“I mentioned that—”
“—afterI’d been instructed to keep an eye on them. You got me in trouble. Mrs. Morwath had said I failed as pie guard and had dismissed me. That was the reason I’d gone off to hide with a book.” Mrs. Morwath was the rector’s wife, and a more intimidating woman did not exist.
“Nor,” she continued, “was my hair curling down my back. I always wore my hair up. Yesterday morning and the other night were the first times you’ve ever seen it down and even then, I had it in a braid.” She sat back on her heels, holding the pillow in front of her.
“But I have a good imagination.” Soren plopped onto the bed, making the mattress shift beneath her. “And your eyes are blue.”
“Not bluer than blue.”
“Did I say that?” He came up on his knees, close to her.
She did not dignify his challenge. Instead, she grumbled, “They are downstairs with all sorts of romantic notions.”
“They don’t have to be wrong.” He leaned close to her as he spoke and lightly pressed his lips to her neck just below her ear.
His breath on her skin made her start. She snapped her head around. “What are you doing?” she said. Their faces were mere inches from each other.
“Seducing you,” he answered. His voice was mesmerizing. “We are going to be very good together, Cass.” He reached for the pillow she’d been holding in front of her.
“You don’t know that,” she whispered.
“I’m willing to find out. Aren’t you?”
Chapter 10
Cassandra was an innocent. For all of her book knowledge, Soren knew she understood very little about men and women.
Then again, he had no doubt she had attempted to glean all she could from between the lines of her favorite poets. She’d always been eager to learn, and he longed to be her tutor.
He placed his hand on the pillow, anxious to remove it from between them. She caught his arm at the wrist. The movement brought them even closer together. Her breasts barely brushed his chest and yet heat shot through him.
She searched his eyes. “Can I trust you?”
“With your life. I’ll always protect you, Cass.”
“But will you be honest with me? Honesty was not stated in the vows. I believe it should have been. It is important.”
“Why would I not be?”
“Did you not hear yourself downstairs?”
And yet, she was a politician’s daughter. Everyone knew her father embellished stories. He did what was expedient.
But it wasn’t MP Holwell who made the request. It was the woman he longed to please.
“I vow my honesty,” he answered.
She released his wrist.
He dropped the pillow over the side of the bed and put his hands to better use.
His lips found hers.
Without a hint of maidenly modesty, Cass’s mouth kissed him without an ounce of reserve. She was acting on instinct. Her kiss was raw emotion. He adored it.
He cupped the side of her face, to guide her. She responded. He eased her enthusiasm and deepened the kiss while he leaned her back upon the bed.
Cass’s arm went around his neck. Her breasts arched toward him.
