A Secret Surrender - Darcy Burke Page 0,40
suddenly felt even more heated than she had upstairs. Her heart beat a fast rhythm as her blood rushed briefly through her ears.
He stepped out from beneath the stairs and walked toward her. He held his hat and gloves as if he were on his way out. “Is everything all right?”
She didn’t hesitate to respond. “Yes, thank you.”
His gaze found hers, and she felt the intensity of his stare deep in the pit of her belly. No, lower than that, if she were honest. And when was she consistently honest? “I must apologize,” he said, his voice low and hypnotic, the resonance thrumming in Selina’s chest. “For my family trying to match us.”
She took a step toward him, leaving a bare foot between them. “I’m afraid I had to escape their machinations. They suggested you give me riding lessons or teach me to play chess.”
A faint smile teased his lips. She loved that smile, for it was a combination of mirth, flirtation, and something unknown, something yet to be revealed.
“You don’t know how to do either?”
“I play chess passably, but I have never learned to ride.”
“I would be delighted to teach you.” He grimaced. “Except my family will think they’ve succeeded in their efforts to pair us off. This is how I spend much of my time with them. If it wasn’t you, it would be someone else.”
“You’ve given riding lessons to other ladies? Or taught them chess?”
His gaze settled on hers with a smoldering intensity. “Not once.”
A shiver raced down her spine. “Well then, that would be quite troublesome for you. Why don’t you wish to marry?”
“I’m busy.” He flicked a glance at the terrace above, scowled, then drew her back under the stairs from whence he’d come. “I am fairly certain I saw at least one of my sisters up there spying.”
Selina looked up even though she wouldn’t be able to see anything from here. “They’re merciless.” She kept her voice low in case they were trying to eavesdrop.
“Shameless too.” He shook his head, but there was humor in it. “To answer your question, I don’t want to marry just now. I suppose my family pushing me in that direction makes me want it even less. I’m contrary like that.”
A smile split Selina’s mouth unbidden. “I completely understand. I’m contrary too.” She hated being told what to do—or what she couldn’t do.
He stared at her a long moment. “Perhaps that’s why I like you so much. That, and I needn’t worry you are trying to ensnare me in the parson’s trap because you don’t want that either. You’ve already wed, and for whatever reason—which I would actually love to know—you don’t seek to enter that state again.”
The torchlight made his eyes glow and his dark lashes seem impossibly long. Selina felt a bit breathless and found the sensation wholly unnerving. But also intoxicating.
“No, I do not.”
“Will you tell me why?” he whispered, close enough that she could feel his breath.
“I see no benefit in marriage.”
He lifted his free hand and gently caressed her cheek with his bare knuckles. “None?”
Selina couldn’t answer. She knew what he was referring to, but since she hadn’t really ever been married, she couldn’t say. And her one experience…well, that was nothing like this.
“I’m attracted to you, Lady Gresham.”
“Selina,” she breathed.
His knuckles moved against her jaw. “I’m attracted to you, Selina. If I did want to marry, you would be my first choice.”
She couldn’t see beyond him, couldn’t hear anything but the beating of their hearts. She couldn’t breathe. Nor did she want to, for it would surely devastate this moment.
You would also be mine.
The thought alarmed her. His hand moved back behind her ear, and he drew her toward him.
“Why?” she asked, captivated by his touch and his words.
“You’re intelligent, independent, thoughtful, caring, fascinating, and I desperately want to know how your mouth feels beneath mine.” Then his lips were against hers, soft and sure, restoring her breath if not her sanity.
He dragged his thumb gently along the base of her jaw and pulled back slightly to look into her eyes. He was so close, she could see the thin rims of gold edging his tawny irises.
“What does this mean?” she asked, still not completely regaining her breath.
“Whatever we want it to.”
Selina couldn’t quite make sense of anything. So she gave up trying. “Oh.” She slipped her hands beneath his coat and slid her palms along his waist until she reached his back. Then she tipped her head to the side and kissed