“I’ve searched through every garden in London,” he said. “Nothing compares to your eyes.”
Oh.
The distant noise faded as the tourists left the glasshouse in search of better pleasures, leaving Olive and Elijah alone.
“All right,” she said. “I surrender. You have my permission.”
He didn’t move. “To what?”
“Kiss me,” she whispered, before panic and self-preservation could talk her out of this mad idea. If he rejected her now, or worse,laughedat her—
His mouth covered hers before she could finish the thought. His lips were soft, sweet, tempting.
He kissed each corner of her mouth, the peaks and valley of her cupid’s bow, every portion of her plump lower lip. As if he was learning her with his mouth, memorizing each contour as he kissed. Searching to uncover her secrets.
The truth was, she had yearned for this. Forhim. She had long wanted to put paid to the question of whether that brief private interlude behind the stable could have been nearly as superb as she remembered it.
Yes. A thousand times, yes.
This was even better. Surrounded by lush greenery and the scent of hothouse flowers—save the scent-less one clutched in her hand, whose beauty reminded him of her eyes.
This was no obligatory peck. He seemed to honestly enjoy her company. To have eagerly awaited permission to kiss her.
Or was it all part of the plan?
She pulled away, wary. “I suppose our fathers would be pleased to find us kissing.”
Elijah’s eyes were unreadable. “Would they?”
“You don’t have to woo me,” she reminded him. “Romance won’t sway my decision.”
“I wanted to kiss you,” he said simply. “I’ve never stopped wanting to.”
Oh.
She tried for control. “Anyone could have walked in and seen us.”
The corner of his lips curved. “So?”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” She crossed her arms. “Compromise me and end up married that way.”
He lifted his brows. “I might like that more than you’d think.”
Damnable man. He was impossible to argue with.
And he was right—who cared if someone saw her? The answer would always be no.
“Very well, you can kiss me again if you like.” She straightened her spine. “But I warn you, it means nothing.”
He sighed. “Yes, I know.”
There. Was she happy now?
“May I give you arealkiss?” he asked.
“Yes.” She dropped her hands back to her sides. “You’re saying that wasn’t—”
“You’ll see.”
