Page 33 of Persuasions of an Earl's Daughter

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

“I called for Astrid.”

“She’s busy at present.” His gaze drifted to her.

There were times when she could not connect the man with the gossip. This was one of them. She swore his cheeks pinkened but what sort of rake would blush at a woman in a slightly revealing outfit? It was no wonder she couldn’t cease thinking of him. Goodness, she should not blame herself on jot really. Anyone would be intrigued by such a man.

“I need help with the gown.” She turned and motioned to the buttons. “Can’t do it myself.”

“Uh.” August turned to the door, put his head out, and she heard him sigh before shutting the door. “I’ll do it.”

“It’s not that much of a hardship,” she said icily over her shoulder.

It seemed the man could not stand the thought of even buttoning her gown, she was that repulsive. She didn’t blame him before but surely she was not so awful now she no longer smelled like a pond?

He remained where he was, furrows marring his brows, so she faced the window and waited. Her breaths shuddered in her lungs when the floorboards creaked, and she bunched every muscle in anticipation of his first touch. Though she could scarcely feel his fingers on the first few buttons, it didn’t stop the need to lean into him, to urge his fingers elsewhere. She bit down on her bottom lip and concentrated on breathing slowly. It would be over soon enough.

But then his breath was there. Warm upon her neck. So close she would barely have to move an inch to feel his mouth upon her skin.

She could claim temporary madness perhaps. Something brought on by the distress of having been kidnapped. He’d rejected her once just as she had rejected him, and it would be insane to do anything other than let him finish.

Lilly tilted her head and shifted closer.

“God, Lil,” came a graveled utterance and she didn’t understand the meaning behind it until she felt the sharp shock of warm lips upon the back of her neck.

∞∞∞

His decision to kiss her hadn’t really registered until he felt the softness of her against his mouth.

Even then August couldn’t find any reason to stop. His mind emptied the moment he brushed his fingers against her warm body as he did up the buttons of her gown. It remained empty save from the pulsing repetition of a need to kiss her.

His fate had been sealed the moment she tilted her head, giving him better access to the side of her neck. She smelled floral and soapy, and it wrapped about him, luring him in. The damp braid hanging to one side practically begged him to lay his lips upon her.Here, it said. Kiss me here. I’m all exposed just for you.

Just for him. That’s what he wanted. Lilly Musgrave all for himself. The usual arguments as to why it was a terrible idea to kiss a woman never surfaced. Instead, as he pressed another experimental kiss slightly higher and felt her responding shudder, his mind latched onto the things he admired about her. He’d spent his childhood trying to be the perfect gentleman, only to throw it away the moment his father died—and gladly. He doubted Lilly Musgrave had ever attempted to by ladylike—she was brutally, honestly, the hellion she appeared to be. Who could not admire that? The strength and determination of this woman impressed him even as it foiled every plan he had.

She sighed.

The sound both satisfied and aggravated him. She wanted his kisses and as much as he wanted to kiss her. Yet she needed to feel as he did—needed to feel the desire raging through her like the river that rushed past the house and whispered its haste to reach its destination. He didn’t want her sighing.

He kissed behind her ear and nipped at her lobe then put his hands to her waist. She gasped, and he smiled against her skin.

Sliding his hands upward, he found her strength of spirit was mirrored in her body, in the shape of muscles that teased his fingers to follow their lines. Moving upward, he cupped her breasts, tucked behind two layers of fabric. Two layers too many but at least she did not wear stays.

Her lithe figure shouldn’t be hindered by the wretched things in his opinion. When he rolled a nipple between his fingers, a shuddering breath escaped her. The need to see the sighs and sounds upon her lips forced him to give her soft skin one last kiss before urging her to face him.

Her cheeks were flushed, her lips parted. August took in the image of her, vulnerable and wide-eyed only briefly but long enough to seal it in his mind. Then he cupped her face and brought his mouth down upon hers.

Lilly flung her hands about his shoulders, bunching his jacket into a tight grip. He delved deep, hungry for more. Needing the taste of her more than anything he’d ever wanted. There’d been enough opportunities to kiss women in his past and he’d rejected most. None drove him to the edge like Lilly did, though. None made his pulse rage through him, made his cock impossibly hard. He’d spent a decade building up a wall of defense, ensuring his revenge upon his father would be complete. Somehow, Lilly had hurtled through it and shattered it to rubble.

She kissed him furiously, clumsily. It didn’t matter. He couldn’t claim his experience was much greater than hers. Somehow, it worked. Their tongues clashed and she stole the breath from him as she pressed her body firmly to his. She had to be able to feel his erection.

It seemed she didn’t care. Not this time. Who knew what had changed since then but August was grateful for whatever it was. Even if she slapped him across the face and reminded him she was not that sort of a woman soon, he’d treasure this kiss for the rest of his days—he’d treasure this bold, confident woman knowing that even for a brief moment, she wanted him.

There was no pretense, no motive beyond wanting to feel his mouth upon hers. She did not like him for his reputation or for the stories told about him. Hell, she’d made it clear she practically loathed him.

But she still desired his kiss.

It was a gift he would not throw away easily.

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