Page 17 of The Marquess and the Maiden

“Your lover, Harriet. What’s his name?”

Confusion marked each of her features.

“There is no other reason you’d need such a property,” he said.

Her shoulders rounded, and her chin tilted upward. “I, uh, yes, that is why I want the house. To, uh, fornicate with my lover.” She stumbled over several of the words, and her cheeks now glowed a deep crimson.

He nearly drowned on the relief flooding him, also ridiculous. He needed to do something soon about his unreasonable attraction to this woman. If she didn’t have a lover, then she had another reason to use the townhome. If she thought to play at deception, he would certainly oblige her. He stood and moved to sit next to her on the settee. She was the one who’d dismissed her chaperone.

“Are you saying you are a woman of loose morals?” he asked, leaning close to her face. She smelled delicious…like ripe cherries and cloves. He resisted the urge to inhale deeply.

Her eyes widened, and she sucked in a breath but nodded swiftly. “Yes, I am very much that. Very loose morals, indeed.”

He bit back a smile. “And you wish to fornicate inside my property?”

“I do. Fornicate, yes.”

He stared at her face, his eyes dropped to her lips again. She was so damned pretty.

“I can’t very well do it here,” she said.

“Of course not.” He was now so close he could see the pupils of her eyes widen at his nearness, the black swallowing the warm brown of her irises. “Loose morals,” he whispered.

“Yes,” she breathed.

And then he lowered his mouth to hers. She stiffened initially then relaxed as he coaxed her lips with his tongue. Her body leaned in to his, and she opened to him. He’d meant only to tease her, to startle her, but now that he’d started, he wasn’t certain he’d be able to stop kissing her. Especially since Harriet kissed him back. Her inexperience didn’t turn him off; on the contrary, the tentative strokes of her tongue fueled his desire. He cradled her face, let his thumb stroke her cheek.

The tea cart rattled down the corridor toward them, and Harriet abruptly stood, hand to her throat.

Her lips were parted, and her blush disappeared beneath her bodice.

He stood as well, leaned against his cane. “You might not wish to tell me the truth, but I shall discover why you want that house.” That kiss had been far more arousing than it should have been. He shifted his stance.

She took a steadying breath. “Then I may borrow it?”

“Yes. For the time being.”

The maid opened the door and shuttled the tea cart inside.

“You shall assist me in finding a suitable wife?”

“I will.”

He took her hand in his and pressed his lips to it. He looked up over her hand and met her gaze. “Then we have a deal.”

“I suppose we do.” Her fingers touched her lips as if to check that they were still in place. “If you will excuse me, I have a ball to get ready for.”

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