Page 41 of A Wicked Game

She cleared her throat, determined to take control of the situation. “You only have one kiss left.” Her voice was a croak, as if she was parched.

His eyes bore into hers. “Can you guess where it’s going to be?”

Her stomach somersaulted as he let his gaze drop down her body and settled at the juncture of her thighs.

“It’s going to be there. Between your legs.”

Blood rushed in her ears as her heart began to pound in earnest. God, he wasn’t even touching her, but she could feel her pulse there, low down, where he mentioned. A dark ache.

“Did you see the drawing of the man doing that to the woman?”

Harriet nodded. Words were beyond her.

“That’s what I’ll do to you. And you’re going to love it.”

Her wicked imagination could almost feel his lips: she wanted to rub against him, hot and shameful—

Sanity made a welcome reappearance.What was she doing?Three kisses on the mouth would have been acceptable: a welcome way to rid her of her inexperience. Plenty of unmarried girls stole illicit kisses before they wed. Some even went so far as to indulge in the kind of ribald fondling she and Morgan had just done. Such things could be dismissed as harmless fun, no real impediment to a woman’s virginity or marriage prospects. Or, as in her case, a memory to cherish in her long remaining years as a spinster.

But what he was suggesting now went far beyond the realms of decency. He might nottechnicallybe relieving her of her virginity by kissing her there, but he would certainly take her innocence.

Harriet bit her lip.

Why was he insisting on raising the stakes so high? On deepening this game they played?

Was it revenge? She’d teased him for so long there would doubtless be satisfaction in finally having her at his mercy.

Was he only playing with her? Was this a form of humiliation, of subjugation—an adult version of making her kneel and swear fealty, as he’d done in the woods all those years ago?

Perhaps he meant to take her to the very edge of ecstasy and then stop.

There was little doubt that he had mastery over her body. She could barely think when she was near him: She’d been dangerously close to begging him to continuetonight. What on earth would she do if he kissed herthere?

Every naughty, forbidden thought whispered at her to let him do the things he promised. To let him give her pleasure. But what would happen then? Their wager would be completed and Morgan would leave her without a backward glance.

He might be receiving some physical enjoyment from their interactions, but he’d probably feel the same enjoyment withanywoman. His emotions—unlike hers—weren’t involved at all. He’d go and marry some foolish debutante and continue sailing around the world, while she would remain unwillingly single, haunted by the memory of these stolen moments.

She put her hands on her hips.

“Why are you doing this to me?”

His brows lowered. “Doing what?”

“Teasing me like this. Is it revenge? Are you trying to make me forfeit?”

He mirrored her stance. “Of course not. I’mtryingto show you pleasure.” He dipped his chin and returned her frown. “And succeeding too. Don’t tell me you aren’t having any fun, because I heard those little sounds you were making just now and believe me, they didn’t mean ‘Morgan, stop!’” He said the last words in a ridiculous falsetto, as if he were her.

Her cheeks flamed. That was precisely the problem. She hadn’t been saying no. If she let him claim kiss number three, she might lose her senses entirely and beg him to keep on kissing her. Beg him to make love to her completely. Her desperate yearning would be revealed, and she couldn’t,wouldn’t, give him the satisfaction of knowing how much she wanted him when those feelings clearly weren’t reciprocated. She still had her pride.

And so did he.The thought came to her on a flash of inspiration. He was as proud, as arrogant, as ever. And that was her way out of this predicament.

Having Morgan fulfill kiss number three was something she wanted beyond anything. But on her terms, not his. She wasn’t one of those biddable, simpering debutantes. She was his equal, in cunning and wit.

She shook her head and sent him a pitying look guaranteed to drive him completely insane.

“Poor Morgan. Do women only do these things with you because they lost a bet? How lowering.”

His eyes narrowed and her heart started to pound.Oh, she loved sparring with him like this.

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