Vincent moved away from the column and stood mere inches away from her. He stroked his knuckles along her cheek. “The words come naturally when I’m admiring pure beauty.”
“I wonder why you’re talking to me this way, especially because our words to each other were very brusque right before we took our meal.”
“They were.”
“Why the sudden change?”
He sighed and dropped his fingers from her face. “I had hoped your attitude had changed toward me. After all, you couldn’t take your eyes off me during the meal.”
Ellie’s face grew hotter. “I, um… Well, it’s because I was very interested in the topic of horses. I was pleased to see you enjoy horses just as much as I do.”
One of his eyebrows lifted. “You do?”
She nodded.
“That’s good to know. We should go riding one morning.”
“I would love that.”
His smile relaxed. “I hope to own my own horse-breeding farm one day. I have always wanted one.”
“That does sound enthralling.” She moved closer and grasped his hands. “We could have all different breeds, could we not? I would help you out by exercising them daily.”
Chuckling, he brought her hands up to his mouth and kissed her gloved knuckles. “Yes, I would love that.”
Her heartbeat quickened, and once more, she felt as though she couldn’t breathe. Yet this was much different from when she had sat in the stuffy drawing room with the other women. She really should pull away from him, but she became lost in his smoldering eyes.
“Promise me,” she said softly, “that we will do that after we’re married.”
His head bobbed up and down, but his gaze dropped to her mouth. “I promise.”
Ellie couldn’t believe how much she wanted him to kiss her. Everything that had happened since they arrived at the Berkleys’ manor seemed to disappear. Now, out here alone, her silly jealousy didn’t matter. All she wanted was to be held in his comforting arms and experience the thrill of his lips merging with hers.
Silence stretched between them as her anticipation grew. Was he going to kiss her? Or did he want her to make the first move? Her patience thinned rapidly, and if it took her to press her mouth against his first, so be it.
Readying herself, she licked her dry lips. Just as she moved toward him, he slid his arms around her waist and pressed his body next to hers. Immediately, their lips met. Hungrily. Passionately.
A heady sigh of delight flew from her throat, but she didn’t care. She flung her arms around his neck and met his mouth as it slanted back and forth over hers. She caressed her tongue against his, which made him tighten his hold around her.
She couldn’t get enough. Was it wrong to want more? Yet they stood on the porch of their hosts’ manor, instead of being totally alone. This was highly improper. If caught, they would surely cause a scandal, regardless of whether or not they were going to marry soon.
“Vincent,” she said breathlessly, “we should stop.”
“Why?” His hands roamed over her back as quickly as his mouth moved across hers.
“Because…if we don’t, I’ll never want to stop.”
A deep groan rattled through his chest as his lips trailed from her mouth to her neck. “What if I don’t want to stop, either?”
His words nearly had her melting to the ground. If neither of them could stop, they were in a lot of trouble.
Laughter rang from inside the house and startled her. Vincent must have heard too, because he stepped away from her. She leaned back against the nearest column, mainly to help her stand as she tried to catch her breath. Vincent’s chest rose and fell as quickly as hers.
He smiled at her, and she returned the gesture. It delighted her to know he enjoyed the moment they shared as much as she had.
“I should let you go inside first,” he said. “We cannot be seen going in together.”
“I agree, but I’m supposed to have a maid with me as a chaperone.”
