Page 28 of The Rake I Wished For
She couldn’t help it. Ever since he’d almost kissed her, she’d been imagining it. What would it feel like?
He moved closer, his eyes dark in the firelight and his features stern. “Tell me you won’t do something stupid in the country…like try and seduce some poor footman.”
She blinked in surprise at the growl in his voice. But she still couldn’t answer. Her heart was racing and she could hear her pulse in her ears like a roar. Would he do it?
If he thought she’d put herself in danger with someone else…would he kiss her?
Her heart twisted painfully and her lungs hitched at the thought.
He would. He’d do anything to protect her.
“Harlow?”
“Yes?”
She moved closer still until her skirts brushed against his legs and she could see the reflection of the fire in his eyes. “What if…what if this time I were to call your bluff?”
His nostrils flared and a storm seemed to rage in his eyes. Slowly, she placed a hand against his hard chest to anchor herself.
She felt his swift inhale as he realized her intent.
But he didn’t pull away or push her back when she went up on her tiptoes and leaned forward.
“What are you doing?” His voice was a low, thick growl.
“I’m…” She drew in a steadying breath as she wet her lips. “I’m meeting you halfway.”
CHAPTEREIGHT
Harlow couldn’t think.
Not to save his life, and certainly not to do the honorable thing right now.
Wake up, Mrs. Clemens. For heaven’s sake, wake up.
He tried to remember why this was wrong.
Some distant voice in the back of his mind was shouting about Liam, about her future, about the fact that he was supposed to be keeping her safe from rakes.
And he was a rake. He’d made that reputation long ago, even if he hadn’t done much to uphold it of late.
But that voice was drowned out by sensation, none stronger than the loud thud in his chest as his heart clamored for attention.
She was intoxicating. Her scent, her warmth, that glint in her eyes that was always there, but never more so than now.
Now it wasn’t mischief or laughter, but…passion.
Heat.
Desire.
And it stripped him of the last of his control.
He was doing this for her, he tried to tell himself as he settled his hands on her waist. He was doing this to protect her. His gaze dipped to her lips, parted now as she breathed rapidly, with excitement and no doubt nerves.
His heart twisted in his chest at the vulnerability in her eyes as she leaned in further, resting her weight against him, trusting him to catch her…
And that trust ended any debate. She was entrusting him with this…her first kiss. Her one taste of romance.
