Page 49 of An Enchanting Dare

How he wished he could convince her otherwise, but she was determined to take the blame. He sighed, moving closer to her. Though he knew he ought not, he held out his arms to her, his heart giving a little skip of delight when she moved into them, seeking his embrace. She rested her head on his chest and he closed his arms around her as longing swept through him.

“You did not. You were hurt and angry and you lashed out. That man lied to you, used you and destroyed your innocence, and then treated you with callous disregard, never mind his attempt to blackmail you too. I do not believe you truly wanted him dead any more than you bear any responsibility for it. He made his own bed with a lifetime of wickedness, and you had the ill fortune to get caught up in it. That’s all, love. You’re a good person with a good heart. It’s time to forgive yourself and move on. The best thing you can do is to live your life to the full, to be happy, and make other people happy along the way.”

He looked down at her to find her dark eyes watching him. “That’s what Biddy said. She said he brought his fate down upon himself and I need to forget it.”

Sylvester smiled and reached to tuck an unruly curl behind her ear. “Well, then. You’d best heed our advice, eh?”

“Perhaps. I’m still annoyed you don’t believe me,” she said, though there was no anger behind the words, only a wistful note as she gazed up at him.

Desire stirred to life as his gaze fell to her mouth. No. She’d had a stressful evening, and he had nothing to offer her. The earl would laugh in his face if he dared to ask permission to court her.

“I know,” he whispered, unable to tear his gaze away from her beautiful face. She fitted him so well, her lithe body resting comfortably against his, her warmth sinking into him and making him want things he had no business wanting.

“But you are an honest man, Sylvester Cootes.”

He grinned. “To a fault,” he admitted wryly.

She smiled then and reached up to stroke his cheek. He closed his eyes like an indolent cat, drugged by her touch, wanting more, much more.

“It is strange how I wanted so desperately to be away from you, and yet you kept finding me. You found me in that tiny old bookshop when you’d never been there before, and then something brought you to Trevick, pushing us together again.”

“Alana, not something,” he said, feeling a little dazed as her gentle fingers stroked over his cheek.

“And then I did my utmost to escape you, and your horse threw a shoe, and you got lost and ended up at Biddy’s cottage.”

His eyes flicked open, and he gazed at her warily. “Just a coincidence, love.”

She shook her head. “The universe keeps throwing us together, Sylvester. At first, I was just too stubborn to pay attention, and then I disliked the idea on principle because… well, because you’re so annoying. But the trouble is—you do bother me, just like you said. I admit it. You win. You bother me and annoy me and… and I like you very much, even when I want to shake you. I don’t want to fight my fate any longer.”

Sylvester stared at her. She liked him—very much! He bothered her, which was even better, and yet… he disliked the idea she thought there was some mysterious force at work. He opened his mouth to say as much, but she grasped the back of his neck and pulled him down, pressing her mouth to his.

Whatever words he might have spoken evaporated in a proverbial puff of smoke the moment her lips touched his. He might not believe in magic, or that she was a witch, but she enchanted him. She had cast a spell over him, and he’d been well and truly caught in her toils. Desire swept away all his good intentions in a burst of heat and need that caught him off guard. He held her tighter, taking control of the kiss and demanding more and more, wanting everything. He held her close to him, frustrated by too many layers of clothing. She made a soft sound that might have been pleasure or alarm, he wasn’t certain, but it was enough to worry him and snap him out of the haze of lust that had claimed him.

Good God, a despicable man had already taken her advantage of her once. There was no way on earth he’d be guilty of doing the same.

“Christ, I’m sorry,” he gasped, trying to move away from her. If he was going to claim any grasp upon sanity, he needed to put distance between them.

Aisling held on, refusing to let go. “Don’t be sorry. Kiss me, again,” she demanded.

Sylvester shook his head. “No. You don’t mean that. You’ve had a difficult evening, that’s all, and….”

She tugged at his neck again, claiming his mouth, and Sylvester groaned as she pressed closer to him. He wrenched away from her with difficulty and put a finger to her lips.

“Love, stop this. It’s not really what you want.”

“It is,” she said, determination shining in her eyes. “I hated the entire experience with… with him, but when you kiss me, it’s so lovely. I want to know how it is supposed to feel, Sylvester. I want to feel your hands on my skin, your body touching mine. I want you. Show me what to do.”

Sylvester’s brain melted.

“That’s not a helpful thing to say when I’m trying to behave myself, Aisling,” he managed, the desperate need to lay her down on the conveniently placed settee behind her warring with his desire to be a gentleman. He could not offer her marriage, not when he had no way of keeping a wife. He lived in a small cottage when her home was this great behemoth of a castle, and she was used to the finest things in life. The comedown would make her miserable and everyone would believe she’d married beneath her. They’d be right, too.

“I don’t want to be helpful if you’re going to deny me what I want,” she said, with far too much honesty. Her clever fingers fell to his buttons, making short work of his waistcoat.

“Love, we can’t do this,” he said, though his heart was thudding with excitement and if his blood burned any hotter, he’d catch his clothes alight.

“Well, I can, so don’t tell me you’ve forgotten what to do, or are you going to admit you’re no good at this?” she asked, a provoking smile at her mouth. “Is it you that needs instruction?”

“No!” he retorted, even though he knew damn well what she was playing at. “I know very well what to do, I thank you, which is why I need to be the grownup here and make it stop.”