Page 58 of His Unforgettable Bride
“Has anyone ever told you that you excel at diverting the subject when it suits you?”
She smiled, already starting to feel better. “Has anyone informed you that you’re good at helping distract people from things they don’t want to think about?”
“I can be quite distracting, can I not?” He smiled in return, laying on all the charm she’d grown to love about him. “I think I am the king of distractions, if I may boast.”
“You may.”
Even though he was sprawled out beside her with his legs crossed casually, he still had an aura of power and authority that seemed inborn to him. She loved the way he carried himself with confidence and determination. Even now he watched her as though he had every right to look at her for however long he wanted.
“Would you like me to continue to distract you?” His gaze danced across her face and landed on her lips.
Was he insinuating that he would kiss her? Certainly not. He wouldn’t be so brazen, would he?
Her gaze fell upon his lips—his fine, fine lips that looked both impossibly hard and soft at the same time. How might they feel brushed against hers?
She was suddenly breathless. “What distraction do you have in mind?”
“What distraction would you like?” His lids lowered just a little, and he smirked as though he knew exactly what she’d just fantasized about.
Her heart tapped faster. “Perhaps you can sing me a song? Or tell me a story?”
“I could.” He rolled onto his side before leaning closer so their bodies were now parallel, not touching but close. “Or I could distract you with something I am more exceptionally skilled at.”
This game they were playing was sending sparks through her belly. “And what is this exceptional skill?”
“Let me show you.” His gaze landed upon her lips with a finality that nearly made her swoon. He leaned in even more until his mouth was only an inch from hers, close enough to feel the warmth of his breath. He waited, clearly allowing her to back away.
She closed her eyes and angled toward him.
In the next instant, his mouth surged against hers. Deliciousness swept through her. His kiss was just as powerful as she’d imagined, but gentle, too. She tasted the spiciness of cloves and the sweet taste of possibilities.
She suddenly wanted to explore his neck and cheek with her fingers, but they had to stop. It wasn’t proper. And after all her training on the topic, she couldn’t fail now.
She broke away, wanting to shove him playfully and bring their relationship back to what it had always been and where it belonged. But he held her arms and pressed his forehead against her brow, each of his breaths labored and filled with a desire that almost made her tremble.
Slowly, he dragged his hand down her sleeve before they sat up and straightened their clothing silently.
After a moment, he cleared his throat. “I am sorry, Juliet?—”
“Please, don’t be.” She scooted away from him, closer to her hat. What was more awkward—talking about their kiss or ignoring it altogether? Probably, even odds. “Let’s forget what happened.”
“Highly impossible. For all I know, that was my first kiss.”
She smiled. He had known precisely what to do with his lips a moment ago. “Highly unlikely, is what I’m thinking.”
Something told her he’d kissed his share of young women in ballroom shadows and on quiet moonlit strolls. But she liked the idea and the sweetness of being his first. Hers was forgettable and with a boy she never saw again afterward.
Juliet examined the river’s bend, where a fallen log trapped everything in its path, making it impossible for the wedged debris to change course and break free. As much as she hoped God would intervene in her life, would He?
She barely knew how to ask for help anymore. Without practice, a person turned rusty, even with prayers. Was it time to start praying again? Could God help her clear out all that was broken in her life so she could be free from the debris?
Whatever the case, she couldn’t linger on the riverbank with Gray. If someone had spotted the two of them kissing and the news reached the sisters, they would be mortified. In fact, she was mortified just thinking about how appalled they would be.
She stood and wiped the grass from her garments and shifted her messy skirts into place with a wiggle. When she glanced at Gray, he was grinning. “You look happy.”
“For good reason. Your state of disarray and your apparel adjustment method deserve a smile.”
Unsure how to reply and all fluttery inside, she collected the basket and hat from the ground, wheeled around, and worked her way back toward the road. Her poor heart was in trouble. Big, fat, unstoppable trouble. As much as she’d liked the kiss with Gray, it couldn’t happen again.
