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"I'd like to see your chest."
"I'm not sure you'd like it. There's hair on it, you know."
"I know that!"
"What is it that you wish to see then?"
She narrowed her eyes in irritation. "Oh, I think I understand. You've seen women's breasts before, so why would you care to see more?"
There was no arguing with that nonsense, so Jude simply reached for his cravat. He pulled the ends free and unbuttoned his shirt down to the placard. She seemed satisfied with that and slipped her hand beneath the linen to touch his bare skin.
Jude stifled a deep groan. Her hand stroked a tentative path over his chest and twisted knives into his soul.
"You are hairy," she breathed.
I will not pull her over me.
"But not frighteningly so. It feels rather nice."
And I will not slide myself atop her.
She explored up to his shoulders and down to the bottom of his rib cage. "You are so very wide compared to me."
Her palm slid over his nipple, and Jude clenched his teeth. And when her hand skipped down to the sensitive skin of his stomach, he sucked in a gulp of air.
"Sorry, does that tickle?"
"Yes." Yes, it tickled, but the jump in his heartbeat made his cock pound harder until his arousal felt more like pain.
"This is nice," Marissa murmured. "I like this."
Pain or not, he liked it too, and when Marissa laid her head on his shoulder and rested her hand over his heart, something more powerful than lust swelled inside him, and he closed his eyes and curved his hand over her head to keep her close.
"Mm," she murmured sleepily. "I finally see what you mean about not embarrassing yourself."
"Pardon?"
"Your trousers are quite out of sorts."
She sounded so ridiculously prim that Jude couldn't believe her words. Then he burst into deep, honest laughter. Marissa York was like no other woman he'd ever met. It was no wonder he was falling in love with her.
Chapter 11
Marissa hated Nanette, and she was beginning to hate Mr. Dunwoody as well. And, she decided with a petulant scowl, if she was going to hate people, she may as well add Patience Wcllingsly to the list. The woman had no right to sit out in the sunlight on an autumn day and simply... glow.
Marissa had first thought her mother's suggestion of a grand picnic exciting. It was a beautiful, warm day, and a romantic picnic would add to the story of love at first sight that she and Jude were attempting to weave. Well, Jude was claiming he'd loved her at first sight. Marissa was smiling shyly and pretending to accept it all as her due.
"More punch, my darling?" he asked loudly as he rose to his feet. Patience Wcllingsly watched from her blanket as he stood straight and dusted off his trousers. The woman's eyes showed a deep appreciation for such large thighs, and Marissa had to fight the urge to put a hand to his leg and lay claim to them.
"She is so beautiful," Beth sighed.
"I know. It's sickening."
"Do you think Mr. Dunwoody is in love with her?"
"Why would... ? Oh." She swung her eyes back toward the Samuel blanket, where Mr. Dunwoody sat straight and proper. "You should move over there. Talk to him. I daresay he'd be relieved to change subjects. One can only speak of Nanette for so long."
"Marissa!" Beth laughed, but her face soon turned miserable again. "No, I cannot move there now. It would be obvious I was only begging attention."
