Page 41 of A Fearless Heart
“Then let me kiss you. Shouldn’t you get some benefit after such an ordeal?”
“I just can’t. I shouldn’t even be alone with you. And I shouldn’t kiss any man until I’m married.”
That earned a laugh, low and enticing in her ears. God, it was torture to be so close to him and not be able to see his expression. What was he thinking right now?
He put one finger to her lips. “Tell me that youdon’texpect to make it all the way to the altar before you know what it’s like to be kissed.”
“Well…perhaps a little before. Perhaps when he proposes? That would be a good time to kiss.”
“I imagine so,” he murmured. “But that’s too late for afirstkiss.”
“When should I have a first kiss, then?”
“Now.”
“Now?”
“Am I not your tutor in bravery?” he teased. “You’re obviously afraid of kissing, so it’s my duty to change that.”
“I’mnotafraid of kissing. Exactly.” She inhaled, and then said, “I’m afraid that I’ll be terrible at kissing and my husband will be disappointed in me and find a mistress and spend all his time with her and I’ll never get any better because my husband is always with his mistress—”
He put a stop to her rush of words. “Your imaginary husband is an idiot.”
Cady went still. “Do you think?”
“Any man would be an idiot to ignore you. And any husband worth the name would be overjoyed to teach you how to kiss, not to mention all the other ways of…well, never mind.”
But now she was curious. “What other ways?”
“We’ll discuss that later.”
“Later when? Gabe—”
Before she could say another word, his mouth was on hers. Cady nearly fainted at the rush of sensation flooding her mind. Smooth, slippery, gentle, then probing. Her mouth fell open and she let it all wash over her.
He then had his hands in her hair, shredding the composed chignon and letting the curls fall around her face, tickling her. He ran one thumb along her jawline, and Cady thrilled at the touch of his skin against hers.
The kiss went on and on, until Gabe completed it by sucking her lower lip to the point that Cady was melting with pleasure and ready to do anything he asked to get more of this divine, shivery feeling through her body.
“Well?” he asked when he pulled away. His tone was knowing, even smug.
“It was a nice kiss,” Cady said, not very articulate at the moment.
He only laughed, and that melted her further, causing something in her belly to go warm and heavy.
“I intend to show you all sorts of nice, blossom. There’s no need to kiss only the mouth,” he said, moving to her cheek, then her jaw, his lips burning across her skin, leaving her heavy-limbed and pliant in his arms.
“And then there’s the possibility of a dozen small kisses,” he said, demonstrating exactly that in a line down her neck, each spot blooming in his wake.
“I like that possibility,” she breathed. “Do it once more?”
“Anything you ask,” he said. The second string of followed the neckline of her gown, and she ached to feel his mouth on places currently covered up.
Cady’s whole body was alert and awake. Her heart thudded in her chest, and she felt the prickle of sweat on her brow in relation to the sudden flush of heat between them. Her breathing had quickened. Many of the symptoms were the same as when she was struck with terror…but this time she didn’t feel scared at all. It wasn’t fear surging through her veins now, it was excitement. She wanted to know what came next.
But he instead tipped her face to his. “You need to kiss me,” he ordered softly.
“I do?”
