Page 23 of Marigold and the Marquess
She emitted a breathy sigh. “That felt nice. I have no intention of pushing you away. Are you going to give me a proper kiss or not?”
“Not,” he said, silently cursing his inability to draw away.
What was it about this girl?
He could not get enough of her.
“Are you sure? Because this is the perfect moment for my first kiss, and you do not strike me as the sort to pass up such an obvious opportunity. I certainly have no wish to pass it up. I have never been held in a man’s arms before.”
“I am not holding you, I am pinning you against the books. It is not at all the same thing. And quite inappropriate, I might add.”
“Well, I am not complaining. It feels nice.Youfeel nice. Are you sure you will not kiss me until I am breathless?”
He did not know whether to laugh or groan, so he did a little of both. “Yes, I am sure. It is not wise for me to kiss you.”
She closed her eyes. “I hope you will reconsider.”
“Why?” he asked, unable to resist placing a gentle kiss on her eyes now that they had fluttered shut. She had the prettiest dark eyelashes.
“Because I shall die an unhappy and frustrated spinster if you do not.”
“Marigold, that is the last thing you will ever be.” He laughed softly, forgetting formality since he was practically atop her and already burning because of the light press of her bosom to his chest. Why would she not push him away? Did she have to make things so difficult for him? Of course, none of this could be blamed on her since he was the one pressing himself against her. Lightly, but still pressing. “You will have a line of men out the door of your townhouse, all of them aching to court you. I expect that will entail kisses, as well.”
Of course, the possessive part of him wanted to be the first man ever to touch his lips to hers.
That dominant, baboonish part of him wanted to be the first andonlyman to ever kiss her.
Lord, this was not good.
“Marigold, you do not need me to be the first.”
“Yes, I do,” she said with a hopeful ache that touched his heart. “It has to be you, Leo. I would not trust anyone else to do it so perfectly and with caring.”
Her exquisite first kiss?
And she trusted him?
He wanted to lecture her on the folly of it and admonish her for misbehaving.
However, he reminded himself again, since he was the big oaf with his body pressed to hers, it could be said he was the one misbehaving.
He was a grown man.
Usually clever and sensible.
Why could he not behave like a gentleman?
But he had no intention of doing so.
He desperately needed to hold this sparkling light that was Marigold and taste the sweetness of her lips.
“You must never trust me, Marigold.” That said, he closed his mouth over hers and devoured her with a barely controlled animal hunger. She was delectable and he had a voracious appetite for this girl.
He plundered her deliciously soft lips. Yet, despite the savage power of his desire, he had not lost all vestige of common sense. He forced his heart to stop pounding through his ears, and made certain to keep their kiss gentle…mostly gentle. But he had built up quite a bit of raw need for Marigold and could not hold all of it back.
Hence the devouring grind of his mouth upon hers.
He hoped to excite her but not scare her.
