Page 25 of Marigold and the Marquess
“What do you mean?”
“It was a good kiss,” he admitted, unable to completely shatter this important moment in her life. “In truth, it was a spectacular kiss. I will not lie to you.”
“Then why are you looking at me with such a forlorn expression?”
“Because no matter how exquisite it was–”
“Which it was,” she insisted with a stubborn frown and the prettiest, pouty lips.
“Yes, it was.” He sighed and continued. “Because no matter how exquisite, there can never be anything between us. Marigold, I will never marry you.”
CHAPTER 5
MARIGOLD FELT ASthough a block of stone had just fallen on her heart and crushed it. What was wrong with this man? By his own admission, he had just given her the best kiss either of them had ever received in their lives. With that perfect kiss, he had thoroughly ruined her for anyone else, and he thought not to marry her?
Why was he even mentioning marriage when they had only just met?
Of course, she had already fallen in love with him.
She had known it since setting eyes on him yesterday.
Even she understood she was rushing things a bit. After all, last year she had thought herself attracted to Lord Julius Thorne, the Duke of Huntsford’s youngest brother. But she had never felt anything like this about him. Also, she had sensed her friend Gregoria liked him and months ago decided to step aside so they were not in competition. With that decision, she thought there would be some tug to her heart at the loss, but there hadn’t been so much as a twinge.
But with Leo, even now she could feel her heart ripping to shreds.
Still, there was no mistakinghisdesire or the pleasure he had felt. She was inexperienced, but not completely ignorant. He had put his heart and soul into that kiss. One did not put one’s soul into anything with that depth of feeling and then dismiss its importance.
Were there not rules about this sort of thing?
“Marigold, I’m sorry.”
She met his gaze squarely and did not shirk. “I’m not.”
He shook his head. “You’re not?”
“No.”
“Would you care to elaborate?”
“No, I would not.” He deserved no explanations after making his ridiculous statement. He was a bachelor and free to marry, so why would he not choose her? Not that he had to, but could he not give it a little more thought?
They returned to pick up Hortensia and dine in Huntsford’s private dining room. The steward attending them offered a choice of rack of lamb or smoked haddock. Leo chose the lamb while she and Hortensia selected the haddock.
Afterward, Marigold assisted Mr. Smythe-Owens in sketching out the design of their new dragon display. Hortensia returned to the duke’s office to await her while Leo muttered something about stopping by the magistrate’s office to give his statement relating to yesterday’s attempt to steal her artifacts.
She did not mind his leaving.
In truth, she needed to put a little distance between them after that indescribably wonderful kiss. Perhaps he had been scared off by his own desires and the fact he had acted upon them within a day of meeting her. She knew he was a gentleman at heart. It must have been quite upsetting for him to realize how innocent she was. Of course, it did not stop him from running his big, rough hands all over her body.
Obviously, he was feeling badly about it now.
However, not badly enough to have kept his hands to himself in the first place.
Dear heaven.
This man knew how to scorch a woman.
Mentioning this to him would only upset him further.
