She stopped, because she had seen his expression alter. Only fractionally, but it was enough to make the hard line of his jaw even steelier.
‘Generous?’ he said. ‘You overestimate me. I don’t go around asking women to dance with me because I’m being generous.’
‘But you did it to show me what I’m missing, and it was extremely kind of you—’
‘Miss Summerby,’ he said, ‘be quiet.’ Then he lifted one hand to run his fingertips along the curve of her cheek until they met her mouth, and he let his thumb linger to subtly caress the fullness of her lower lip.
‘Dan.’ She stood very still. ‘Dan, I…’
He smiled darkly and she stopped speaking when he let his thumb slip inside her mouth, stroking the delicate skin there.
She gasped at the sense of intrusion, the sense of the forbidden. Shock rippled through her, and she felt herself under a spell—the spell of the scents of the night and that distant, haunting music. She swayed towards him to be welcomed into his arms, then he lowered his head to kiss her.
She had assumed all kisses were like the one forced on her by the man who’d done it for a wager with his friends years ago—ugly, unpleasant, unwanted. But this was Dan, and as he placedhis lips against hers, she realised it was as well he was holding her, because she was trembling with the force of her own surging desire. Of their own will, her hands curled around his strong shoulders, her fingers reached to caress the nape of his neck just where his hair met the crisp folds of his cravat, and she thought,I have been wanting to do this ever since I saw him climbing out of that lake.
Exactly. With half his clothes off and his wet breeches clinging to his thighs.Dear Heaven. Where was Miss Prim when she needed her?
She wanted to laugh, she wanted to dance again, she wanted to sigh with delight. But more than anything, she wanted the kiss never to end and it didn’t. Instead, his tongue was probing deeper now, twining with hers and daring her to stroke back, and she gasped at the intimacy of it as she shyly responded. Her breasts ached with renewed yearning as they were pressed against the muscled wall of his chest, then she was reeling with a new sensation because, oh, my, his hands had slid down her back to clasp her bottom and press her against his hips, so she could feel the thick hardness at his loins that meant this man desired her. Wished to possess her fully…
Suddenly a loud voice pierced the silence. ‘Rivington? Dash it all, where on earth have you got to?’
Kate was already jumping away from him. ‘Your friends are looking for you. If they see us… Dan! What are we to do?’
He had already seized her hand and was tugging her further into the shrubbery. Once there he put his finger to his lips, and she saw how his eyes were dancing with mirth. ‘We’ll keep very quiet. With luck, they’ll give up soon.’
She smothered a bubble of laughter because she was suddenly feeling ridiculously, stupidly happy. For a while he watched in case anyone was drawing closer, but at last he said,‘All’s quiet. I think they’ve given up.’ He hesitated. ‘Kate, I hope you are not angry with me for what happened just now?’
‘The kiss, you mean?’ She pretended to think, frowning a little. Then she smiled up at him and said, ‘It was even better than the dancing.’
His hand tightened around hers. ‘I,’ he said quietly, ‘have never known anything like it.’
Her heart pounded against her ribs. But before she could even think of a reply, she heard more voices, and Dan was saying, ‘It’s getting too busy out here. Let’s leave. We can get out through the garden gate and reach my carriage without being seen.’
He led the way, and Dan’s coachman was certainly surprised to see them coming from the shadows of the side lane rather than the front door. But well-trained as he was, he said nothing as he opened the carriage door and let down the steps. By the time they were inside and the carriage was moving off, Kate felt as light-headed as if she’d drunk several glasses of the champagne that had been on offer at the party, except she didn’t need champagne. What had happened tonight was something she would keep close to her heart and treasure for ever. Oh, if her sister could see her now!
She couldn’t help it; her chuckle of delight bubbled up, and she pressed her hand to her mouth to try and stop it. Dan, sitting opposite to her as the coach rolled along, looked anxious. ‘Kate. Are you all right?’
‘Perfectly! But Lord Rivington, I never guessed that being your neighbour could be so…so veryeventful.’ Her laughter spilled out. ‘And I was thinking of my sister, and her face if she could have seen me dancing!’
Her laugh was infectious, thought Dan. He loved the way her green eyes were brimming with mischief, and he found that he was smiling too. He said, ‘Do you think her worst fears would be confirmed?’
‘Her fear that I was enjoying myself? Yes, exactly. And oh, the whole thing was really rather funny—stealing away from the party like intruders, not staying for the supper or even saying goodbye to your hosts!’
‘Are you disappointed?’
‘No,’ she said softly, ‘Not in the least, my lord.’
Her lips still looked pink from their kiss, and her gown—hell, did she not realise it?—had slipped a little lower from one shoulder so that the delightful swell of one breast was even more exposed. That was when his carriage’s encounter with a series of potholes almost shook Kate from her seat and purely by instinct, he hauled her up onto his lap to save her—with the result that her lovely face was only inches from his, her hair was tumbling loose and her green eyes were once more shining with laughter.
Dan laughed too. ‘I really must tell my coachman to drive more carefully in future.’
She was shaking her head. ‘No,’ she murmured. ‘Don’t.’
Then she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and she kissed him.
What could he do, but kiss her back? The sweet touch of her lips and the lavender scent of her skin had him fully aroused now. He tried to restrain himself; he didn’t want to shock or scare her. But she was tasting him and teasing him with all the ardour of a woman wanting to make love.
Did she even realise what she was doing? Didn’t she know what this could lead to, very quickly? He tried to retreat from the kiss, but instantly her hands were at the nape of his neck, her fingers were tangling in his hair, and she was murmuring, ‘Dan. Please.’
