Page 24 of Surrendering to a Fiery Lady

Ophelia could think of one thing. It was also the only way she could think of to make the duke be quiet when they were faced with being discovered at any minute. Raising herself on the balls of her toes, she reached out and found his lips with her own. The kiss was so sudden that it silenced him completely.

What Ophelia had not expected, though, was the vigour with which he kissed her back.

***

Elliot knew this moment was mad, but damn the consequences. The moment Miss Townsend kissed him, the air changed around him. Suddenly, the dizziness didn’t matter. The pain in his nose didn’t matter, either. The fact his clothes were sodden was an easy thing to ignore. All he could think of was this lady’s lips on his and not letting this kiss end just yet.

The heat of their argument seemed to have passed into their kiss. As he pulled her toward him, his hands splayed across her waist, she gasped into the kiss, parting her lips. It was enough to allow Elliot to explore the kiss further, being bold enough to take her tongue with his own. As she angled her body against him, he pressed himself to her.

This heat…

Elliot had been with women before. He had had a mistress, hardly unusual for a duke, but this feeling? No, he had not known this sort of passion before.

Raising one of his hands from her waist, he trailed it into Miss Townsend’s hair. The light brown locks appeared darker now they were wet and night had fallen. He gripped her hair, exploring her further, loving it when she moaned against him.

Seconds later, she moved back from that kiss. It was too sudden for Elliot’s liking. He stood there, breathless, with one hand still on her waist as she searched the walls above them.

What just happened?

He waited for her eyes to return to him before he found the wherewithal to talk.

“Why did you do that?” he asked, his voice quiet.

“You didn’t seem to mind it,” she said, her lips smiling. He couldn’t help returning that smile.

“Hmm, you noticed that.”

“Just a little,” she teased. “It was one way to keep you quiet.”

“Ah, that’s all I get kisses for?” Elliot wasn’t sure what had come over him, but flirting with Miss Townsend felt easy and very natural.

“Why did you kiss me back?” she said, her brow furrowing.

“Do you need to ask?” Elliot’s words were coupled with his hand loosening on her waist. That touch was enough to refer to whatever this heat was. She could feel it too; it was plain in the blush on her cheeks.

“We need to get out of here,” she murmured, gesturing to the top of the walls. “They’re searching for whoever went in the water, and I don’t think we should be caught down here.” She stepped away from him, reaching for her pelisse and shoes.

Elliot tried not to think what the loss of her touch did to him. Breathing sharply, he attempted to bring some good sense back to his mind.

She’s right. We shouldn’t be discovered like this.

They crept along the wall, heading in the opposite direction to those above. When they reached a set of steps in the wall, Miss Townsend went up first with Elliot trailing behind, touching his bruised nose every now and then.

“Quite mad,” Elliot murmured after a minute or two.

“What is? This night or what you and I just did?” Miss Townsend asked as they reached the top of the wall. When someone looked their way, they dived between two buildings, hiding in the shadows. The way their arms bumped made them both snap their gazes toward one another.

“I was talking of you,” Elliot teased with a smile.

“Well, get ready for more madness,” she said before checking around the corner of the wall to see if all was clear. “You need money, yes?”

“Yes, that is plainly apparent.” Elliot sighed with the words.

“I need security and marriage.” Miss Townsend looked back at him. Elliot’s eyes widened, certain for a minute he had heard her wrong. “You need a wealthy wife, do you not?”

“Now I think you really are mad,” he said in a hurried whisper. “You and I barely know each other, and if I’m not mistaken, you are offering a proposition where you and I wed.”

“You catch on quickly,” she teased him again. He fought the smile her words prompted.

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