couldn't stop himself from clasping her hand and holding it over his heart. Her big brown eyes full of concern, her red lips glistening in the sun as she rambled on about Mr. Walters, trying to explain everything in one breath. She was so charming, so alive. Viedma with its brightly painted buildings and colorful street vendors paled in comparison to her vibrancy.
"I've tried every argument I can think of to convince him,” she continued. “I've even touted the suffrage movement, which I know he abides, but he still doesn't believe me."
The sounds of the peddlers faded. All he could hear was his pounding heart and her rapid words. The smell of her tantalizing aroma mixing with the rich smells of the market flowed through his brain, drugging his commonsense.
His head dipped closer to hers, determined to silence her with a kiss. Not a mere brushing of lips, but a breath-stealing foray of passion he would remember for the rest of his life. There was no doubt she would taste as sweet as summer rain and set fire to every nerve ending in his body.
Her ramblings slowed to silence as his lips neared hers. Anticipation of her exquisite lips meeting his engulfed his thoughts. He nearly groaned as her dainty tongue darted out, moistening the edge.
Just one kiss. One amazing kiss.
"There you are!” Mr. Walters trotted up beside them.
Stephen jerked away, as did Kristina, barely saving him from making an absolute ass of himself.
"I thought I'd lost you for good. Are you ready to board?” his assistant asked.
Kristina turned to Mr. Walters. “Would you do me a favor and take my basket aboard, Mr. Walters? I need to discuss something with Doctor Baxter."
The young man looked at him with a strange sort of glint in his eye. He did as she asked with a wary glance over his shoulder.
Closing his eyes, Stephen pinched the bridge of his nose beneath his spectacles. How much worse could things get? He had obviously seen what was about to happen. And on a blasted boat dock in front of the entire town! What a hypocrite he'd become! How on earth was he going to keep himself from following through with that kiss when they were no longer in public, when they would inevitably find themselves alone?
"I hope you understand about Mr. Walters."
The sound of her unsteady voice pulled him from the disquieting thoughts of the future. She must be completely beside herself with anger at his behavior.
Re-adjusting his spectacles, he looked down into her flushed face. Her gaze darted away then back again. Angry, embarrassed, nervous. Had he totally destroyed the growing friendship they had developed?
"Miss Peterson, I'm sorry I misunderstood the situation. And—and I apologize for making a scene in public. It shan't happen again. If you'd be so kind as to forget the matter completely, I would be forever in your debt."
Meeting his gaze, she cocked her head to the side in that adoringly puzzled way she had, but said nothing.
With a steadying breath, he gestured for her to precede him down the ramp. “I believe we should board."
She hesitated a moment then walked ahead of him. He watched her float along the planks onto the steamer without a word. He had, without a doubt, succeeded in ruining what was an engaging, albeit often frustrating relationship with the woman. There would be no way he could salvage things now.
After depositing her in front of her compartment door and receiving a murmured thank you, he went in search of some peace and quiet. A few good shots of whiskey would feel just about right. Shame he wasn't a drinking man.
Chapter Six
Kristina flopped down on the berth, stunned by what had almost happened on the dock.
"He was going to kiss me,” she said softly. “He was actually going to kiss me."
One corner of her mouth turned up in a crooked grin then slowly faded with the realization of how badly she wanted him to kiss her. And despising beards as she did that would mean her attraction to the man was growing, overpowering
"I've tried every argument I can think of to convince him,” she continued. “I've even touted the suffrage movement, which I know he abides, but he still doesn't believe me."
The sounds of the peddlers faded. All he could hear was his pounding heart and her rapid words. The smell of her tantalizing aroma mixing with the rich smells of the market flowed through his brain, drugging his commonsense.
His head dipped closer to hers, determined to silence her with a kiss. Not a mere brushing of lips, but a breath-stealing foray of passion he would remember for the rest of his life. There was no doubt she would taste as sweet as summer rain and set fire to every nerve ending in his body.
Her ramblings slowed to silence as his lips neared hers. Anticipation of her exquisite lips meeting his engulfed his thoughts. He nearly groaned as her dainty tongue darted out, moistening the edge.
Just one kiss. One amazing kiss.
"There you are!” Mr. Walters trotted up beside them.
Stephen jerked away, as did Kristina, barely saving him from making an absolute ass of himself.
"I thought I'd lost you for good. Are you ready to board?” his assistant asked.
Kristina turned to Mr. Walters. “Would you do me a favor and take my basket aboard, Mr. Walters? I need to discuss something with Doctor Baxter."
The young man looked at him with a strange sort of glint in his eye. He did as she asked with a wary glance over his shoulder.
Closing his eyes, Stephen pinched the bridge of his nose beneath his spectacles. How much worse could things get? He had obviously seen what was about to happen. And on a blasted boat dock in front of the entire town! What a hypocrite he'd become! How on earth was he going to keep himself from following through with that kiss when they were no longer in public, when they would inevitably find themselves alone?
"I hope you understand about Mr. Walters."
The sound of her unsteady voice pulled him from the disquieting thoughts of the future. She must be completely beside herself with anger at his behavior.
Re-adjusting his spectacles, he looked down into her flushed face. Her gaze darted away then back again. Angry, embarrassed, nervous. Had he totally destroyed the growing friendship they had developed?
"Miss Peterson, I'm sorry I misunderstood the situation. And—and I apologize for making a scene in public. It shan't happen again. If you'd be so kind as to forget the matter completely, I would be forever in your debt."
Meeting his gaze, she cocked her head to the side in that adoringly puzzled way she had, but said nothing.
With a steadying breath, he gestured for her to precede him down the ramp. “I believe we should board."
She hesitated a moment then walked ahead of him. He watched her float along the planks onto the steamer without a word. He had, without a doubt, succeeded in ruining what was an engaging, albeit often frustrating relationship with the woman. There would be no way he could salvage things now.
After depositing her in front of her compartment door and receiving a murmured thank you, he went in search of some peace and quiet. A few good shots of whiskey would feel just about right. Shame he wasn't a drinking man.
Chapter Six
Kristina flopped down on the berth, stunned by what had almost happened on the dock.
"He was going to kiss me,” she said softly. “He was actually going to kiss me."
One corner of her mouth turned up in a crooked grin then slowly faded with the realization of how badly she wanted him to kiss her. And despising beards as she did that would mean her attraction to the man was growing, overpowering
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