“What?” I repeated for a third time, decidedly annoyed but unable to form another word.
“I have no intention of making it easy for you to say no. We could be good—great—together.”
“And you intend to do this by seducing me?”
His lips found mine again. “Just a little,” he whispered before claiming them once again.
Twenty-Four
LEIGHTON HALL—APRIL 12, 1817
KIT
Kissing her like this—itwas the most exquisite torture known to man or beast. Excitement, lust, something dangerously like love thrummed through my veins. Most of my head was entirely focused on drawing more of the enticing little whimpers from her throat, appreciating the salty, musky taste of said throat, and tracing the curve of her spine. It was a heady, powerful feeling, one that was tempered by a sense of desperation, of preemptive heartache.
She didn’t want to marryanyone. And I thought to convince her to marryme? The girl who had everything, and I had nothing more to offer her than inexperienced fumblings and my heart. A smarter man would have taken what she offered and treasured the memory when it was over. A better man wouldn’t be pulling her hips tighter against the hardness in his trousers. Why couldn’t I be smarter or better?
But then I wouldn’t know the delicious misery of her hands in my hair and on my chest. I wouldn’t know the curve of herbreasts or the taste of her lips. All tinged with the bittersweet knowledge that this was all I would have.
Even as I clutched her tighter, I vowed not to give up. It certainly wasn’t the worst plan I’d ever been involved in. Davina was impulsive. She’d been denied nothing for her entire life. She might fold with the first denial. I rather doubted it, but I could dream.
The hand on my chest trailed surreptitiously downward. Oh, my little menace was playing dirty. That was fair, if I could try to seduce her into a marriage, she was well within her rights to test my will.
I caught the hand as it neared my lower abdomen and laced our fingers together. She gave an irritated little “Humph” against my lips.
It was followed immediately by a pointed cough, and not from her lips. When recognition finally dawned, it was a bucket of icy water over my head. Dragging my lips from hers was nearly painful. When I met the bemused gaze of Rory over her head, I couldn’t hold back my groan.
“Milord,” she drawled with a smirk, leaning against the door.
My head fell back with athunkagainst the wall and I dragged a calming hand across my lower face. My lips were tender from Davina’s attentions.
“Rory.”
Davina glanced behind her before burying her face in my chest coquettishly. I wouldn’t have expected it of her and the gesture left me feeling protective. I squeezed her hand in mine, dragging my other hand down her back.
“Supper is ready if ye twonewlywedsare finished.”
“Thank you, Rory,” I said, dismissing her.
She responded by crossing her arms, a single brow tipping skyward.
“Your disapproval is noted,” I added.
“Good, release the debutante.”
“I want it added for the record thatsheis the one who seducedme.”
“Hey!” Davina’s head popped up from my shoulder with a glare.
Rory chuckled. “I well believe it. I was sure yer ballocks would shrivel and fall off before ye touched her. But I should remind ye that yer not actually wed.”
“I was working on that,” I retorted over Davina’s indignant noises of protest.
Rory blinked slowly before shaking her head derisively. “Dafty, the pair of ye. Come on, supper is getting cold.”
Davina pulled away and turned to the door. That was the precise moment I recognized the problem associated with leaving this room.
“You two go ahead, I’ll catch up.”
