Page 8 of Liam

“You and me,” I repeat, still holding her hand as we walk over to the table and I pull out a chair for her. “I wasn’t sure what you might like, but I tried to get some things that sounded like they might go well together. There’s the fruit and charcuterie board, a fresh baguette, and then some cookies and brownies that the baker downtown assured me had just come out of the oven before I bought them.” I shrug. “Not quite a seven-course meal, but I thought an indoor picnic for two by candlelight might be more our speed.”

She laughs, but doesn’t look away from me this time. “Our speed? I’m almost scared to ask what speed that might be.”

“The speed is just perfect, as far as I’m concerned. And the meal will be refined but simple. Classy but unpretentious. I feel like those are qualities we have in common.”

“I couldn’t have said it better,” she smiles, reaching for a plump, red strawberry. “Or with as sexy of an accent.”

Now it’s my turn to laugh as I reach for another and hand it to her. Jesus, I could watch her eat these things all night. “On the contrary, I’d have to say your accent is very sexy, indeed.”

When that delicious, familiar pink color rises in her cheeks, I know that my earlier hunch was correct. There’s nothing that could have been better or more important than sharing this moment with her tonight.

It really is just our speed. And it really is perfection.

6

RACHEL

Never in my life could I have imagined something like this happening to me. A sexy viscount who has somehow come to Kismet Falls to stay at my family’s bed and breakfast seemed implausible enough. But now all of this? An indoor picnic for just the two of us? The way he looks at me and calls me beautiful? The way he’s been feeding me strawberries and grapes and a baguette, for goodness sake?

It’s all overwhelming and unbelievable and so, so wonderful that I don’t dare question it too much in case it’s all just a dream.

But even now, even after barely a touch between us, it’s already been the best dream ever.

“What are you thinking about?” he asks, looking at me like he can see right through to my soul. “You got quiet all of a sudden.”

He’s right. I’ve been doing a pretty good job all evening keeping up my part of the conversation—and amazingly, without getting too tongue-tied for most of it—but I’m finding myself at a loss for words now that the meal is winding down.

I still don’t know what to make of it or where it might lead, or if it will lead anywhere at all. The only thing I’m certain of now is that I haven’t been imagining the smoldering glances and the sweet, unexpected compliments he’s been dropping ever since the first day he arrived. Those things have all happened. This is all very real. Maybe too real for my hopelessly romantic heart.

“Just thinking about all of this,” I say as truthfully as I can.

“About dinner?”

“Dinner and…” I swallow hard. Am I really going to say more? What if it’s too much? “Dinner and us. Tonight and last night and… all of it.”

His smile fades slightly. “I should apologize if I’ve come on too strong. I hope I haven’t made you feel uncomfortable at all. I swear that was never my intention.”

“No, not uncomfortable.” I cock my head to the side as I study his expression. His eyes are full of kindness and just a hint of mischief, as usual. There’s something else there tonight, though. Something deeper and hotter. “But what are your intentions? Because I’m honestly not sure what I should think or what happens next. This is all really new for me and I’m afraid I’m going to say or do the wrong thing at any moment.”

He slowly stands and helps me up from my chair before gently resting his hands on my hips. “There is no right or wrong tonight.” His voice is deeper than normal and I’m suddenly thankful that he’s holding me steady because my knees are feeling awfully weak. “There’s just you and me for as long as you want. And my only intention is to treat you the way you deserve to be treated, to please you as much as I can if you’ll let me.” He pulls me closer and leans in until there are only inches separating our faces and no space at all between our bodies. “Will you let me, Rachel?”

“Yes,” I answer without hesitating. “I will.”

His lips meet mine and I melt against him, opening my mouth to him and completely surrendering to the deep, hungry kiss that’s so much better than anything I’ve experienced before. Even better than any fantasy I may or may not have had every single night since we met.

“You’re so beautiful,” he growls, his hands moving slowly up and down my back, warm and strong and insistent. “I’ve wanted this since I first laid eyes on you—wanted to wrap my arms around you and feel your body pressed against mine. Wanted to find out for myself if your lips were as soft and sweet as I imagined.”

“And?” I smile again as he leans in to steal another quick kiss. “Are they?”

“Soft and sweet and then some.” He matches my grin as he leans in against my neck and gently, playfully nips at the base of my throat. “Soft and sweet and maybe just a little sinful as well. An intoxicating combination.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever been called sinful before,” I admit. “But the things I’ve been thinking about are… well, definitely sinful.”

The heat in his eyes flares as he straightens back up and puts just enough space between us to hold my gaze. “Tell me more about these sinful thoughts, beautiful. Anything I can help with?”

“So much you can help with,” I moan as his hands travel lower, cupping my ass through the thin fabric of my dress. “So, so much.”

The smile that spreads across his face this time is smoldering and sexy and anything but polite. “Perhaps we should continue this conversation upstairs?” He’s already guiding me toward the door as he asks. “Because I need to hear more about these sinful thoughts, and I don’t want anyone to interrupt us until we’ve finished… talking.”

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