Page 37 of A Deal for the Duke’s Virgin

Thalia thought of the searing kiss, of the feel of his lips against hers, and her throat constricted.

I am not too sure of that.

“Lady Pembroke is hosting a fireworks show in two days’ time,” Daphne added. “I hope I shall see you there?”

“I believe I am invited, yes.”

Daphne nodded and smiled, before turning to her husband. Edwin smiled fondly down at her, the two of them exchanging a long, meaningful look.

Something in Thalia’s chest shifted.

Jealousy, she realized with a jolt. I am jealous.

They said their goodbyes. Daphne and Edwin took off. That left Thalia and Christian standing alone by the carriage.

Their gazes met, and the heat in her chest intensified.

“I feel that I should apologize,” he said. “Regarding what happened earlier.”

Thalia stiffened. “Do you mean when you stole my first kiss?”

He blinked, rocking back on his heels. “I beg your pardon?”

She rolled her eyes. “You cannot be so oblivious. I am a lady. Of course, I have not kissed anyone else before.”

“Well,” he sniffed, shifting from foot to foot, “I daresay that was a better experience than any other kiss would be.”

Thalia frowned. What did that mean? The kiss seemed to be connected to her insides, tugging deliciously when he moved against her. Would those feelings not come with any other kiss?

Despite it all, she found herself remembering a kiss she had witnessed at a wedding about a year ago. A young debutante was marrying a gentleman of around forty, and everybody knew the match was arranged by her mama and him. The vows were said, the rings exchanged, and they were pronounced man and wife. Smiling, the gentleman had leaned forward to claim his first kiss.

Quite clearly, Thalia recalled the fear that had crossed the girl’s face. She could not pull away, since he was holding her hands and the whole congregation was watching. He pressed his lips against hers for a second, perhaps, and then pulled back. A string of saliva stretched between them, just for the blink of an eye, but it was enough to make Thalia feel sick.

She could remember the look on the girl’s face—it was not pleasant. There was a forced smile and the gradual fading of hope.

“I never thought that kissing would be pleasant,” she heard herself say and immediately regretted it.

Christian’s eyebrows flickered. “Perhaps one day you’ll explain why you thought that.”

“It does not look very pleasant.”

“You were unhappy?”

She swallowed. “I was not.”

“The truth is”—he took a step towards her, keeping a respectable distance between them in case of onlookers—“I did not steal anything, my dear. You were exceptionally generous.”

She reddened, tearing her gaze away. “Generous. I wish you would not say it like that. I was… I was taken by surprise.”

That was a lie. There had been a moment when their eyes met and her vision blurred. Her insides knotted up, the hairs on the back of her neck rose, and she… Well, she did not understand what was happening to her. The next minute, his lips were on hers, his hands around her waist, and she was burning.

The strangest sensation. Not unpleasant, but a little frightening. She found herself going over the scene again and again in her head.

Stupid. I am stupid. This is all pretend. Then why did he kiss me?

Well, she had no answer for that, and now was possibly not the time to think it over.

“I do not blame you,” she said, lifting her chin. “I am not angry or hurt, if that is what you are afraid of. For some reason, I…” she trailed off, frowning.