“Ask your sisters again.” He wasn’t about to go down that path.
“I don’t want to ask them,” she whispered. Her hands moved forward to rest upon his knees, and the fragile touch sent a roaring blaze through him. “I wantyouto tell me.”
He didn’t want to tell her anything. He wanted to show her, by seizing her impudent mouth and kissing away all the questions. He wanted to silence her, teaching her that some conversations were better without words. He took her hands from his knees, holding them for a moment.
“Are you afraid to marry me?” she asked, reaching out to touch his cheek. Then she leaned in, resting her face against his. “Or am I imagining it?”
She wasn’t, but he wouldn’t say so.
“Wouldn’t you rather have a man who can be a true husband to you?” he asked. “One who will do everything you tell him to?”
“You mean to say that you wouldn’t do everything I asked?” she teased. Her mouth was a breath away from his, and the temptation was so strong, he felt his body rising to her siren’s call.
Don’t, his brain warned. Nothing good could come of it.
“I’m not obedient,” he countered. “I would never let you have mastery over me.”
Her lips parted, and the invitation in her eyes was undeniable. “Don’t kiss me, then.”
It was a direct challenge, demanding that he disobey her. He touched her face, staring at her while all the reasons for avoiding her turned into meaningless air. He gave in to the impulse and leaned in to claim her mouth. She tasted like summer raspberries, sweet with a hint of tartness. And God help him, she was kissing him back.
Amelia was hesitant, trying not to be too bold. And her shyness only aroused him more, making him want to show her all the things she didn’t know. She yielded to him, but he caught the glimpse of her curiosity. She wanted to know what a real kiss was, and this, he could teach her.
“Are you going to strike my jaw?” he murmured against her mouth.
“Only if you stop kissing me,” she answered, drawing his mouth back to hers. This time, he let himself go. All the years of denial, all the hunger for a woman’s touch, came flooding through him. He wasn’t gentle, and he demanded her response. He could feel her trembling, and when he slid his tongue inside her mouth, her hands dug into his shoulders.
But she wasn’t fighting him. She was pulling him closer.
Her tongue met his, and a moment later, she was on his lap while he kissed her hard. His body was rigid, her kiss never ending. He hardly cared that they were in a carriage on a long journey back to London.
She was giving back everything he gave to her. The physical lust raged through him with the need to command and conquer. He’d never been this close to the edge of violence, and when she gave a sudden cry, he realized that she was as aroused as he was.
He broke away, his breathing ragged.
And she knew, without him speaking a single word, that a marriage between them was more than unwise. It was dangerous.
It was late in the morning when they arrived back in London. Neither of them had spoken during the past few hours, and Amelia wasn’t certain she was capable of coherent conversation. The kiss she’d shared with the earl had knocked her senseless.
He’d been right. She’d had no idea what there was between a man and a woman, but he’d given her a glimpse of it.
Dear God in Heaven. He’d shattered her girlish beliefs, and the physical hunger he’d awakened had been nothing short of terrifying. The kiss had not been a gentleman’s kiss. No, this one was carnal, meant to show her how foolish she was. How young and naïve she’d been to think that they could consummate the marriage and only remain friends.
He’d overwhelmed her, and when she’d sat upon his lap to get closer, she’d been fully aware of his arousal. The hardness of his body had nestled against her, until she’d grown wet, wanting to feel his bare skin against hers.
The wanton desires had flowed through her, and when his tongue had entered her mouth, she’d felt an echoing ache between her legs.
But now they were home, and the previous night seemed surreal.
When he helped her out of the coach, weariness overcame her. Amelia’s knees buckled beneath her, and she was hardly aware of anything. There were voices calling out, servants rushing forwardto help them, and eventually her mother and father came out to greet her.
The Earl of Castledon remained behind her, an unlikely savior. He held her grounded in the mass of confusion around her. His piercing blue eyes caught hers, and she drank in this last sight of him.
I’m in love with him, she realized. This man, whose heart had been stolen by his first wife, would lead her into nothing but heartache. But beneath his invisible barrier, she suspected that there was a man worth marrying.
She went inside with her mother while her father went to speak privately with the earl. Her head was spinning with fear and confusion. Before long, the servants helped her upstairs and into bed. Only when they were alone did her mother take her hand. “I know you’ve been through a terrible night, my darling. But I must know, did any harm come to you?”
Amelia shook her head. “I am still untouched.”
