Page 30 of Reckless Kiss

Erica put her plate down on the coffee table, tossed the napkin on top, and stood. Then, she came around to his side of the table and sat next to him on the sofa.

“I’d still like that kiss, Archer,” she said and placed her hand over his on his thigh.

“Knowing what you know?”

“Yeah, knowing what I know.”

Archer turned to face Erica, who wore her sexy, playfulsmile. He pulled her onto his lap with one hand reaching for her neck and the other inching towards her waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in. When he closed the gap, pressing his lips to hers, he yanked her tighter to his body.

“This is reckless, Erica,” he said over her lips.

“Nothing better than a reckless kiss, Archer.”

When he kissed her a second time, he didn’t let her go to chat. He twisted his tongue around hers, toying and teasing while she pressed her breasts against his chest. Archer trained his brain to keep his hands where they were in her hair and around her waist. He would risk a kiss with this woman, but he needed to find a wife, and taking this passionate kiss to the next stage was stepping way over the line.

Erica broke away from him, pressing her lips together, trying to hide her grin.

“I’m glad you came to explain why you couldn’t kiss me,” she said.

“Shouldn’t,” he corrected.

“With a kiss like that, I could definitely pretend to be your wife.”

He cupped her cheek and rubbed his thumb along her skin. “There wouldn’t be any pretending, honey. I must find a wife and marry her in the family chapel behind Turner Hall.”

“There’s a chapel? Is it as under-described as these cottages are? Because these are not cottages, Archer, they’re houses.”

“I think fifty people would fit in the pews, so it is definitely a chapel.”

“Actually get married? Wow, your aunt is not messing about. Where will you find a woman to marryyou in such a short time? Three months is not long when you have to announce a marriage a month before the date.”

“Two months in my case. Apparently, the vicar wants more time between announcing the marriage and sayingI now pronounce you husband and wife.”

“Do you know the vicar?”

“Reverend Chivers has been here all my life. He comes to the chapel to do all the services. Christenings, weddings, and funerals. I bet he earns a fortune with all the weddings the business must do.”

“It sounds like your aunt knows what she’s doing. So a month to find a wife.”

“Three weeks. I struck the deal a week ago. Christ, I don’t know why I agreed to it.”

Erica cupped his cheeks and pressed her forehead to his. “Because you want to help your brothers and sister. It’s a noble reason, Archer.”

“My aunt doesn’t think I’m marriage material. I think that’s why she gave the deal. She doesn’t have a high opinion of my father and thinks I am a replica of him. As soon as I agreed, she insisted I move into Turner Hall so she could keep an eye on me. No girls back to my room. I feel like a teenager again.”

“I guess that’s her upbringing. Very traditional. It doesn’t mean you can’t have sex in the sand dunes or sneak to her place.”

“Sex in the sand dunes is painful,” Archer said.

“Is it now?” Erica said with an eyebrow raised.

He realised she was still sitting on his lap, happily chatting about his crazy task ahead. She felt good sitting in his arms. He never wanted to let her go.

“There was a third reason I shouldn’t have kissed you.”

“And what’s that?”

“I’ll want more, and you’ll ruin me for every other woman.”

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