Page 46 of In Search of a Husband
That only earned a smile. No, not a smile. Those were generally pleasant. This was a wicked grin, with sin hiding between his laugh lines.
He tossed the cookie at her, and she squeaked, tossing her arms up into the air to race around the work surface. She ducked down and grabbed a handful of flour, tucking herself close to the table.
Silence fell and she jumped up, tossing the flour at Gabriel, then ducking back down as he grabbed another cookie and chucked it at her.
“What are you thinking?” she asked, covering herself from the hard projectiles she had baked.
He chased her around the kitchen, tossing the discarded baked goods at her as she spun and did the same, the two of them laughing. She couldn’t stop, could barely breathe in fact as she finally paused and held up her hands in surrender.
They looked at one another, their laughs fading as their shoulders rose up and down.
“The kitchen was messy enough,” she said. “And now look at it.”
He stalked forward, want burning in those blue eyes of his, burning just as bright as the middle of a flame. Kate swallowed and backed up against the table.
“Kate,” he spoke in a whispered rasp.
She closed her eyes, feeling herself falling. Feeling as though what she was about to do would change her entire world. Could she trust herself?
“Open yer eyes, will ye?”
The heat of his body rolled off him, sweeping over her. She might as well have been standing near the hearth.
But instead of giving in, she reached back into the bowl of apple filling and slapped it against his face.
He growled and picked her up, placing her bottom on a pile of dough, and braced his hands over her cheeks, drawing her in for a kiss.
Not soft. Nothing about Gabriel MacInnes was soft.
And Kate melted into his touch, into his kiss, laughing as she tasted the apple and the feel of his tongue as it swiped across her lips to open her mouth for his. Instead of fighting, Kate surrendered, throwing her arms around his neck and mirroring his lips, allowing him to explore and taste her, sighing as desire washed over her.
This kiss…
This kiss was submission and more. It was an invitation of trouble into her life, one she gave into freely and willingly. And she hated how easily he had won her over.
Her heart hammered in her chest as she leaned into him. Hishands dropped down to her waist and tugged her closer, yet he didn’t break their kiss. She was certain he felt the same want by the wild edge of his caress.
When he broke away, she leaned her forehead against his and sighed. “Please don’t run away, Gabriel.”
“I shouldna have…” He cleared his throat. “Kate, I didna mean… that shouldna…”
Finally, she raked her hand back through his hair, and he slammed his eyes shut at her touch. “I’ve been dreamin’ of ye for weeks now since ye marched into the inn. Dinna believe for an instant ye’re not wanted. I want ye. I crave ye. And a kiss willna be enough.”
She blinked up at him, her mind blank. She was certain that was the most erotic thing a man had ever said to her, and the marquess had been notoriously flirtatious.
“But that has to be enough.”
There, that had been what she was expecting. Already he was walling himself up, pushing her away.
She nodded, shoving against his chest to find enough space to slip off the tabletop.
Quietly, they cleaned the kitchen up, and Gabriel showed her how to make shortbread well into the early morning hours. And while he was polite and pleasant, she was rattled by their kiss.
Because she wanted more, and it was wrong to wish it.
But she did, almost more than anything. And that was dangerous, indeed.
CHAPTER 11
