When he lowered his head, her eyelids fluttered shut, and he allowed his to follow suit. But before he could succeed in his quest, he received a sharp elbow to his midsection. Doubled over, he held his own stomach, much as she had moments before.
She brushed past and left him in a wake of laughter and the scent of sweet pea.
It took him more time than he cared to admit to recover and chase after her. The question was: where did she go? Sounds of footsteps came from his right. Rather than follow her, he darted down another trail that intersected with the one she most likely followed.
As he expected—or perhaps hoped—she barreled around a corner and right into his arms. “How did you...?”
“Simple. After Honoria and Burwood were married, the girls and I stayed for a week. At times, seeking a bit of solitude, I would steal out here and explore all the maze’s possible pathways. So I simply took a shorter route.”
Wonder lit her widened eyes. He’d impressed her.
“You’ve memorized it?”
“Yes, and if you want to get to the observation tower, you must pay the toll.”
Her lips tilted up at one corner. “And what might that be, sir?”
“Oh, the price is quite dear, I’m afraid.” He paused, and his gaze drifted to her lips. “A kiss.”
With hands on her hips, she squinted at him. “I thought you said we should limit our kissing? Some nonsense about restraint.”
“First, that was yesterday. And there is nothing either nonsensical or untrue about my struggle with restraint when it comes to kissing you. However, since we haven’t shared one today, it might be prudent to reaffirm that how my kisses affect you is not a fluke. Think of it as an experiment.”
CHAPTER 16
An experiment!Could he be any less romantic? Anne stared at the man as if he were daft. Perhaps that was the problem, and he was a little touched in the head.
Still, she did enjoy his kisses.
“Very well. I should like to see the observation tower, so if that is what’s required for us to proceed.” Squeezing her eyes closed, she lifted her chin and pursed her lips, only to be met with a soft chuckle.
“You look like you’re preparing to kiss a frog.”
She peeked out of one eye. “Maybe I am.”
“Would a frog kiss you like this?” In one fluid motion, he pulled her into his arms. Soft, slow, and deep, the kiss melted into another and another in endless waves of seduction.
Once again, her head began to spin, and she clutched his arms for support.
Not a fluke.
At least she hadn’t said that aloud since her lips were currently busy.
Lost in the sensations as if she had been parched for days, Annegave in to the moment. A thrum of awareness pulsed through every part of her—skin, scalp, the palms of her hands.
Evergreen needles brushed against the fabric of her gown as Colin pressed her back against the hedges. His lips tasted sweet with a hint of spice from his breakfast. Birdsong from a song thrush serenaded them while a great spotted woodpecker kept beat with arat-a-tat-tat. Bergamot and shaving soap teased her nostrils and competed with the slightly sweet, resinous scent of the crushed yew branches.
Pressure from his lips increased, and his hand around her waist slid upward and brushed the underside of her breast. Images of what their married life promised flashed in her mind, and her face heated remembering the pictures in the book Alice kept hidden that Anne had discovered one boring winter day.
Too soon for her liking, Colin broke the kiss.
“You’re flushed.” He gazed at her, the concern shining in his eyes tempered with a knowing amusement.
“These hedges don’t allow for a breeze,” she lied.
Which he apparently saw through. Damn him. He grasped her hand. “Off to the tower then. If there is a breeze to be found, one will be there.”
As he led her through the winding paths of the maze, her thoughts returned to his estate. Blackthorne Manor certainly didn’t sound cheerful.
