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“Tell me, then.”
She smiled coyly up to him. “I will not reveal it, just yet. I am still formulating my idea of you in my head. There are two of you, currently, competing for prominence for your true character.”
“Which makes me think that I need to remind you of which character I think is most prominent,” he said, grinning wickedly down at her.
“There he is, the rake,” she said, trying to be lighthearted. However, her heart jumped at his devilish smile.
Stopping her on the path, he faced her, a playful look in his eye. “Knowing what you know now, would you let me be bold? To tempt you?”
“I don’t see why you should want to trivialize with me,” she said, pretending to be unaffected. She thought that perhaps if she met his teasing cockiness with her own, she could keep him from realizing that she might actually be attracted to him.
He reached a hand toward her face and stroked the back of his fingers down her cheek, sending shivers down her spine.
“You have just admitted to discouraging suitors you didn’t think were worth your time. Yet, you let me be bold with you, which I would see as encouragement to continue. You have let me kiss you, as children might. Perhaps you would let me kiss you as a lover might kiss.”
Instinctually, feeling his thumb against her lips, she let them part. He bent down toward her, bringing his face closer to hers. The yearning she had felt in the garden nook returned in full force and she sucked in her breath, hoping that he would place his mouth on hers again.
When his mouth hovered just a hairs’ breath away from hers, he hesitated. She wanted to close the space between them. The longer he hesitated, the more her desire grew. She lifted her face, pressing her lips against his. Leaning into her, he deepened the kiss, touching her waist.
In the distance, she heard voices approaching. Stepping away from him, she said quickly, “Your Grace, I do not think we should let ourselves get carried away as such.”
He nodded curtly, his nostrils flaring, but they both turned to greet Joseph and Kitty as they approached.
