Chapter 12 #5
He didn’t want to let go of her fingers—not until she drew them away.
She didn’t. Instead, she looked up at him as if trying to read his eyes…
Impulse—instinct—slipped its leash. Slowly, Kit raised his free hand and gently—so gently—cupped her face. Then, slow and smooth, he tipped her face upward as—slowly, slowly—he bent his head.
He fully expected her to retreat—to pull away at the last second.
He held his breath and slowed even more. His gaze had fallen to her luscious lips; he flicked it up to her eyes.
And saw that she’d lowered her gaze to his lips. In reaction, they throbbed and hungered for hers.
Lowering his gaze to her lips again, he was just in time to see the tip of her tongue pass swiftly over her plump lower lip.
On a muted groan, he abandoned restraint and pressed his lips to hers.
Instantly, he sensed her uncertainty, like a bird fluttering anxiously, unsure what it wanted—to escape the net or not.
He kept the contact gentle, light, and made no move to draw her to him even though his entire body ached for the contact. Instead, he devoted himself and his considerable talents to worshipping her lips.
Reverently.
Until he sensed her following his lead, albeit tentatively. Not as if she was totally inexperienced; more as if she was stepping into the unknown, and she was wary.
Wise woman. There was a great deal more he wanted to do, so much more he wanted to explore, but tonight, he reined back his rakish impulses with an iron grip and settled to the challenge of luring her to him simply with the brush of his lips, the subtle sweep of his tongue over her lips, the pressure as he supped and discovered his first taste of her.
Innocence and boldness—a fascinating combination.
Yet he kept the caress simple, very much within bounds.
His reward came when her fingers lightly touched, then traced his cheek, then she kissed him back—no longer tentatively but firmly.
And he got his first sensual glimpse of that passionate, fiery female he knew dwelled inside her.
She was there, close, yet still so contained.
But now it was she who was exploring his lips, moving hers against them, taking her time experimenting…
He mentally gritted his teeth, fisted his hands, and held back from reacting.
As he would have with any other woman.
But not her. She was special, in a class of her own. A lady to be treated with the care lavished on the very finest crystal.
The kiss spun on, and he realized that, despite the fact they were barely touching, he was drowning in her.
In her elusive scent, in the lure of her lips, in the sensual warmth he sensed inside her.
It was he who had to draw back—it was that or go forward, and he was as certain as he could be that she wasn’t yet ready for more.
Moving slowly, he drew his lips from hers, then raised his head. He hauled in a much-needed breath and looked down into her face as she slowly raised her lids and revealed eyes that were deep violet pools of wonder.
They’d eased closer during the exchange; there was barely an inch between his coat and her bodice.
Her cloak had fallen open, and above her neckline, her breasts rose and fell dramatically, the mounds pearlescent in the faint light. He couldn’t help but notice, which didn’t make it any easier to do what he knew he must.
He tensed to step back, but then, instead, asked, “Might I call on you on Sunday afternoon? We could go for a stroll if the weather remains fine.”
Sylvia heard the gruff, gravelly words. Her head was spinning, her wits whirling. It took effort to find her voice and whisper, “Yes.” Given what they’d just shared, that seemed insufficient, and she added, “I would enjoy that.” At the last second, she managed to swallow the word “too.”
If there was one fact of which she was sure, Kit Cavanaugh didn’t need any encouragement in this sphere.
But oh, my, he most definitely knew how to kiss a wary woman.
Regardless of her wish to deny him any overt encouragement, judging by the rakish grin he flashed her as he—transparently reluctantly—stepped back, he’d caught the gist of her unvoiced revelation.
Experienced as he was, he definitely hadn’t needed to hear the words said.
To her surprise, not even that mental reminder of his status as a rake of the ton—regardless of her past view of his character being inaccurate, that aspect of his reputation had never been in question—caused her appreciation of the past moments to dim.
Not in the least. And he’d asked for the chance to create more such moments.
She couldn’t resist returning his grin with a sincerely anticipatory smile. “Until Sunday, then.”
He nodded as he stepped down to the path. “Sunday.” He walked backward, his eyes on her. He tipped his head to the door. “Go in.”
She laughed softly and turned to the door. She unlocked and opened it. As she stepped over the threshold, she heard him softly call, “Goodnight.”
She paused and looked back and saw him waiting beyond the gate, his gaze still locked on her. Smiling softly, she called, “Goodnight,” then slowly shut the door.
A second later, she heard his footsteps on the pavement as he strode to the carriage.
She turned and leaned back against the door, in her mind reliving that kiss as the sounds of the carriage and horses faded into the night.
Unbidden, memories of the evening scrolled through her mind.
Eventually, she recalled Mrs. Macintyre’s questions and assumptions, right at the beginning of the magical time—assumptions she’d refuted.
So what is this, then?
She still didn’t know, still couldn’t be sure, but given that kiss—which incontestably bore little resemblance to the way he would have kissed countless ladies in the past—and given the way her heart was tripping, it was pointless to deny that she was starting to hope.
Just the thought made her mentally shy away; in all honesty, she could barely believe where she thought—hoped—she now stood.
Teetering on the cusp of falling into the arms of the riveting and until-recently believed to be utterly unsuitable lord of her dreams.
That said unsuitable lord had proved to be the man she’d come to know in much greater depth over the past weeks, with whom she’d just shared a truly pleasant evening even in the full glare of local society, was, to her mind, skating perilously close to a miracle.
She pushed away from the door and headed for the stairs. “Who knows?” she whispered into the darkness. “Perhaps even the most wayward dreams can rescript themselves into a reality that might—just might—come true.”