Page 12 of Intolerable
“I am.” She reached out and found his hand. He wasn’t wearing gloves, and of course neither was she because maids didn’t wear gloves. She took his hand and put it on her waist. “Can you feel my apron? I’m also wearing a cap.”
He gently gripped her waist then fingered the fabric. “Hmm, I suppose it feels like an apron.” He skimmed his hand up and encountered her breast, provoking her to gasp. He pulled his hand away. “That wasn’t well done of me. I was only trying to determine if you were actually wearing an apron. This seems a risky endeavor.”
The touch of his hand against her breast had brought back the sense of panic from earlier. No, not panic, but a similar sensation in which she couldn’t breathe properly, and a forbidden excitement unfurled inside her. She’d spoken to Fiona about magnetism—the attraction one could feel toward someone—and Cassandra suspected that was what was she was experiencing.
“You know what two people who are trapped alone together in a dark space typically do, don’t you?” His query was dark and husky, and it slid over her skin like a luxurious silk.
“No.” Her response was a croak, as if she’d swallowed a frog. Frogs always made her think of kissing. Oh! She thought she knew the answer now.
“They kiss,” he said, affirming her guess. “But I can’t kiss a maid. That wouldn’t be right.”
“I’m not a maid,” she blurted.
“What about your apron?” His hand found her head, and he tugged gently on her cap. “And this. And the fact that you insisted you are. You certainly seem to be a maid.”
“Are you going to kiss me or not? If not, you need to go.” Why was she inviting his attention? This was madness. Coming here disguised as a maid had been madness. She ought to demand he leave and pray she could still escape without him discovering her identity. Or without being caught by someone else.
And what had happened to poor Fiona?
“Ishouldgo,” he whispered. “But you are rather commanding, and I like it.” Suddenly, he pulled her against him, and his mouth grazed her cheek. Then, as he apparently found his bearing, his lips moved over hers and all the thoughts running around in Cassandra’s brain fled to the perimeter. She was overcome with heat and sensation.
She put her hands on his shoulders, anchoring herself as her world tipped sideways. His arms tightened around her, one circling her waist and the other cupping her head, as his lips and tongue danced merrily against her mouth.
As far as first kisses went, she had to think this one was rather spectacular, but how would she know?
Because sheknew. Her insides had somehow turned to a molten pool of desire, bringing to mind cravings she’d read about but hadn’t experienced herself. As his tongue slid along her lower lip, she gasped softly, opening her mouth.
He pulled back. “Whoareyou?”
In response, she curled her hands behind his neck and pulled him down to kiss him again. She wasn’t finished. Who knew when she would ever experience anything like this again? Orifshe would.
Copying what he’d done, she licked his lip. His mouth opened and then his tongue met hers. The kiss transformed then, intensifying every sensation, making her toes curl and her skin tingle. Heat gathered in the most private part of herself, a part her governess had once told her she must ignore until she was wed.
She couldn’t ignore it now, nor did she want to. It throbbed with desire, a need to be touched. Wexford pulled her hips against him, sending a flash of longing straight through her. Thiswasspectacular. And it couldn’t continue.
It seemed he’d come to the same conclusion, for they pulled away from each other at the same moment. She pressed back against the shelves, and he stepped away from her. At least, she thought he did because she could no longer feel his closeness, his intoxicating heat.
“I really need to go now. I sincerely hope you aren’t a maid. I’m not in the habit of making advances or taking liberties.”
“I invited you.” Like some sort of wanton. “Don’t blame yourself. Just pretend this never happened.”
“Thatwill be very hard to do. And anyway, even if you aren’t a maid, I shouldn’t have been so bold—invitation or not.” He only sounded a tiny bit regretful, which made her happy since she felt no remorse whatsoever.
She heard the humor in his voice and was glad for it. “Go now.”
The air shifted as he moved again and then the door opened, allowing light into the cupboard. Still tucked behind the door, Cassandra turned her head toward the corner in case he looked back.
“Cassandra?”
She should have pressed herselfintothe corner and bowed her head. Instead, she heard her name and reacted without thinking.
Turning her head, she met his eyes and watched in dismay as they rounded in recognition.
“Bloody hell.”
Chapter 4
Ruark closed the door and stared into the darkness toward his best friend’s sister. Who he’d just thoroughly kissed.Twice.And who he was considering kissing a third time.
