand firmly into his chest and pushed him back. They both stood there, catching their breaths as they stared at one another.
“Oh, God’s wounds,” she muttered with a perfectly flushed face as her fingers drifted to her lips. She released him fully, backing up fast.
“I’ve never had that reaction before,” he chuckled as she escaped to the door. “Wait, I do not know your name!” he called after her, but she was gone all too soon.
She flung the door open, her cheeks almost as red as her hair. As he went to follow her, she shut the door on him, her face briefly visible through the glass. She disappeared fast, running down the corridor back in the direction of the ballroom.
Rafe stared after her, uncertain of what to think or feel. A small, confused laugh escaped him. He was curious, yes, very curious about her, and more than a little entranced by that captivating kiss.
“Ah, this is not the way to improve your reputation though, is it?” he chastised himself.
CHAPTERFOUR
“Here, eat up, Evelyn. You’ve barely eaten in the last few days.” Mavis’ words shocked her. It was incredible to think her aunt had even noticed how much or how little she had been eating.
