Page 29 of The Study of Seduction
Something she’d never thought to feel again.
When he finished her buttons, he paused, his hand lightly encircling her wrist. As if he could detect the wild thrum of her blood through her veins, he murmured, “For a woman who claims not to be affectionate or romantic, you’re oddly nervous.” He met her gaze. “I won’t bite, you know.”
“Of course not,” she snapped.
His eyes narrowed, shining like sleet on slate in the candlelit room. “No need to get testy. You agreed to this, remember?”
She forced herself to breathe, to smile. “Of course.”
But she hadn’t expected it to be such an overwhelming feast of sensation. As he bent over her arm, the scent of his hair—tinged with musk and cloves—wafted to her, faint but distinctly Edwin. He pushed her sleeve up, baring the tender skin inside the bend of her elbow, and the merest brush of his thumb sent her blood racing.
Then his lips were on her arm. Her naked arm. She could feel the rough scrape of his whiskers, hear the clock ticking seconds that seemed to slow as his mouth pressed into the pulse beating frantically justthere.
The kiss was tender but firm and more intimate than she could possibly have imagined. Her knees went weak, especially when he lingered there to draw in a long breath as if to inhale her fragrance.
Still holding her wrist, he lifted his head to stare at her with eyes more fathomless than they’d seemed scant seconds ago. She couldn’t look away.
So, to break the spell, she asked, “Why kiss me there?”
A faint smile touched his lips. “Call it one of those whims you seem to think I have.” He straightened, then tugged her closer. “And here’s another.”
Then he kissed her lips.
Ohyes.Until he’d done it, she hadn’t realized it was what she’d been waiting for. Edwin to kiss her mouth. So she could see, could know, if he truly was as different from her interpretation of him as he claimed.
In this, at least, he was. He didn’t demand; he offered. His mouth toyed with hers, as slowly and intently as his fingers unbuttoning her sleeve. It made her insane. She was used to men pushing, forcing, taking. She wasn’t used to patience or silken temptation, breaths mingling and lips caressing in equal measure.
And when he slid his tongue inside her mouth, it didn’t so much startle as intrigue her. She’d been kissed like that before, but not so eloquently. It made her restless for more.
Hardly even aware she did it, she wrapped her arms about his neck. Then everything got more interesting. Thekissgot more interesting. He sucked on her tongue and she slipped it into his mouth, something she’d never done. Their tongues engaged in a “merry war” that made her dizzy with the sweet ache of it.
His kiss grew bolder, but she didn’t mind. She wanted it bolder still. She slid her hand inside his coat, shocked to find his heart beating as rapidly as hers. The kiss went on and on, battering her defenses, tempting her to let go . . . until he pulled her flush up against him.
She froze. She could feel the thickness inside his trousers, and she knew what it meant. Pain, humiliation.Danger.
Jerking away, she whispered, “No. Enough.” She waited fearfully for his protest, waited for him to fight her, to try to subdue her.
Instead, he ran his fingers through his hair and said raggedly, “Enough. Right.”
She fought to get her breathing under control. “Edwin, I’m sorry I—”
“You have nothing to be sorry about.” He was already slipping into his formal manner. “I overstepped my bounds. You’re always well within your rights to remind me where they are.”
No man had ever said that to her. It sounded too good to be true. But then, she and Edwin had done little more than kiss. Perhaps if matters had progressed further . . .
She tamped down a stab of fear. This was Edwin, after all. “Thank you. I can always count on you to be a gentleman.”
He eyed her steadily, as if sensing that her words were as much a plea as anything. “And I can always count on you to be a lady.”
He spoke the words with perfect sincerity, yet her throat felt suddenly tight and raw. How little he knew.
“Tomorrow, then,” he said. “I shall fetch you and your mother at nine to take you to services.”
All she could manage was a nod.
He looked as if he were about to remark on her uncharacteristic silence, then sighed. “I’ll show myself out.”
The moment he cleared the door, she collapsed into the nearest chair. Heavens. Edwin could kiss. He could feel.
