Page 36 of A Scandalous Proposition
‘Did I?’
‘You knew all the time?’ She stopped walking, pulled her hand from his sleeve and glared accusingly up at him.
‘I merely suspected at first. I discovered that I was right the moment I held you in my arms.’
Florentina sighed. ‘And enjoyed a good laugh at my expense.’
‘Believe me, my dear, I wasn’t laughing at you.’
‘Yes, so you say. Anyway, I expect you wonder why I behaved as I did. And I suppose I do owe you an explanation.’
‘You owe me nothing.’ He reached out to gently stroke the curve of her lovely face. ‘But if you feel the need to explain, I shall be glad to listen.’
She looked at him as his fingers continued to stroke her cheek, eyes aglow, lips moist and ripe and simply begging to be kissed. He transferred his thoughts to the horrors he’d witnessed on the battlefield, hoping such images would quell his passion. They singularly failed to do so.
‘I knew Christine when I first came to England.’ Her soft voice recalled his attention to the explanation she appeared determined to offer. ‘She helped me and we have been friends ever since. That’s all. There’s nothing sinister about our friendship.’
‘Why should there be? Abbesses are permitted to have friends unconnected with their business, just like anyone else.’
‘Quite, and that’s all we are. Friends. Anyway, when we arrived back so late from the Feathers,I thought to seek a bed at Chamberleigh rather than disturb the dowager. When you saw me there you jumped to the wrong conclusion and I didn’t see what I could do about it.’
‘And the man pursuing you at that inn?’ Adam only asked to see what other tale she would concoct to keep the truth from him.
‘Oh, him.’ Her eyes darted around as though seeking inspiration. ‘Well, he saw me travelling alone, drew the wrong conclusion and made inappropriate advances.’
She stood there, her defiant glare daring him to take issue with her explanation. To Adam she’d never looked lovelier and he lost the battle to remain in control. With a strangled oath he snaked out an arm and pulled her against him. Their bodies collided. Hard. She was breathing rapidly and he could feel her heart pounding at an irregular rate. He was encouraged when she didn’t attempt to evade his embrace.
‘Now then, Mrs Smith.’ He smiled into her eyes. ‘If you truly harbour the desire to become a courtesan, you ought not to pass up opportunities to gain experience.’
‘But you just said?’
‘With me, you widgeon.’
Without giving her the opportunity to demur, he lowered his head and covered her lips with his own. Gently but firmly. A soft sigh escaped her at the last second, and he was gratified when her arms slipped ’round his neck, even though her own lips remained passive beneath his. He could sense the panic building inside her. Determined to elicit a response, he deepened the kiss, gently invading her mouth with his tongue. Slowly her lips firmed and parted as she responded with a sweet, instinctive innocence that made him feel ridiculously triumphant.
Like all good soldiers he didn’t scruple to take advantage of his position and commenced a slow exploration of the contours of her mouth. When her tongue swirled and tangled with his, Adam thought he must be losing his mind. Passion reverberated like thunder throughout his entire body, his erection throbbed, and he teetered on the brink of losing control.
Regardless, he pulled her closer and deepened the kiss. His hands roamed across her back and, still kissing her deeply, he moved in time with the melodic waltz music drifting through the open doors. Her feet followed his and she made no attempt to break from the kiss. Only when he felt himself on the point of no return did he reluctantly do so himself. He was gratified when a stifled protest slipped from her mouth.
‘You are a very attentive pupil.’ His voice was husky with passion.
‘We shouldn’t have done that.’ She spoke primly and attempted to pull away, but Adam wasn’t ready to let her go.
‘I disagree.’
‘You’re very sure of yourself, my lord.’
Adam chuckled. ‘No, I just know that you are as incapable of denying such carnal desire as I am. Listen to your heart, sweetheart, not your head.’
She dropped her gaze from his face and focused them on the flagstones beneath her feet. ‘You would know more about that sort of thing than me.’
‘But you were married?’
Adam regretted the question when her features clouded with pain. ‘Yes, I was married.’
‘Adam!’
The sound of Philippa’s imperious tones caused them to spring apart. They were promenading, with a respectable distance separating their bodies, when his sister-in-law rounded the corner of the terrace.
