Page 39 of The Marquess and the Maiden

Good heavens.

“Harriet,” he said, his voice a low growl. His large hand cradled her face, his thumb ran over her bottom lip. “I don’t think you understand what you do to me.” Then his other hand was holding her face and pulling her forward, and his lips were on hers. Soft and gentle. Teasing and playful. And then he slanted his mouth and consumed her.

Everything disappeared except the feel of his lips, the taste of him, the warm roughness of his hands on her face.

His tongue explored, and she gently moved hers against his. He growled and somehow pulled her even closer. Every nerve ending in her body sparked to life. God help her, but she had the most shameless desire to straddle his lap and sit directly upon him. Even with that thought burning through her, still she could not pull away.

Her hands gripped the hard cords of his muscled shoulders, and she wanted to know what the rest of him felt like. She suspected his body would look as if carved from the finest of marble, every muscle defined and featured. A perfect male specimen.

A small mewling noise caught her attention, and then she realized it was her making that sound. As if she’d become a cat begging for his attention. She ended the kiss and stepped away from him then, her hands to her mouth.

“My lord, I do not understand this game you’re playing. If it is to teach me some sort of lesson, I do wish you would explain yourself.”

He stood. His masculine form towered over her, and she inhaled sharply. His piercing blue eyes scalded her as he stared. “If you don’t want a man to kiss you, then perhaps you shouldn’t rub your breasts all over him.”

She sucked in a breath. “I did no such thing.”

His eyes dropped to her cleavage. “Love, the entire time you were cutting my hair, they were either pressed to my back or in my face.” He held up a hand to stop her from speaking. “I’m not complaining. I happen to like your breasts.” He licked his lips, then traced one finger across the outer swell of her right breast. “I’d like to spend more time with them, actually.”

With every ounce of strength, she pulled herself away. “You are deplorable.” Then she turned on her heel and fled for the sanctuary of the house. And she could have sworn she heard him chuckle.

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