Page 48 of A Secret Scottish Christmas

“What? Kiss me here?” She looked toward the door. “Someone might see.”

Why that wily brother of mine. He kissed the girl!Robbie smiled at the pretty redhead. “That makes it all the more exciting.”

He leaned toward her.

She did not move.

He inclined his head and closed his eyes as he gently kissed her soft lips. He did not wish to frighten her. Apparently, he did not. He opened his eyes to see hers sparkling with happiness as she slid her hands to his nape and pulled him to her.

He kissed her again. This time, she joined in with greater abandon than he would have imagined coming from a green girl. Her lips were warm and oh, so inviting. How could he resist? When she opened her mouth to his tongue, he decided to indulge fully in what she offered.

The book slid to the floor and he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her onto his lap.

She tasted sweet, reminding him of summer and honey.

As the kiss ended, she said, “Oh Nash, that was wonderful, different than the first one, but still very nice.”

“I rather enjoyed it myself. However, you were right. The difference might be accounted for by the fear of discovery.” So, he and Nash kissed differently. Well, thank God for that. Robbie had no intention of spending his excellent kissing skills to improve the girl’s opinion of his brother.

Smiling sweetly, a slight blush on her pale skin, she leaned in to say, “I told you I liked it.”

“So you did.” Having taken his disguise this far, Robbie had to carry it through. Tempted to kiss her again, he thought better of it. “Still, perhaps we should go before someone sees us.”

She dropped her arms from his shoulders and he slid her from his lap, commanding his body to relax.

“But Nash, next time, can you kiss me without your spectacles? I cannot see you clearly when you wear them.”

“And next time,” he suggested, suddenly glad for his spectacles, steamed as they were, “let’s find a more private location.”

“I’ll think of somewhere we can be alone,” she said.

He got to his feet, picked up the book and placed it on the settee. When she rose to stand next to him, he removed his spectacles but did not meet her gaze. “The others will soon be coming back from their afternoon pursuits. Might I suggest we retire to the parlor for a glass of claret?”

“Aye, I would like that. But first, I must change for dinner. I’ll meet you there. By the way, where is your brother, Robbie?”

“Robbie?” he asked innocently, throwing in a shrug for good measure. “Oh, I think he went for a walk. He cannot have gone far. I’m certain he’s around here somewhere.”