Maybe he’d just seen the opportunity for an anonymous kiss and taken it? Perhaps he would have done the same with any of the other willing ladies here at the castle.
Or had it been nothing but curiosity? Had he wanted to see what it would be like to kiss her, after all these years? What if he hadn’t enjoyed it as much as she had?
Kitty pressed her palms to her heated cheeks and let out a long sigh. How was she going to face him—or Charles, for that matter—in the morning?
James rested his forehead against the cold stone of the tower wall and resisted the urge to bash his brains out. God, he was such a fool. Why hadn’t he revealed himself? Now Kitty thought she’d been soul-kissed by that imbecile Charles Willingham.
“You bloody idiot,” he muttered to himself.
James knew women, knew their responses. Kitty had thoroughly enjoyed herself—she’d practically melted in his arms. God, those eager little sounds she’d made, the press of her small, lush body against his, would haunt him forever. He’d dreamed of kissing her for so long.
He clenched his fists. He’d probably just convinced her that marrying Willingham would be an excellent idea. That the two of them shared an extraordinary physical compatibility.
It had been extraordinary. Kitty might not have the benefit of experience to know the difference between a good kiss and a bad kiss, but he did. And it had never been that good, that perfect, with anyone else.
Probably because he’d never felt for another woman one-tenth of what he felt for Kitty.
He’d entered the tower room with no real plan. The vague idea of surprising her, of sending her back to her room scolded and un-kissed, had disappeared the moment she’d enclosed them both in the darkness. The scent of her, the feel of her soft skin, had been irresistible. And when he’d put his mouth on hers, he’d felt as if he were finally where he was meant to be.
Weeks of enforced celibacy hadn’t helped. It was a miracle he hadn’t lost his mind.
She’d actually sounded disappointed when he’d broken it off, but he’d been desperate to make her leave before he lost all semblance of control. He’d been seconds away from untying her stays, lowering her onto the bed, and baring her body to his seeking hands and greedy mouth.
God, he wanted to devour her.
James hissed in discomfort and released another pent-up breath. He was still rock-hard in his breeches.
What a monumental mistake. How was he ever going to make things right?
Chapter Six
Kitty barely slept a wink.
Everything she’d believed about marriage had been called into question. She’d thought that warm affection between partners would be enough to ensure a satisfactory union, but kissing James had shown her the importance of true, physical desire.
Worse still was the terrible suspicion that James was the only one who could make her knees go weak and her body feel like it was going up in flames. Last night had been a mistake on so many levels, not least because now she knew exactly what she would be missing if she married someone else.
She shook her head to dismiss such a depressing thought. She could be wrong. After all, she’d had no other kisses, for comparison. Maybe Charles could make her just as dizzy and breathless. She simply had to give him the opportunity.
It had rained during the night, but the sun soon dried the grass and the guests ventured back outside. Kitty left Aunt Stella in the library, gossiping with several other matrons, and went in search of her quarry. She kept an eye out for James, but there was no sign of him, thankfully, and she reached the gardens without incident.
Gwyn was playing lawn bowls with her parents and the limping, dark-haired Captain Tremayne. White-haired Lady Snaresbrook was watching them from a folding garden chair, loudly offering unsolicited advice, much to the apparent embarrassment of her companion, Miss Cecily Grimshaw.
Kitty finally spotted Charles walking along one of the gravel-lined paths in the direction of the maze and hurried to intercept him.
“Good morning.”
Charles jumped. He clapped one hand to his blue silk waistcoat, directly over his heart, and she bit back a smile. Doubtless he was wary of people sneaking up on him, after last night.
“Miss Worth, you startled me!”
“I’m sorry.”
They began a slow promenade along the walk in the direction of the maze. He lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper.
“Before you say anything, please, let me apologize for failing to meet you last night.”
Kitty adopted what she hoped was a guileless expression. “What happened?”
