thought it?
It mattered not because he pressed his lips to hers. Gone was the tentative touch of the previous night. He cupped her face with his hands, tilting her to better fit against him. His lips parted, and her head spun at the additional sensations that flooded her.
Aye ! This was what she’d been looking for. Longing for. His tongue danced with hers. Heat churned within her. Wanting only to be closer, she reached up and ran her hands across those broad shoulders where muscles shifted beneath her fingers. She tangled her fingers in his soft hair, surprised at its smooth texture.
His mouth left hers, and she moaned in protest, not ready for this pleasure to end, but then his lips followed her jaw line, nuzzled her neck, his tongue swirling her ear lobe. Her knees buckled at the feeling, warmth pooling low in her belly.
How could she feel so much?
His mouth returned to hers, and their tongues danced for a second time as his hands molded her body to his. He ran them down the length of her, pausing on her hips then her waist, before moving higher until he hesitated at the swell of her breasts. Her body tensed in anticipation.
As though he read her mind and her body, his thumbs raised and caressed the tips before his hands engulfed her breasts. The strength of him thrilled her even as fear speared through her.
It was all so much.
Too much, these feelings that coursed through her.
She wrenched back, stepping out of his arms, and away from his touch. “My goodness – I mean – thank you. That was quite – interesting.” Smoothing her skirts, she took another step back.
Unable to form a complete thought, she did the only thing she could think to do. Flee.
But her good manners forced her to bid him farewell first. “Good day, my lord. Thanks again.”
By all that was holy, she’d gotten far more than she’d asked for.
So much more than a simple kiss.
Chapter Six
Nicholas watched her go, though he longed to draw her back. The sway of her hips taunted him as she disappeared amid the cottages in the bailey.
Interesting? His heart still thundered in his chest, he ached with need, and she’d thought that kiss interesting ? He wiped his lips with the back of his hand, hoping to remove the feel of her soft mouth.
Why had she asked him to kiss her? Was she a woman of loose morals rather than the innocent maiden he’d thought? Did she collect kisses the way some women collected ribbons?
For the first time in a long while, a woman made him want something more than the solitary future he had planned, made him reconsider the risk. He wished he were Lord Trisbane, a normal man simply passing through who stumbled upon this beauty tucked away in this keep.
Then he imagined her face when she discovered his secret – gone was her warm smile and her penchant for his kisses. In their place were distrust and fear, expressions he’d seen on so many other faces over the years.
Marriage was not for him. Not only could he not trust others, he would not risk cursing a child with second sight. To know that another person suffered as he did, and he could’ve prevented it – nay. He would never let that come to pass.
Elizabeth was not for him. Why could he not remember that when they were together?
Nothing could come of their mutual attraction. He’d told her the truth last eve. He had no intention of marrying, and she was a lady who had every right to expect a betrothal from a lord with whom she shared kisses.
With a shake of his head, he returned his focus to his true purpose here.
William.
He’d now touched the lady several times and no vision had been forthcoming. He hoped that meant she had nothing to do with William. Since she hadn’t provided him with any answers, he needed to seek out Lord Crefton. He had to resolve this as quickly as possible and get back to William.
He tried to gather his thoughts, to form a plan of some sort as he returned to the keep. If Crefton was still unavailable, that left
It mattered not because he pressed his lips to hers. Gone was the tentative touch of the previous night. He cupped her face with his hands, tilting her to better fit against him. His lips parted, and her head spun at the additional sensations that flooded her.
Aye ! This was what she’d been looking for. Longing for. His tongue danced with hers. Heat churned within her. Wanting only to be closer, she reached up and ran her hands across those broad shoulders where muscles shifted beneath her fingers. She tangled her fingers in his soft hair, surprised at its smooth texture.
His mouth left hers, and she moaned in protest, not ready for this pleasure to end, but then his lips followed her jaw line, nuzzled her neck, his tongue swirling her ear lobe. Her knees buckled at the feeling, warmth pooling low in her belly.
How could she feel so much?
His mouth returned to hers, and their tongues danced for a second time as his hands molded her body to his. He ran them down the length of her, pausing on her hips then her waist, before moving higher until he hesitated at the swell of her breasts. Her body tensed in anticipation.
As though he read her mind and her body, his thumbs raised and caressed the tips before his hands engulfed her breasts. The strength of him thrilled her even as fear speared through her.
It was all so much.
Too much, these feelings that coursed through her.
She wrenched back, stepping out of his arms, and away from his touch. “My goodness – I mean – thank you. That was quite – interesting.” Smoothing her skirts, she took another step back.
Unable to form a complete thought, she did the only thing she could think to do. Flee.
But her good manners forced her to bid him farewell first. “Good day, my lord. Thanks again.”
By all that was holy, she’d gotten far more than she’d asked for.
So much more than a simple kiss.
Chapter Six
Nicholas watched her go, though he longed to draw her back. The sway of her hips taunted him as she disappeared amid the cottages in the bailey.
Interesting? His heart still thundered in his chest, he ached with need, and she’d thought that kiss interesting ? He wiped his lips with the back of his hand, hoping to remove the feel of her soft mouth.
Why had she asked him to kiss her? Was she a woman of loose morals rather than the innocent maiden he’d thought? Did she collect kisses the way some women collected ribbons?
For the first time in a long while, a woman made him want something more than the solitary future he had planned, made him reconsider the risk. He wished he were Lord Trisbane, a normal man simply passing through who stumbled upon this beauty tucked away in this keep.
Then he imagined her face when she discovered his secret – gone was her warm smile and her penchant for his kisses. In their place were distrust and fear, expressions he’d seen on so many other faces over the years.
Marriage was not for him. Not only could he not trust others, he would not risk cursing a child with second sight. To know that another person suffered as he did, and he could’ve prevented it – nay. He would never let that come to pass.
Elizabeth was not for him. Why could he not remember that when they were together?
Nothing could come of their mutual attraction. He’d told her the truth last eve. He had no intention of marrying, and she was a lady who had every right to expect a betrothal from a lord with whom she shared kisses.
With a shake of his head, he returned his focus to his true purpose here.
William.
He’d now touched the lady several times and no vision had been forthcoming. He hoped that meant she had nothing to do with William. Since she hadn’t provided him with any answers, he needed to seek out Lord Crefton. He had to resolve this as quickly as possible and get back to William.
He tried to gather his thoughts, to form a plan of some sort as he returned to the keep. If Crefton was still unavailable, that left
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