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“It was. I thought you arrogant and cruel,” she said without hesitation. “I now see you are quite good at bottom.”
He seemed to choke and said, “Don’t go about using cant like that either. Good at bottom. No doubt learned f
rom Harry.”
She smiled. “Nothing wrong with it that I can see, but I should like to continue our discussion about kissing …”
“Should you?” he said with twinkling eyes.
“I know that you have done your fair share of kissing—well, that stands to reason … a man of your stamp. So you should know the answers to what I am asking,” she said brightly. What was she doing? She had meant to have just a bit of fun with him, and yet, this was turning into something else. She knew it. She had gone from thinking him an ogre to thinking him most fascinating, and now she wanted desperately for him to see her as desirable. Dangerous. She was playing a dangerous game, and she knew it but couldn’t stop herself.
“How did we get on this very delicate subject?”
“Because it is a delicate subject, and I should like to know more about it …” She eyed him flirtatiously. “I think you are the one to teach me.”
He squeaked out, “Teach you?”
“Indeed, none of the kisses I received made me swoon, and I think I should like to—swoon, that is.” She eyed him and laughed. “Don’t be so shocked, my lord. Contrary to the opinions of the male population, girls do not always enjoy a staid life. They want a man to sweep them up and take them away … they want to—”
“Never mind,” he said quickly. And then his lordship’s mirth took over. He laughed, and then he roared, and finally he ended by saying, “Kitty, you are the most delightful good company.”
“Thank you … ah, here is the posting house … oh, it is called the Green Horse. What a funny name.” She eyed him saucily. “Shall I race you the short distance …?”
“No, my spitfire, you shall not. It won’t do your reputation or your horse any good to sweat her up just before she is watered.”
She drooped. “I suppose you are right. Oh … do but look, what a lovely inn … with gardens. Oh, but it will be so good to take a walk around the grounds.”
He eyed her and said softly, “Indeed, we will order up a private room and have the horses rested for an hour or so in that paddock there. I am certain Nanny will be happy for the respite as well.”
“Oh yes, oh my lord, you are ever so thoughtful. Thank you.” She looked at him mischievously. “And in the frame of such cooperation, I shall endeavor to curb my spitfire ways.” With this she gurgled with laughter.
A few moments later, after their horses had been seen to and their meals ordered to be taken to a private room, Nanny and Max arrived with the barouche.
The earl took his charge’s ungloved fingers in his hand.
Kitty felt a thrill rush up her spine, blast open her brain, and then fork off to race through each arm. He was mesmerizing. As he walked her down the flagstone path, between garden beds of colorful flowers, she said, “Have you ever been in love, my lord?” What was she doing? Oh, she couldn’t fool herself. She knew what she was doing. She had decided that she would like to be kissed by the experienced rogue of an earl, and to that end she stalked.
He turned wide-open eyes to her. “In love? Ever? Well, discounting puppy infatuation when I was just a lad, no, I don’t think so.”
“Then you don’t have a poor opinion of women because one broke your heart?”
He laughed and took her chin. “No, minx, I do not.”
“The rumor is that you only … are connected romantically to married women. Do you only kiss married women?”
His face displayed his absolute shock. “What? Who told you such a thing?”
“Is it not true?” she asked eyeing him.
“Well, it is true, but no one should be speaking to you about such things,” he returned on a frown.
“They didn’t. I heard Clay and Harry talking about you being a rogue, and Harry said it was no such thing, as you only dally with women of experience. I supposed that to mean married women.”
He had stiffened and then all at once seemed to relax. “Kitty, Kitty …”
She didn’t know what made her do it. Impulse, she supposed, but all at once she was on her tippy toes and her hands were sliding up his chest. Before he could stop her, she hurriedly put a soft kiss on his lips and murmured, “I do so like you, my lord.”
His voice was a husky sound when he returned, “I am glad of it … but, Kitty … you shouldn’t be …”
