“Aren’t you?”
At the glint of amusement in his eyes, she felt her face grow hotter.
Was my inexperience that obvious? Was I that dreadful at kissing? Dash it, does he find me that unattractive?
Her insides sank like a soufflé past its prime. Not that she’d ever risen to any great heights when it came to attracting the opposite sex. But it had never mattered to her…until now.
“It’s true that I was a bit of a novice when it comes to, um, what we did.” She kept her gaze trained on her shoes as she forged onward. “I pray you will forgive my inexperience. Kissing is like any other skill, I suppose, and as you’ve surmised, I haven’t had much practice at it. Or any practice…I don’t count the time a fortune hunter tried to compromise me. But next time I shall—what on earth?”
Startled, she looked at the long fingers circling her upper arm. Then higher, into Master Chen’s face. At the blazing intensity of his gaze, her heart pounded as if she’d gulped down an entire pot of strong tea.
“Who touched you?” he gritted out.
She blinked. “I b-beg your pardon?”
“Who was the bastard who laid hands on you? What is his name?”
As she registered what he was asking—and why he might be asking it—she felt a giddy flutter.
“It doesn’t matter. It was ages ago,” she said breathlessly. “Anyway, I handled the situation with a well-placed knee to his, um, unmentionable parts. He doubled over, then fell to the ground, and I may have accidentally kicked him on my way out of the orangery.”
A muscle twitching in his jaw, Mr. Chen continued staring at her.
She babbled on. “I could have inflicted more damage, but I didn’t want to risk exposing my skills as an Angel. Anyway, no harm was done, and he never came near me again. I suppose my dowry wasn’t worth the bother. Or,” she added impishly, “the pain.”
“The bastard wasn’t after your dowry. Not only that, anyway.”
She furrowed her brow. “What else would he be after?”
Mr. Chen drew her closer, and her pulse raced at the fire in his eyes. His touch burned through her sleeve. His hold was firm, its purpose to anchor her attention rather than to detain her. She knew she could free herself at any time…but she didn’t want to.
Unfortunately, he released her and took a step back.
“You are a lovely young lady,” he stated.
She waved a hand. “Pishposh. I know I’m plain.”
“The fact that you are oblivious to your own charms makes you all the more vulnerable to scoundrels,” he said sternly.
Even though he was clearly lecturing her, thrills zinged down her spine.
“You think I have charms?” she blurted. “Even though I wasn’t good at kissing?”
He frowned. “What makes you think you weren’t good at kissing?”
“I don’t know.” She kicked a pebble the way she wanted to kick herself for bringing up the subject. “You’re the first gentleman I’ve kissed. And since you have no desire to repeat the experience, I assumed…”
“There is nothing wrong with the way you kiss.”
“Be still my beating heart,” she muttered.
“What I meant to say was that you are a natural at it.” He cleared his throat. “A perfectly fine kisser. In no need of practice at all.”
Her heart careened like a runaway carriage. “Truly?”
“Truly.”
She blew out a breath. “Well, that’s a relief.”
