“No, Millie.” He took hold of her hands again, like he’d done in the library. “I could never hate you.”
“But you’re usually so distant to me.”
He closed his eyes for a moment and exhaled. “My sister realized I was becoming a little too fond of you.”
She frowned. “Sarah never said anything about you being fond of me. In fact, she told me the opposite was true. That you thought I was a nuisance.”
He shook his head. “I thought you were delightful. Then I made the mistake of asking Sarah whether you might be open to accepting my suit.”
Her heart did an odd little flip. “You asked Sarah and not me?”
“You were her friend. I thought it prudent to speak with her first—you know how she can be when she doesn’t get her way. She wasn’t pleased. I was foolish enough to believe that she just needed a little time to get used to the idea.”
“Instead, she told me you were a rake. And then you began to avoid me.”
“I’m no innocent, but no one would ever call me a rake.”
She tugged on her hands, and after a second, Carlisle released her. She wrapped her arms around her middle. “Sarah knew… I’d told her that I thought you were handsome. She accused me of being infatuated with you, and I…” She let out a soft sigh. “I couldn’t deny it.”
“Millie—”
She gasped and her hands flew to her mouth. “It’s too late. Papa wants me to marry someone else.”
One corner of his mouth tilted in that soft smile she’d always found endearing.
“I was the man who spoke to your father. And I didn’t ask him to just hand you over to me. I asked for permission to court you. Of course Idowant to marry you, but the final decision about whether to accept me was always going to be yours.”
She was aware that her mouth had dropped open, and she closed it with an embarrassing snap. “You want to court me? To marry me?”
Overcome with joy, she flew into his arms. He caught her and held her tightly against him.
“Sarah was most displeased with me when I told her I was going to speak to your father.” He dropped a kiss into her hair. “Hence why she convinced Mother that they should spend Christmas elsewhere.”
She smiled up at him. “Sarah will forgive you. Even though she spent the past year trying to convince me that you were an unrepentant libertine, it was always clear she loved you.”
“Right now I’m more concerned about what you’re thinking. Although from the way you’re hugging me, I’m beginning to think my quest to make you my wife might be successful.”
Millie laughed, happiness filling her. “I want a second chance.” She stretched up on her tiptoes to cup the back of his head. She was only successful because he bent down a little. “I was so shocked when you kissed me in the library, I just stood there. And then you walked away, and I realized you thought I’d hated it. But I didn’t. Quite the opposite.”
He lowered his head until his mouth hovered just above hers. “I think I can grant that request.”
CHAPTER 8
The jolt of awareness that flooded her body when his mouth touched hers was the most incredible thing she’d ever felt. His mouth on hers was soft, warm. Nice.
She’d never kissed a man before, but she enjoyed everything about the way Carlisle was holding her. His strong arms pressed her against his broad chest, surrounding her with the heat of his body. She made a soft mewling sound of pleasure, and he groaned before running his tongue against the seam of her lips. She didn’t know what instinct had her opening her mouth but knew she’d done the right thing when his tongue surged inside.
She should have been shocked. Instead, heat unfurled within her, starting low in her belly and spreading throughout. Thank goodness for those unconscious instincts because Carlisle’s groan when she tangled her tongue with his told her she was affecting him as well.
She couldn’t say if their kiss lasted one minute or ten. She only knew that she was lost in Carlisle’s embrace and never wanted to leave.
Through the fog of her emotions she became aware of the hard length that was pressing against her belly. Without thought, she reached down to touch him there.
Carlisle tore his mouth from hers and swore.
The Millie of old would have backed away, terrified she’d done something wrong. But she was a new woman now. Carlisle had admitted that he liked her and wanted to marry her.
“Do you mind?”
