Page 36 of The Moonstone Marquess
He would not be surprised, for Phoebe was opinionated and quick to know what she wanted. How dismaying it must have been for her to realizehewas going to be the man she loved.
Well, perhaps the man that she might love in time. He did not want to get ahead of himself in wooing Phoebe.
Let her deny her feelings for him all she wished, but she revealed everything in the way she clung to him and melted into his body. Desire was there—sweet, innocent, and heartfelt…only trust was lacking.
The kiss lasted longer than he had intended because he simply could not draw his lips off hers. She had given him a taste of magic, and he wanted to grab every possible moment, wanted to hold her against him and savor every precious sensation because she felt so soft and right.
Finally, he ended the kiss and stared at her for a long moment, wishing he could caress her cheek. But that would mean releasing her, and he was not nearly ready to let go of her. Would he ever be ready? “I love you, Phoebe.”
She gasped and stared at him.
Bollocks.
Did he really just say that to her?
What a stupid thing to say.
And yet he had no intention of taking it back.
“Do not remark on it,” he said, still kicking himself for allowing the thought to slip out. “I do not need a response from you and do not expect you to feel the same. Not yet, anyway. I know it is too soon for you to trust this feeling between us. It is new to me as well, this realization that someone is more important to me than my own arrogant hide.”
He could feel the rampant beat of her heart against his chest. See the utter confusion in her gorgeous eyes.
“I know you want to punch me in the nose.”
She nodded.
“Go ahead and do it.”
“No, I don’t want to hurt you.”
Well, that was an improvement over last time. “What did you think of the kiss?”
His little lioness suddenly looked more like a wounded dove as she said, “How do you think I felt?”
“I made you tingle, didn’t I?” He arched an eyebrow, warning her not to protest. “I know how to kiss women, Phoebe. I knew I was going to win this wager. I wouldn’t have goaded you into it unless I knew you were going to enjoy it. Tell me the truth. What did you think of it?”
A thousand expressions crossed her lovely face.
She finally relented and cast him a reluctant smile. “It was a nice kiss.”
Then she pushed out of his arms and ran toward the stairs.
He started after her, not intending to follow her into the house, because he’d given her too much to think about and she needed time alone to sort through her feelings.
He headed to the stable to collect his mount and ride home. To his surprise, she was waiting for him at the top of the beach stairs. “I did not mean to run away. Your admission scared me, my lord. I do not know what to make of you.”
“Cormac. Do not be formal with me when we are not in company. Don’t ever be scared of me, Phoebe. I will never hurt you.”
“Yes, you will. Why did you say you loved me?”
“Because this is how I feel about you. I’ve never said this to any woman before.”
“And you mustn’t say it to me either. You really don’t know me.”
He gave a harsh laugh. “My heart knows you. This is me finally growing up and maturing into a man.”
“How long will that last?”
