“It’s not an intrusion if I invite you.” She slipped her hand into the crook of his arm and drew close.
“It is for the gentlemen who are here to court you,” he reminded her.
With a sigh, Lady Lucinda withdrew from him. “That’s it then. I have my answer.”
“To what question?” He wasn’t certain there’d been a question.
“That you have no interest in me.”
Did she have an interest in him? It was too much to hope for and Caleb stopped. “Is that what you wish?”
She turned. “I shan’t humiliate myself in answering.” For the first time, her eyes lost the silver glint and changed to a dull grey.
“You understand that even if I wished to further our acquaintance, it is not possible,” he reminded her.
To which she fisted her hands and anchored them on her hips. “Why is it not?” she demanded in a ducal tone that he’d not heard from her previously.
“Your father invited lords to win your hand,” he explained what she should already know. “I accompanied my aunts, as an escort.”
“That does not mean you cannot join us,” she argued.
“I believe your father would feel differently, Lady Lucinda.” That was the reason he’d kept his distance. A duke would want a lord for his daughter. Caleb didn’t have a title or even an estate. He had absolutely nothing that he could offer, no matter how much he wished otherwise.
She studied him, a tilt of her head and eyes narrowed. “Are you saying that if my father had invited you, that you’d attempt to court me as well?”
“Yes,” Caleb answered before he considered his words. He should have never admitted such, as it was pointless given the situation and the difference of their worlds.
Lady Lucinda slowly smiled, the dimple making an appearance on her cheek as she stepped forward.
What was she about and why was he suddenly frightened? She was a lady who was probably used to getting what she wanted, but she couldn’t have him.
Caleb resisted the urge to take a step back, but realized that he should have when her breasts came in contact with his chest and she raised herself up as she looped her arms about his neck and pulled him forward. He could have resisted but had no desire to do so as she brought his lips to hers.
The kiss was quick and sweet and then she was gone. An instant later her cheeks blossomed into a lovely shade of rose.
“Why did you do that?”
“Because my first kiss was revolting, and I wished to replace that memory with one from someone I liked and admired.”
His chest and heart expanded knowing that she admired him. What man didn’t wish to be admired by a beautiful, delightful lady. Then he realized what she’d said. “First kiss?”
“Yes, Lord E.” She gave a disgusted shiver. “It was quite horrid if you must know.”
He couldn’t believe that she’d not been kissed before. Were English gentlemen blind? “And how did you find our kiss?” Not that it was much of one, just a quick pressing of the lips.
“Perfectly pleasing.” She nodded as if she approved.
However, Caleb wasn’t certain he liked his kisses being described as such. “Is that all you require?”
She blinked at him. “In comparison, I most certainly do. At least you didn’t slobber all over my face.”
The chuckle rose from within as he came to realize how inept Lord E was at kissing. “Neither the one you received from Lord E, nor what we just shared was a truly proper kiss.” He shouldn’t kiss her at all but escort her directly to the manor, but Lady Lucinda needed to know that she could experience so much more thanperfectly pleasing.
Lady Lucinda frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“It’s better demonstrated than explained.”
He wrapped an arm about her waist and drew her close. Placing a finger beneath her chin to tilt her face toward him, Caleb kissed her once again. His lips lingered, the pressure a bit firmer than she demonstrated. Lady Lucinda tilted her head and he brushed against the seam of her lips. When she slightly parted, he delved, but not too deeply at first as he didn’t wish to scare her. Lady Lucinda grasped his shoulders and opened further. He tasted and took, she joined, their mouths mating as his passion rose.
