Page 73 of This Marquess of Mine

Nervously, she moistened her lips with her tongue, and Griffin’s gaze flicked to her mouth, tracking the motion with keen interest. Hope surged in her breast.

“I’ve been kissed many times since, by many different men,” she said softly. “But not one of them ever made me burn inside. Not one of them ever left me craving more. Until you.”

Tipping her head back, she met his gaze unwaveringly, willing him to listen, to hear her. “You’re the only one who makes my body ache,” she said. “You’re the only one who makes me feel good.”

She rose up on tiptoe and pressed her mouth to his throat, wringing a rumbling groan from his chest. “Make me feel good again,” she whispered, gripping his arms. “Make love to me, Griffin.”

His body was tense beneath her hands as he stared at her, still and quiet for a tortuously long moment, and the only sound Olivia could hear was the hectic beating of her own heart.

Finally, he moved, reaching around her as if going for the door, and for one awful moment, she thought he was going to turn her away, push her from the room, reject her.

But then the soft snick of the door lock clicking into place punctuated the silence, and Griffin’s gaze locked on hers. “You’re certain?” he asked, his voice husky.

She nodded, her heart thrashing against her ribcage. “Yes. I’m certain.”

His gray eyes raked over her face, soft and warm like summer rain, and then he took her by the hand and drew her away from the door.

She followed, her body thrumming, her gaze locked on the chaise longue, which seemed to be their destination. Excitement pulsed through her, swirling in her belly and warming her cheeks.

Griffin turned to face her, still holding her hand, the steady warmth of his grasp doing much to soothe her nerves.

He lifted his free hand to cup her cheek as a smile teased the corners of his lips. “I shouldn’t do this,” he said, tracing her cheekbone with his thumb. “I should refuse you and send you away, but I don’t want to.” His eyes blazed. “I want this. I want you, Olivia.”

His words scorched her straight through, annihilating her fears, her doubts, until all that was left was a burning desire to touch him, to feel his body against hers.

“Then kiss me,” she demanded with a none-too-gentle tug on his hand.

He went to her, his eyes dancing as his mouth swooped down and claimed its kiss. Her eyes fluttered closed as his lips touched hers and she groaned when he deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding into her mouth, his hands sweeping her body against his.

Yes. Yes. This was what she wanted. Just for one night, just this once, he would be hers.

Desire pounded through her veins as she returned his kiss, running eager hands up his forearms, his biceps, his shoulders. Reveling in the feel of him beneath her palms, the solid strength of his big, warm body, so different from her own.

She wanted his skin bared. Every inch of it. Now.

Pulling her head back, she met his gaze and slipped her fingers to the buttons of his waistcoat.

“I want to see you.”