Page 20 of A Wicked Game

“We shouldnotbe out here, together, in the dark,” shescolded. “What if someone sees? We should get back to the ball before we’re missed.”

His teeth flashed white in the darkness. “Tsk. Where’s your sense of adventure? I thought mapmakers were consumed by the desire to explore. To push the boundaries of knowledge, to find out what lies beyond the blank spaces at the edge of the page. Iassumedthey’d be brave enough to venture to the places where it says ‘Here Be Dragons.’”

The challenge in his tone was unmistakable, and Harriet shivered. She’d always wanted to be that bold, adventurous person, thumbing her nose at convention, unafraid to take risks. Real life, however, didn’t always give one the chance.

She frowned up at him.Hewas the dragon, the sea monster. A kraken, merciless and irresistible, just waiting to drag her down to the depths.

And oh, how she wanted to go.

Music and laughter spilled from the house and across the grounds, and her body thrummed with awareness as he took a slow step closer. He still hadn’t released her wrist. His thumb slid lazily over the pulse that hammered under the skin and her breath hitched as she caught the scent of him: masculine spice. Her toes curled in her silk dancing slippers.

“Are you ready for another adventure, Harry?”

Her stomach swooped in terror. Was he about to claim that first kissnow?

She wasn’t ready. She might never be ready.

Flustered, she pointed through a gap in the leaves toward the house. Lights shone from every window, but the building next door was dark.

“Do you know who owns that place? I’ve always wondered. I’ve driven past it a hundred times but never seen it occupied. The knocker’s never on the door.”

Morgan let out a snort of amusement at her painfully obvious attempt at diversion. “I do know, as it happens. It’s the Duke of Evesham. He’s famously reclusive. Never comes to town.”

“What a waste! A place like that shouldn’t be shut up. He ought to sell it and let someone else enjoy it.”

“I don’t suppose he needs the money.” Morgan shrugged.

A high redbrick wall separated the duke’s garden from Maddie’s, and Harriet craned her neck in a vain attempt to see over. “Aren’t you curious to see what’s on the other side of that wall? There’s clearly a garden or a courtyard.”

“It’s probably just stables and mews. I’ll give you a leg up if you want to take a look.”

Heat warmed her skin at his teasing suggestion. She imagined him picking her up around the waist, his face level with her cleavage, or worse, around the thighs, which would press his face against her stomach.

“No, thank you,” she managed faintly.

He lifted his free hand and stroked a stray wisp of hair back from her face.

“I, ah, actually used that courtyard to copyright one of my maps, you know.” Her voice had risen an octave in panic.

His lips quirked. “And you can tell me all about it some other time. Stop stalling.”

Her stomach twisted, but she lifted her chin and met his gaze. “Stalling? I don’t know what you mean.”

“Oh, I think you do.”

He finally released her wrist and used both hands to cup her face. “I’m going to claim my first kiss now.”

Harriet was sure her heart was beating so loudly it could be heard across Grosvenor Square. Morgan’s face was in shadow, his broad shoulders blocking out the light, but she could feel the force of his gaze on her skin like abrand. Her whole body swayed toward him, caught in an undertow impossible to resist.

She didn’t really want to resist. This was precisely why she’d maneuvered him into their stupid bet in the first place. And she’d waitedtwo yearsfor its fruition.

“I’ve been thinking about what I said about not kissing you on the mouth.” Morgan’s breath skated over her cheek. “And I’ve decided it’s unfair to throw you overboard if you can’t even swim.”

“Youaregoing to kiss me on the mouth?” Harriet could scarcely believe she was saying those words out loud.

The rough pad of his thumb idly stroked her jaw. “I am.”

She cast around for a little fortitude. “Oh. Well. All right then. Go ahead.”

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