My eyes lock on his green ones. I have no idea what he could want, especially if he is worried about his soul.
“What is it?”
“A kiss,” he says quietly. “You’ve never kissed me. No one ever has, in fact. And it would be strange to me to bed you without having done that first.”
My very soul—if I can even be said to have one anymore—freezes inside me. I hadn’t thought about kissing. I usually don’t. It isn’t my favorite act. Too sentimental.
I could deny him, but I already know that I won’t.
Somehow, it feels impossible to do so.
“Is that how they do it in your green book? Kissing always comes first?”
“No,” he frowns. “Well, sometimes. I wish I hadn’t told you about the book.”
“Don’t be so sensitive.”
“You torment me about it.”
“You needn’t feel self-conscious,” I say. “I have a whole drawer of erotic books. I even touch myself when I read them.”
His eyes go wide.
“It is strange,” I say, wanting to leave the topic of the book behind, “that some woman hasn’t taken it upon herself to kiss you.”
“Women don’t assail vicars with kisses.”
“You’re so innocent,” I say, wondering at the miracle of him, of how he could be so untouched.
I walk towards him and put my fingers on his waistcoat.
He stiffens underneath my touch.
“You mock me.”
“No, no. I don’t. Ilike it.”
“Youlikeit?”
“Yes,” I say, knowing that I am losing my senses, my grip on the situation already. But the dim light makes me heedless.
“Annabelle,” he says. “I want you to kiss me.”
I look up at him. The moment expands.
“Please.”
I can deny him no longer. I lean in and kiss him tenderly, just brushing my lips across his own.
He emits a small sound of satisfaction. Then I let my tongue skirt his bottom lip. He brings his hands to my waist, pulling me towards him.
“Is that all right?” he says, his breath already a bit ragged. “Holding you like this?”
“Yes,” I say, annoyed that the kiss has been broken and returning my lips to his mouth. I kiss him again, bringing my tongue back to his bottom lip and then tentatively touching it to his. He groans again and his cock is hard against my thigh. I keep kissing him and he pulls me closer, his cock growing harder and more insistent.
I can’t abide the fabric between us any longer. Without breaking the kiss, I push off his coat and then begin to expertly unbutton his waistcoat. Once I have sent that and his watch to the floor, I undo his cravat with the same practiced movements.
“You have the proficiency of a valet,” he says.
