Page 124 of The Duke Who Saved Christmas
Impure intentions?
“I called you back here with a bare-faced lie. Do you think that was done with pure intentions? Did you think I was offering you a cup of tea?” I raised my eyebrows. “I appreciate that you’re trying to be a gentleman, but don’t. You’ll just be wasting our time.”
“What do you—”
I stepped against him and reached up, laying my hand against the side of his face. “Forgive me for this.”
Then, I kissed him.
On the tippiest of my toes, pressing my body against his with my palm cupping his stubble-coated cheek, I laid my lips against his as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
And it really might have been.
The swish of our coats hitting the floor rushed through the air, and Thomas wrapped his arms around me. One circled my waist, pinning me to him, while his other hand snaked up my spine to cup the back of my head. Within seconds, all control of our kiss had been surrendered to him, and I melted into him, completely at his mercy.
Willinglyat his mercy.
Everything in my life was done to precision. There was no room for error in either planning or fixing, and even my free time was carefully allotted and even plotted.
Thomas was the one thing in my life that I hadn’t planned for—that I had no space for. Not his feelings, not my feelings.
Not yet one more thing to tie me to Castleton.
To shake my resolve.
To make me want to uproot the life I’d built.
I wanted to forget it all. To let go of the control I held onto so tightly. To surrender myself to my impulses, to my deepest, darkest wants.
Which, right now, was Thomas.
But was that fair to him?
Was it right for me to stand here enveloped in his arms while he kissed me so deeply I felt it in the tips of my toes?
Was it fair if I kissed him knowing how he felt about me? When I was so hesitant to voice my own feelings? When those emotions were so muddled by jealousy and selfishness?
Thomas pulled back from the kiss and trailed his lips along my jaw, following the curve up to my ear. “Stop. Whatever you’re thinking, cast it away.”
“Are you not considering that I’m exploiting your feelings for me to make myself feel better?”
“No.” His whisper against my earlobe sent a shiver down my spine. “You’re not that kind of person, Sylvie. No matter howyou feel right now, you wouldn’t be doing this if you didn’t want it.”
Well… That, too, was true.
“And even if you were, give me some credit. Don’t you think I’d know?” He cupped the side of my face and met my eyes. “Besides, I’m fine with being used by you.”
“How cheesy.”
“Cheesy, but true.” He grinned.
Idiot.
He was such an idiot.
“Hey,” I said softly. “Take me upstairs.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX – SYLVIE
