Her eyelashes fluttered up. “Why haven’t you kissed me?”
Emory wanted to laugh but he didn’t dare. “Relax.”
She frowned. “I am relaxed.”
“Not enough for kissing.”
Her eyebrows drew together. “I don’t under…”
He didn’t let her finish and placed his lips against hers.
They were soft and…unresponsive.
Blast!
Emory pulled back.
Violet stepped away with a nod. “Well, that is done,” she said as if she’d just completed an unpleasant chore.
“No,” he stated before thinking.
“You kissed me. What else is there?”
Then he realized what it was. “You did not kiss me back.”
Again, Violet frowned. “What more is there? You pressed your lips against mine. That is how a kiss is conducted.”
“A kiss is conducted with both parties doing the pressing of the lips.”
She slowly nodded. “Are you certain?”
“Yes,” he answered, still trying not to laugh at her innocence.
“Well, I suppose you do have a great deal more experience than I, given you are a rake.”
“I am not a rake,” he ground out.
“Yes, you are,” she argued. “I’ve seen you leave entertainments with widows.”
Now his face was heating. “And you judge me for such behavior.”
“Goodness no. You are simply doing what bachelors do. Or at least that is my understanding.”
Emory might never understand Violet, but it was unlikely that he’d ever fail to be surprised. Any other woman would be offended, or even shocked, yet Violet accepted such without any concern, which meant that she likely hadn’t come to care for him beyond simple friendship. If he knew she’d been so much as simply kissing others in gardens, his entire being would ache with jealousy. “Shall we try it again?”
“Very well.” She stepped forward and lifted her chin. “I shall endeavor to be more of a participant this time.”
Shouldn’t kissing be instinctive? Was he doing something wrong? She was going about this as if it were a project…That was it. She was approaching this as she did her studies. Something to learn from.
“First, I need you to think of nothing.”
“That is not possible. One cannot simply not think.”
“Then concentrate on your breaths. In and out. Lips slightly parted, the heat of my body near yours.”
“If you insist.”
“Run your tongue over your lips and note the softness.”
