Page 25 of A Naughty Proposal for His Winter Countess
Twisting his head, Daniel bumped his nose on the side of her head, and briefly, he buried his nose in the locks and reveled in the comfort she was giving him. Harriet shifted to meet his, and then, Daniel’s gaze was drawn to her lips, for a second time.
Only, this time he wondered if they tasted as soft and full as they looked. He slid two knuckles under her chin and gently pressed his lips to hers, resting them there for a fleeting breath.
Pulling away, it didn’t take long for Daniel to crave a deeper taste. With both hands framing her face, he rested his lips on her, recognizing that he had to make her first kiss—her real kiss—memorable. At the contact, warmth raced through his body, and after begging entrance with the tip of his tongue, he let out a groan of relief when she let him in.
The touch of her tongue had the wave surging higher, and he found himself kissing her with unfounded possession. Harriet tasted of champagne and sweet, tart cherries, and as his tongue slid against hers, he delighted in the flavor.
She moaned softly and the kiss grew tangled, growing hotter with the passing seconds. Just as he thought to break the kiss and venture to her…to her earlobe…to lick his way down her neck and find the thrum of her pulse point—the reality of where he was had him yanking his hand away.
Sucking into a harsh breath, while feeling—and fighting—the hot swell of desire, he saw Harriet’s eyelashes fluttered open to reveal dazed, emerald eyes.
Her tongue darted out, licking her swollen lips, and whispered, “Gadzooks.”
The reality of what he had done slammed into Daniel, just as mingled molted desire and shame descended on him. How could he have done that in her home, and without any warning at all?
He pressed a hand to his eyes, “I shouldn’t have done that,” swallowing he pulled away made to stand. “That wasn’t supposed to happen. I should leave—”
But Harriet pulled him back, and with a warm pleading look, said, “Please…stay.”
Chapter Eight
“Stay with me,” Harriet said again, praying the frantic look in Daniel’s eyes would vanish.
The cold, distant mask Daniel had always worn around her had finally slipped, and he’d shown real emotion in his eyes, something she would very much like to see again, and not just after a kiss.
Daniel’s head snapped to the side, effectively cutting off his face from her, but his grip on her hand tightened.
“Sit,” Harriet said, again, “if you’d like, I can pretend it didn’t happen.”
Though that kiss was better than all I’d dreamed about for years.
Gradually, he turned back to her, but once again, his expression was closed off—eyes that had been open and vulnerable one moment ago were now a brick wall. Daniel rejoined her on the couch, and Harriet shifted the conversation.
“The boutique on Bond Street has a lovely collection of costumes; I’m sure we can find you a dashing one there. What you like to be?”
Daniel took the olive branch with grace. “Have you decided? I’d be the male version of that.”
“I’d thought an angel,” Harriet said, “with a hooded robe to conceal my hair.”
His smile was thin and humorless, “Then, I’ll be the Devil.”
Searching his eyes, Harriet replied, “I can see that. But I’d much prefer to see you as another character, one that is noble underneath a rough exterior. Perhaps a hero pirate? One who steals and gives to the poor?”
“Never heard of such,” Daniel replied, “why notLa Belle et la Bête?”
Pleased that Daniel was shifting away from the inner angst that was making his jaw twitch, Harriet reached over to hold his hand, “I always loved Beauty and the Beast. Why don’t you be beauty and I’ll be the beast?”
Daniel snorted, a flicker of true amusement in his eyes, “Wouldn’t that be a sight? I’d rather not give old dames multiple conniptions, Harriet; we’ll be traditional.”
Smiling, Harriet dared to brush her knuckles across his cheek, “You’re a lovely man, Daniel. I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
He dipped his head briefly, “It’s probably a curse.”
“A curse?” she asked, brows dipping in curiosity. “What do you—”
A knock and Ben’s intrusion interrupted them; he looked at the two, where Harriet still had her hand to Daniel’s face and, from the penitent look on his face, showed that he had interrupted a private moment.
“Pardon me,” he said swiftly, “I’ll come back.”
