How to Fool a Duke (The Husband Dilemma #1) - Lancaster, Mary Page 0,31
left and right, finding no one on the road. Then, “Sarah.”
She stopped but did not turn around.
“It seems you are forgetting something, sweeting,” he said.
“Oh?” This time she did pivot and offered him a naughty smile. “And what would that be, Your Grace?”
“That first kiss was a boon.”
She appeared completely unaware of what he referred to. “What kiss?”
Now only a foot away from her, he looked into her eyes. “Do you require a reminder?”
“Out here? Even you would not be so bold!”
“I am many things, Sarah.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, her cheeks coloring. “It must not have been memorable, for any thought of it is gone.”
He snorted, appreciative of her resilience and ability to give out as good as she got. “There’s no one to impress here, Sarah. Just you and I—two people with history. I know for certain you remember that.”
“I forget things as a manner of protecting myself.”
“From whom?”
“Many people.”
“If this is about your parents again…” Her lack of self-worth where her parents were concerned pulled at his heartstrings.
She shook her head.
“If not your parents, who? Has Arcadi threatened you? Is there another man?”
“Nothing so dramatic. I just feel no matter what I do…” Her hands clenched and she looked away. “Why should I discuss such intimate things with you? You remain the biggest reason why I am here.”
“Sarah.” He wondered what had changed in the few steps she had taken after their walk together. But women were accorded the luxury of changing their minds. Like a northward wind suddenly becoming a westward breeze. One simply did not question the reasons why. “How may I help ease your suffering?”
Before she could answer, he took her hand and ushered her into the trees, hoping for more privacy. “If it provides some reassurance, Sarah, I am here now. Your charms are many and irresistible. The wild girl in that tree is long behind you, though I’d like to think part of her still remains.”
Her eyelashes fluttered attractively as she stared up at him. “And what part of her did you like most?”
“Her spirit.”
She swallowed hard, her gaze raking over him. He found her reaction mysterious, but leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. If he did not test the waters, he would never get a true idea of how she felt. When she did not object to the light show of affection, he wrapped his arms about her and pulled her into a solid embrace, her cheek resting on his chest.
His body, ever susceptible to hers, responded favorably to the contact, his pantaloons tighter and suddenly uncomfortable. He shifted on his feet, trying to find relief, but it didn’t work.
“What do you want from me?” she asked, once again surprising him.
He held her at arm’s length and grinned at her. “I would think that is rather obvious. A real kiss.”
“You seem to give out kisses quite freely, Your Grace.”
He chuckled, then claimed what he had pursued her for. He slanted his mouth over hers, coaxing her lips apart with his skilled tongue, seeking her warmth and acceptance—wanting to taste her over and over again. She sighed, her hand slipping up his shoulder and to his nape, cupping the back of his neck. Sarah leaned into him, her firm breasts pushing against his chest, her slim body his to hold and feel.
Yes. Just as her personality, Sarah’s body possessed ample contradictions—slight yet curved in all the right places, soft yet firm from her daily walks, strong yet weak, for her legs trembled and he had to prop her up. He smiled against her mouth, appreciating everything she had to offer.
“Why are you smiling?” she whispered. “Are my kisses lacking in skill?”
“If you only knew…” He buried his fingers in her hair, pins coming loose, and her hat fell to the ground. He couldn’t stop, and pulled her tresses down, thick, black curls cascaded down her back. It smelled of lavender and sunshine. “You are beautiful.”
“If we are caught together like this…”
“If is an important word, Lady Sarah. For if we are not…” He tasted her again and again, the need mutual, the desire to stop banished. His hands moved lower, tracing the lines of her bottom, then gently caressing and holding. He groaned, awakened, wanting more. But Leonard knew he should stop, had to, in fact. He was no beast but found himself acting as one. She deserved better. He wanted to offer her the world but couldn’t until he was sure this was not a