Page 12 of To Steal a Kiss

“Good God, no.”

The reply was immediate, so much so that she couldn’t help but believe it. Her heart sped up, which was a surprise; she’d not believed anything more could be expected of it. Perhaps it would give out altogether.

Please not before the kiss.

“I… I don’t know if—”

“If you’re brave enough?” he guessed.

Alice nodded, still staring at the moon. Would she still be able to see it for days to come? The dazzling light was already imprinted on her sight forever as a memory of this night.

“You’re brave enough,” he said, the words certain, certain of her though she had no idea why. Surely he knew why she needed this. “You’re here, aren’t you?”

The words were warm and reassuring, calming her.

“But… but I’ve never—”

“I know.” He didn’t mock her; there was no absence of a teasing tone as she might have expected. “Shall I help you?”

She nodded again and then scolded herself for it. “Yes,” she said, forcing herself to sound decisive, to be decisive. “Yes, please.”

“May I touch you?”

All the breath left her lungs in a rush.

“I won’t unless you give me leave,” he said. “And I’ll stop the instant you ask me to.”

Suddenly it was unbearable, having this wicked, beguiling man so close and yet not close enough.

“Yes,” she repeated breathlessly. “Yes.”

Once again for good measure, just in case he hadn’t heard the first time.

Alice stilled, unsure of what to expect, and then jolted as the thumb of his right hand moved. Though his fist didn’t shift from its position beside hers on the railing, his thumb stroked the back of her hand.

Alice thought her knees might buckle.

Good heavens. Don’t be foolish, woman! He touched you with his thumb.

Just his thumb!

A bubble of hysterical laughter threatened to escape her, but then he moved closer and she felt his back press against hers as he leaned in and nuzzled at her ear.

“You smell like barley sugar,” he murmured, as shivers erupted over her at the touch of his skin against hers.

“I’ve got some in my pocket,” she said, and she could only blame her addled brain for saying something so bird-witted at such a moment.

“You do?” he asked, and she could hear the surprised laughter in his voice.

Alice closed her eyes and wished they were in the garden. Perhaps then she could dig a hole and bury herself in it.

“It’s impossible to get a drink at affairs like this,” she said, a touch defiantly. “Especially when you’re my size. I get trampled in the rush. So I always bring some barley sugar, just in case. It’s better than nothing….”

She trailed off, humiliation burning at her throat and cheeks, then gasped as he nipped at her earlobe.

“I disagree,” he said, sounding perfectly serious. “I think it’s better than anything. So… so sweet. I should like to taste it too.”

For a moment, for a bare, heart-stopping moment she almost offered him a blasted sweet, and then her stomach did an odd little flip as she understood his words.