hand to silence him. His lips puckered beneath her fingers before she pulled her hand away, stepped up onto the tips of her toes, and waited for him to lay claim to her lips again. George’s arms came around her and crushed their bodies tightly together.
He broke away and said, “I should compromise you so that you have no choice but to marry me without delay.”
She lightly traced the tip of her finger over his chin. “Speak to my father again. Insist you will not take no for an answer.”
“Your father would never agree to an alliance between our families. He’s always thought the Carletons a filthy sort with our heavy ties in trade.”
“My father has always been a stickler for the rules of society. The thing my father most likes about Westmoore is that his lands are rich. He’s never had to worry about keeping his estates running not even when everyone else’s funds dried up during the Regent’s time.” Kate sighed heavily and settled back on the flat of her feet. “My father has had his heart set on a union with the Duke of Westmoore since I debuted and you made your intention clear to court me.”
“Dearest—” George cupped his palms against her cheeks. “—don’t look glum. I’ll find a way to convince him that we are meant to marry, if that is what you want.”
That was exactly what she’d always wanted. Right now, however, she wanted to revel in the strong feel of him for the rest of the night, but their reunion would have to come to an end soon, lest she be missed from the party.
“We shouldn’t be having so hopeless a conversation when you came directly to see me upon your arrival home.”
“Where else would I go? I’ve thought of nothing and no one but you since the day I left.” His hand wandered from her hip to her rear. “Now, let me have another taste of what I’ve missed so much.”
She shoved playfully at his chest. “You’re a rogue, George Langsley.”
“It must run in the Carleton bloodlines, right beside our insatiable need for adventure and tinkering in trade. It’s a good thing we fight for and win what we want most in life.” He cocked both eyebrows. “I’ve missed you, darling. I dreamed about you every moment I was awake, and in my dreams . . . if only I could tell you all the wickedness you committed while I slept.”
She fisted the edge of his jacket and gave him a sultry look. “And what of my dreams?”
Their lips meshed and both were breathing heavily as though they’d exerted themselves by a mere kiss.
“You’ll have us caught if we don’t get back to the party soon.”
“Would that be so terrible? We’ve wanted marriage for years, Kate.”
She narrowed her eyes. “As I recall it, you saw me as a little girl until my debut into society at eighteen.”
“Actually . . .”
She looked up at him, her gaze coy and playful. “This isn’t the way to win my hand, as you well know.”
He chuckled. “I’ll see your father on the morrow, but it’s been months since I’ve had you in my arms, and I plan on kissing you a great deal longer than I’ve had the opportunity to do thus far.”
Kate’s toes sank into the soft, dew-dampened soil. “What if I say you haven’t yet earned another kiss?”
“Then I’ll do whatever you ask of me.”
“Anything?” She took a step away from him. With a smile and her hands folded in front of her, she said, “Ask my father tonight. Do whatever it takes for him to agree to your suit.”
He was quiet for some moments before tipping her chin up. “If I agree, will you let me kiss you again?”
Kate gave him a measuring look. “Promise me. I need your word, George. We’ve played this courting game for too long.”
“Only because we’ve known each other half our lives.”
She took his hand, clasping it between them. “And just think, had you not fallen out of one of my father’s trees and broken your arm, we may never have met.”
“I fell only because you startled me when you yelled
He broke away and said, “I should compromise you so that you have no choice but to marry me without delay.”
She lightly traced the tip of her finger over his chin. “Speak to my father again. Insist you will not take no for an answer.”
“Your father would never agree to an alliance between our families. He’s always thought the Carletons a filthy sort with our heavy ties in trade.”
“My father has always been a stickler for the rules of society. The thing my father most likes about Westmoore is that his lands are rich. He’s never had to worry about keeping his estates running not even when everyone else’s funds dried up during the Regent’s time.” Kate sighed heavily and settled back on the flat of her feet. “My father has had his heart set on a union with the Duke of Westmoore since I debuted and you made your intention clear to court me.”
“Dearest—” George cupped his palms against her cheeks. “—don’t look glum. I’ll find a way to convince him that we are meant to marry, if that is what you want.”
That was exactly what she’d always wanted. Right now, however, she wanted to revel in the strong feel of him for the rest of the night, but their reunion would have to come to an end soon, lest she be missed from the party.
“We shouldn’t be having so hopeless a conversation when you came directly to see me upon your arrival home.”
“Where else would I go? I’ve thought of nothing and no one but you since the day I left.” His hand wandered from her hip to her rear. “Now, let me have another taste of what I’ve missed so much.”
She shoved playfully at his chest. “You’re a rogue, George Langsley.”
“It must run in the Carleton bloodlines, right beside our insatiable need for adventure and tinkering in trade. It’s a good thing we fight for and win what we want most in life.” He cocked both eyebrows. “I’ve missed you, darling. I dreamed about you every moment I was awake, and in my dreams . . . if only I could tell you all the wickedness you committed while I slept.”
She fisted the edge of his jacket and gave him a sultry look. “And what of my dreams?”
Their lips meshed and both were breathing heavily as though they’d exerted themselves by a mere kiss.
“You’ll have us caught if we don’t get back to the party soon.”
“Would that be so terrible? We’ve wanted marriage for years, Kate.”
She narrowed her eyes. “As I recall it, you saw me as a little girl until my debut into society at eighteen.”
“Actually . . .”
She looked up at him, her gaze coy and playful. “This isn’t the way to win my hand, as you well know.”
He chuckled. “I’ll see your father on the morrow, but it’s been months since I’ve had you in my arms, and I plan on kissing you a great deal longer than I’ve had the opportunity to do thus far.”
Kate’s toes sank into the soft, dew-dampened soil. “What if I say you haven’t yet earned another kiss?”
“Then I’ll do whatever you ask of me.”
“Anything?” She took a step away from him. With a smile and her hands folded in front of her, she said, “Ask my father tonight. Do whatever it takes for him to agree to your suit.”
He was quiet for some moments before tipping her chin up. “If I agree, will you let me kiss you again?”
Kate gave him a measuring look. “Promise me. I need your word, George. We’ve played this courting game for too long.”
“Only because we’ve known each other half our lives.”
She took his hand, clasping it between them. “And just think, had you not fallen out of one of my father’s trees and broken your arm, we may never have met.”
“I fell only because you startled me when you yelled
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