She flashed a diamond ring that swallowed up half her finger.
“I’m Hank’s wife. My son, Timmy—that’s him beside Hank—will be thrilled to meet you. He’s started karting. Loves racing.”
Suddenly he noticed Aunt Delilah’s hand was gone. When he looked over, she was standing with her arms crossed, a hard look in her eyes as she stared back at him, tapping her foot.
“Now what can I get you to drink? I want to hear all about the palace and the king. What a thrill it must have been when you were knighted. So what—”
That’s as far as she got. “Excuse me,” he said, before striding across the room.
Once he was beside Ceci, he glared at Tilney, pulling her away from him.
Her eyes widened.
Is she surprised to see me? Or surprised that I grabbed her?
Maybe both.
He stared at her lips, thinking about that kiss last night.
Should I kiss her now? In front of her father and all these people?
He imagined himself cupping her cheek. He would bend down and place his lips so close that when he whispered, they would graze her ear. “I’m going to kiss you,” he would say. “Right here. Right now. In frontof everyone, including your father. And trust me, he’ll see it. But if you don’t want me to, push me away. You can make a scene if you prefer. You can throw me out of the house if you want.”
Would she like that? Does she want me to?
He could feel himself lowering his head and leaning toward her.
Maybe just a chaste kiss.
Suddenly he felt her hands around his neck, and she pulled his lips to hers.
Her mouth was soft and warm, the kiss—gentle, like touching a rose petal with his lips.
And then her lips were gone and she pulled away.
I’m not done with you yet.
He reached around her waist and yanked her to him. Then he took her throat in his hands, marveling again at its fragility.
It’s like the bone china Aunt Delilah spoke of.
He pulled her lips to his, and then her body, as he wrapped his arms around her. He opened her mouth with his own and his tongue found hers.
You taste so sweet.
He could feel by the rapid rising of her chest against his that she was struggling for breath, and still he didn’t let go.
I’ll give you mine.
And then something told him he should stop. Was it the sudden realization that they were not alone? But that had been the point, hadn’t it? Only now, it felt like what they were doing—was—what?
Something else. But it couldn’t be … something else.
He pulled away. Her eyes were still closed. Suddenly, she blinked. Her cheeks were flushed. That was understandable. Under the circumstances. But he couldn’t seem to take his eyes away from them.
“Look who came, honey,” he heard Tiffany say.
Clarke turned around to see Hank Rivers holding out his hand. Clarke took it. “Leo Clarke, sir,” he said as the man pumped his hand up and down. “I’m dating your daughter.”
