Page 53 of Reckless Kiss

“Are you free tonight?” Archer asked.

“Tonight?”

“Yeah, well, early evening actually. Aunt Cynthia eats at six. So it will all be over by eight.”

“Okay,” she said and felt the opposite.

Dinner with his aunt scared her to death, not just because she was entering an arranged marriage with a smoking hot man.

“Are you all right under all that disguise?”

“What do you mean?”

Archer took off her hat and held onto the rim at his side, then he lifted off her sunglasses, resting them on her head.

“That’s better. I can see you freaking out now rather than assuming. Aunt Cynthia will be fine, and I’ll be with you the whole time. She likes control, which is how she exerts her will over me.”

“It’s a little intimidating, Archer. Are you sure you want to marry me? You could hire an actress,” she said, immediately regretting her words. Why she mentioned actress was beyond her, she put it down to the stress of knowing how he feels, skin to skin.

“Lord, no, if I hired an actress, I’d never know how she really felt. At least with you, I have honest reactions when I touch you.”

Archer stepped forward, pulled her tight against his body, and dipped his head to kiss her. Conflicted and confused, she hesitated for a few seconds while he pressed his lips to her cheek and then her mouth. Then, she opened to him on the third touch, tasting and dancing as he wrapped both arms around her back and deepened the kiss. Erica felt him, all of him pressed against her. Even with her oversized clothes, she could still get tan lines, so she’d gone without underwear. Her hardened nipples told Archer exactly how she felt about him kissing her. She didn’t think she could fake her attraction to him with all her skills and talent.

Erica needed air and space from this potent man.Stepping out of his embrace, she took her hat from his hand and slipped her glasses over her eyes.

“Where should I be at six?” Erica said with a shaky breath, trying to control her blood pressure.

“I’ll pick you up at half five, and we can take a leisurely stroll to the main house.”

“Okay,” she answered, feeling her smile spread. He’d be there with her the whole time. The scary aunt could do what she wanted if Archer stood by her side.

“You’re full of words today, honey,” he whispered, leaning in once more to plant a kiss on her lips. “If you’re going down to the beach, the tide is coming in. Don’t be tempted to go across the causeway.”

“I’ll take a stroll along the shoreline and then come back. What are you up to?”

“Bailey has a long list of equipment to fix. I’ve spent the morning in the kitchen repairing the toaster and the taps in the mud room.”

“I bet this place would keep a team in full-time employment fixing things.”

“Yeah, it seems to be that way. Bailey and Maggie tell me they usually get someone up from the town if it’s a vital piece of equipment. Apparently, a toaster doesn’t rank up high on the list, but I remember Bailey used to love his toast in the morning when the house was quiet. Maggie won’t let him anywhere near her ovens.”

“I’d better let you go. I think Teddy is waiting for you,” she said, spotting the dog over by the gap in the hedge.

She could hear him whine from where they stood, waiting patiently for his master. Erica wanted to call him over but didn’t want to interfere with Archer’s training of the puppy.

“I’m amazed he’s stayed where he is. It’s the most behaved he’s been since I found him.”

“He’s cute,” she said. “The dog,” she added as she sauntered away.

“What about the owner?” he called out.

She chuckled at his question. Then, turning as she walked, she shouted, “in the dog house for running out on me.”

Erica jogged away to the sloping pathway down to the beach. She felt lighter now that they’d talked, even though she didn’t know why he’d runout.

Chapter 27

Erica

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