nipple in his mouth, kissing the little bud. He ran his tongue around it, making her writhe with wanting. More. Touch the other one, lick it. More. Kiss my whole body, every inch. More. Something else too… but she wasn’t sure what. More.
But without notice, he stopped… pulled up the bodice of her dress, planted one soft kiss on her lips… and abruptly stood up from the bench.
“What? Where?” Kat asked, unable to properly string together words, her mind addled from what she’d just experienced.
“You are delicious,” he said. He must have been able to tell how flustered she was because he added, “And there is more, Katherine. But a wise man takes his time to devour a morsel so sweet.”
“But you agree to the proposition?” Kat said, regaining her equilibrium.
“I’m not sure. I want to think about it overnight.”
“Think about what?” she said, pointing to the bench. “I thought…”
“That wasn’t part of the bargain. That was pure pleasure, Kat, nothing more, nothing less.”
Chapter Sixteen
‡
T he next morning Kat lay in bed trying to think of a plausible excuse. She had no intentions of attending the picnic. Perhaps she had a horrible headache and the bright sunshine would only make it worse. Or she was deathly afraid of picnic ants and wouldn’t be able to sit on the grass. Maybe she was captured by a band of rogue robbers in the night and carried off by sailboat to Portugal. The woman who lay in the bed now was Kat’s lookalike. Those scoundrels had placed the woman there so the real Kat would never be discovered.
The third option would probably be the only one to get Aunt Ellie to stop chatterboxing. She had come into her bedroom over a half hour ago to drink their morning chocolate. The elder woman had barely taken a breath since.
“Katherine, I really believe you have a chance of becoming the Duchess of Stamwell. I saw the duke stealing glances at you all through dinner last night,” she said.
“I’m sure it isn’t true.” Kat tried to discourage her.
“And your little charades trick—handing Stamwell himself a clue. Well, I was shocked at first, Katherine, I really was. I thought you were ludicrous to do it, but then he smiled and played along. Brilliant. Katherine, it really was an ingenious move. I don’t think I’ve given you enough credit,” Aunt Ellie said. “Are you in love with him?”
“I think very highly of him,” Kat answered truthfully. “But I don’t think he is interested in having me as his bride.” He was only interested in having her body. Thinking about last night made her nipples tingle against her nightgown. She wanted him too. But before she would give in again so freely, he had to agree to help her find Luke. The whole point of their affair had been and would be to get his promise.
He already took what he wanted from her, so he really had no reason to follow through. What an idiot she was for giving herself away so freely. She should have held more back, not been so intoxicated with letting him take liberties with her without having his word. She was worse than a doxy, giving away her charms without demanding payment.
On the other hand, maybe he would agree. Last night Geoff did say there was more. So maybe he would accept the proposition after all, in exchange for whatever came next. But if he didn’t… she didn’t think her heart could bear losing her chance at finding Luke.
Lying in bed, still in her nightgown, she was too scared to face Geoff.
“Aunt Ellie, I don’t feel well enough to picnic. I have a headache,” Kat said.
“Nonsense, Katherine,” Aunt Ellie said, pulling back the covers and dragging her niece out of bed. “Fresh air is the perfect cure for a headache. Besides, today is the day you are going to make the duke fall in love with you,” she said.
Kat hoped she was right.
*
Both wagons driving to the picnic were almost full by the time Kat and Aunt Ellie finally made it downstairs. Perhaps it was
But without notice, he stopped… pulled up the bodice of her dress, planted one soft kiss on her lips… and abruptly stood up from the bench.
“What? Where?” Kat asked, unable to properly string together words, her mind addled from what she’d just experienced.
“You are delicious,” he said. He must have been able to tell how flustered she was because he added, “And there is more, Katherine. But a wise man takes his time to devour a morsel so sweet.”
“But you agree to the proposition?” Kat said, regaining her equilibrium.
“I’m not sure. I want to think about it overnight.”
“Think about what?” she said, pointing to the bench. “I thought…”
“That wasn’t part of the bargain. That was pure pleasure, Kat, nothing more, nothing less.”
Chapter Sixteen
‡
T he next morning Kat lay in bed trying to think of a plausible excuse. She had no intentions of attending the picnic. Perhaps she had a horrible headache and the bright sunshine would only make it worse. Or she was deathly afraid of picnic ants and wouldn’t be able to sit on the grass. Maybe she was captured by a band of rogue robbers in the night and carried off by sailboat to Portugal. The woman who lay in the bed now was Kat’s lookalike. Those scoundrels had placed the woman there so the real Kat would never be discovered.
The third option would probably be the only one to get Aunt Ellie to stop chatterboxing. She had come into her bedroom over a half hour ago to drink their morning chocolate. The elder woman had barely taken a breath since.
“Katherine, I really believe you have a chance of becoming the Duchess of Stamwell. I saw the duke stealing glances at you all through dinner last night,” she said.
“I’m sure it isn’t true.” Kat tried to discourage her.
“And your little charades trick—handing Stamwell himself a clue. Well, I was shocked at first, Katherine, I really was. I thought you were ludicrous to do it, but then he smiled and played along. Brilliant. Katherine, it really was an ingenious move. I don’t think I’ve given you enough credit,” Aunt Ellie said. “Are you in love with him?”
“I think very highly of him,” Kat answered truthfully. “But I don’t think he is interested in having me as his bride.” He was only interested in having her body. Thinking about last night made her nipples tingle against her nightgown. She wanted him too. But before she would give in again so freely, he had to agree to help her find Luke. The whole point of their affair had been and would be to get his promise.
He already took what he wanted from her, so he really had no reason to follow through. What an idiot she was for giving herself away so freely. She should have held more back, not been so intoxicated with letting him take liberties with her without having his word. She was worse than a doxy, giving away her charms without demanding payment.
On the other hand, maybe he would agree. Last night Geoff did say there was more. So maybe he would accept the proposition after all, in exchange for whatever came next. But if he didn’t… she didn’t think her heart could bear losing her chance at finding Luke.
Lying in bed, still in her nightgown, she was too scared to face Geoff.
“Aunt Ellie, I don’t feel well enough to picnic. I have a headache,” Kat said.
“Nonsense, Katherine,” Aunt Ellie said, pulling back the covers and dragging her niece out of bed. “Fresh air is the perfect cure for a headache. Besides, today is the day you are going to make the duke fall in love with you,” she said.
Kat hoped she was right.
*
Both wagons driving to the picnic were almost full by the time Kat and Aunt Ellie finally made it downstairs. Perhaps it was
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