The Earl's Outrageous Lover Page 0,25
shouldn’t be hiding in a black dress.”
She was so stunned by his comment she wasn’t sure exactly how to respond. She stood there looking up at him, her eyes confused. “You think I’m beautiful?” she asked softly.
He reached up, his fingers about to touch her but he hesitated. “You know that you are,” he replied with a husky voice and let his hand drop back to his side. He stood there looking down at her without moving for a long moment. When she didn’t push him away, his head lowered slightly. Then another fraction of an inch and Jessica’s breath froze. She should pull away, she should run and hide. But she did neither. She just stood there, her mouth open slightly in anticipation of whatever he might do. And she was very much hoping he would kiss her, that she could find out what it would be like to be kissed by Edward.
When his lips finally touched hers, she gasped and pulled back slightly. He watched her, saw her eyes widen, then drop to his mouth. That mouth was more temptation than a man should ever have to endure, he thought. He watched in fascination as her tongue slipped out and touched her lips, moistening the enticing bottom lip and he felt like a man drowning. He couldn’t pull back, but bent lower once again and kissed her with all the passion that had been building up since she’d bounced through the police station with those cowboy boots on.
She was freshness and light in what had suddenly become a dreary life. It hadn’t been dreary until she’d burst into his office and gave him sunshine. He hadn’t even realized that he’d been missing this kind of light. And now, standing here, experiencing those soft lips moving against his, tasting her sweet nectar, he couldn’t stop himself from taking another taste. And then another.
When he reached down and pulled her closer, he almost groaned at how perfectly she fit against him. Her soft breasts pressed against his chest and her stomach cradled him perfectly as his body reacted almost violently to her incredible softness. He wanted her and in the back of his mind, he knew that there was a bed right behind them. He could lift her up and he could bury himself in her sweet body, to find out what she tasted like all over.
He pulled back and looked down at her. Those lips were glistening with moisture and he just about went back for another taste. But at that moment, sanity returned to him and he remembered where they were, who she was and what they needed to accomplish.
She was freshness and light. He was darkness and schedules. He couldn’t do anything with this woman because he would just drag her down and she would eventually lose that light that was so important to who she was.
No, it was better if he got her married. Fast. To someone who would suit her better.
“We have to go,” he said and cleared his throat. He stepped back, watching hungrily as her eyes focused and she remembered their evening ahead. “Julianna is probably wondering where we are.”
Jessica shook her head, trying to regain her composure. Never in her life had she ever experienced a kiss like that. And here he was, stepping back as if nothing had changed. As if nothing had really happened.
He took her hand and led her down the stairs quickly. Thankfully, she was wearing gold, strappy sandals which matched the dress. They had been her one resistance to the old world decorum of the boring black. Not that he would notice, she thought with confusion and rising anger. Why had he kissed her, only to turn around and just pretend like the embrace hadn’t happened?
They drove through the night and Jessica tried desperately to figure out what to say, to start some sort of conversation with the strange man sitting next to her in the darkened limousine. She wanted to ask him why he’d kissed her and….no, she didn’t want to know if it would happen again. Where was the gentle man of the day before? The man who had coached her through her first pistol lesson and winked at her when he caught her staring at him during the luncheon? This man was a grouchy stranger who she couldn’t figure out, who had kissed her as if he wanted more, then turned around and acted so….she sighed, not really understanding what had happened.
He was staring