Never Been Bit by Lydia Dare

Of course, she would bring him to the orangery. It was her favorite place.
    “Ye’re the second gentleman ta visit me in the orangery today,” she remarked absently.
    That caught his attention and he dragged his eyes from her derriere. “Who was the first?”
    “Lord Bexley was here earlier. He’s a curious fellow, is he no’?” She reached for a large, empty pot and set it on a nearby table.
    Damn it to hell. The hair on Alec’s arms stood up. “What did Bexley want with you?”
    “Ye make it sound as though no one would want ta spend time with me, Alec,” she said, laughing.
    At least he hadn’t offended her. Yet. But Bexley was someone she shouldn’t be alone with. “Oh, I have no doubt men want to spend time with you, Sorch. But you should take care with Bexley. He has a sordid reputation.”
    “As do ye,” she reminded him with a glare. “Will ye pass me that pot over there?” she asked as she filled her container with soil.
    He reached for it absently. “But I would never ruin you. Bexley, on the other hand…” He didn’t even want to envision Sorcha alone with that reprobate. “What exactly did he do?”
    Sorcha shrugged. “He was just bein’ a bit odd, actually. I’m no’ certain what ta make of it. He invited me ta sit and talk for a bit. And he put his arm around me.”
    “He did what?” As soon as Alec got his hands on the blackguard— “Doona act like ye canna hear me, Alec,” she scolded.
    “He touched you?” Alec asked, reining in his temper.
    “No’ like that,” she clarified. “No’ like ye did,” she said more quietly as a pretty little blush crept up her cheeks.
    “About that,” Alec said as he shuffled his feet. “That was a poor choice on my part.” He hadn’t been thinking clearly, and now he couldn’t stop thinking about her. A poor choice indeed. He wasn’t certain he’d ever forget the feel of her soft lips against his.
    Sorcha nodded. “I thought ye might think so.” Suddenly, she seemed very interested in the plant she held. Where only a moment before she’d been looking up at him as she talked, she no longer did. She focused all her attention on the plant. “I mean, a man like yerself, ye’ve kissed scores of lasses. I am but a drop in the big, old bucket that’s yer love life.”
    She wasn’t a drop in a bucket at all. She was all he could think about, all of a sudden. “My bucket’s empty,” he said.
    Then he waited for her reaction.
    She snorted. “Somehow I doubt that.” She was up to her elbows in dirt, and she’d never looked prettier. She swiped a hand across her brow to brush back a stray lock of hair, but it fell right back over her eyes. “Can ye help me?” she asked as she blew at the tuft of hair.
    She’d swiped a large streak of dirt across her forehead, so Alec took out his handkerchief and reached for her chin to steady her with one hand while he tucked the lock of hair back into her coiffure and wiped at the streak with the other.
    The sweet scent of apple blossoms washed over him as she blew heavily. “There,” he said as he bent and kissed that shiny clean forehead quickly. “That better?” Why on earth had he done that? He never did anything like that. Not anymore.
    “Much,” she breathed. Her heart was suddenly beating rapidly within her breast. He could hear the wash of blood in her veins and see the pulse that beat at the base of her throat. His teeth began to ache. Alec took a step back from her, hoping to regain a bit of his control.
    “So this surprise,” he started. “What exactly is it?”
    She pointed to the half-potted plant on the table. “I found this the other day when I was out here workin’. Sad little thing, is it no’?” She turned back to her work. “The gardener told me it’s a precious orchid the duke bought for the duchess years ago. They did all they could for it and finally gave up hope that it would survive and tucked the poor thing inta the back of the orangery. There it has