patient, as though he would be content to kiss all day and do nothing else. Maybe she imagined the hungry edge to his style — the occasional nip with his teeth or stroke of his tongue.
Sophia found herself kneading his shoulders, restless in his easy embrace and frustrated by not being close enough. He responded with calm, doing nothing more than rubbing the sides of her throat with his thumbs. Oh, he had reeled her in all right. He made her feel wild and greedy, and by all accounts, he seemed leisurely. What a fool she was.
Sophia paused and raised herself on her elbows to look at him, hating that she had to catch her breath.
“Did I pass muster?” He made his wily half-smile-half-smirk, and her heart danced.
“After some practice, I suppose so.” If the fire burning me from the inside out is any indication. She rested her chin on her fist, uncaring that her elbow dug into his ribs. “Wilhelm, does this mean anything at all to you?” She stared him down, daring him to joke when she was deadly serious.
He shifted beneath her, sliding his hips against hers, and she had her answer. Oh, my. He pressed his lips into a line and raised a brow in apology.
Typical man; ask about the state of his affections, and he’ll answer with his cock.
Wilhelm raised his head, tightening the muscles in his chest. “I could get used to this, siren-woman-whose-name-is-not-Rosalie.” He caught her lips with his, provoking her in a playful rivalry that made her doubt he was an amateur. Then he rolled to the side and gently dumped her on the ground. “But I promised only to kiss you.”
He helped her stand and brushed off her skirts, sanguine as though nothing had happened. As though he’d made his point and was satisfied.
“Wilhelm, you — ”
“Oh, hey — Thor, no !” He startled her with a sharp whistle.
Sophia turned to see Thor nipping at Sadie’s flanks. The mare stomped and nickered. Wilhelm ducked down to grab a pinecone and hurled it at Thor’s flank, finally distracting the stallion.
“Time to leave. I fear for your reputation as much as Sadie’s.” He winked and handed over her gloves.
By the time he’d gathered the reins and led Sadie over, Sophia had lost all courage for asking about his motives. He circled his hands around her waist, kneaded with his fingers, then ducked down for another kiss before lifting her into the saddle.
“I know I am not at liberty to do that whenever I please. That was just one more for good luck.” He scrubbed his jaw. “I would feel much better about this whole affair if you would slap me and get it over with. I know you want to.”
Yes, in fact she did. “That was not your first kiss.”
“No.”
“You pretended to be a novice so I would take the bait. Allow you liberties.” To prove your masculinity.
“Yes.”
Sophia surprised them both by drawing her hand back and smacking him hard on the cheek. Perhaps harder than she meant to, judging by the mark already blossoming on his skin.
“Much better.” Improbably, he smiled and winked again. Rascal!
He mounted Thor and waited for her to join him on the trail, ignoring her shaking her head at him. Impossible man.
The party of horses and riders seemed to have exhausted their appetite for racing, so they made their way home at an easy trot. What had seemed like minutes of racing to reach the pond turned into a half-hour journey home, and little was said. Lord Devon looked thoughtful, probably lost in a trance, and Sophia fumed at herself.
She, the master of social maneuvering, had been manipulated. And had loved every moment of it. Even now she couldn’t muster much angst toward Lord Devon. She’d experienced twenty-and-four kisses in her lifetime, stolen by gentlemen, bohemians, even royalty from all the continental nations , men who could not kiss without trying to maul her. But number twenty-five — Wilhelm — had set her aside despite his obvious arousal. Rather chivalrous, in a way.
Sophia could only
Sophia found herself kneading his shoulders, restless in his easy embrace and frustrated by not being close enough. He responded with calm, doing nothing more than rubbing the sides of her throat with his thumbs. Oh, he had reeled her in all right. He made her feel wild and greedy, and by all accounts, he seemed leisurely. What a fool she was.
Sophia paused and raised herself on her elbows to look at him, hating that she had to catch her breath.
“Did I pass muster?” He made his wily half-smile-half-smirk, and her heart danced.
“After some practice, I suppose so.” If the fire burning me from the inside out is any indication. She rested her chin on her fist, uncaring that her elbow dug into his ribs. “Wilhelm, does this mean anything at all to you?” She stared him down, daring him to joke when she was deadly serious.
He shifted beneath her, sliding his hips against hers, and she had her answer. Oh, my. He pressed his lips into a line and raised a brow in apology.
Typical man; ask about the state of his affections, and he’ll answer with his cock.
Wilhelm raised his head, tightening the muscles in his chest. “I could get used to this, siren-woman-whose-name-is-not-Rosalie.” He caught her lips with his, provoking her in a playful rivalry that made her doubt he was an amateur. Then he rolled to the side and gently dumped her on the ground. “But I promised only to kiss you.”
He helped her stand and brushed off her skirts, sanguine as though nothing had happened. As though he’d made his point and was satisfied.
“Wilhelm, you — ”
“Oh, hey — Thor, no !” He startled her with a sharp whistle.
Sophia turned to see Thor nipping at Sadie’s flanks. The mare stomped and nickered. Wilhelm ducked down to grab a pinecone and hurled it at Thor’s flank, finally distracting the stallion.
“Time to leave. I fear for your reputation as much as Sadie’s.” He winked and handed over her gloves.
By the time he’d gathered the reins and led Sadie over, Sophia had lost all courage for asking about his motives. He circled his hands around her waist, kneaded with his fingers, then ducked down for another kiss before lifting her into the saddle.
“I know I am not at liberty to do that whenever I please. That was just one more for good luck.” He scrubbed his jaw. “I would feel much better about this whole affair if you would slap me and get it over with. I know you want to.”
Yes, in fact she did. “That was not your first kiss.”
“No.”
“You pretended to be a novice so I would take the bait. Allow you liberties.” To prove your masculinity.
“Yes.”
Sophia surprised them both by drawing her hand back and smacking him hard on the cheek. Perhaps harder than she meant to, judging by the mark already blossoming on his skin.
“Much better.” Improbably, he smiled and winked again. Rascal!
He mounted Thor and waited for her to join him on the trail, ignoring her shaking her head at him. Impossible man.
The party of horses and riders seemed to have exhausted their appetite for racing, so they made their way home at an easy trot. What had seemed like minutes of racing to reach the pond turned into a half-hour journey home, and little was said. Lord Devon looked thoughtful, probably lost in a trance, and Sophia fumed at herself.
She, the master of social maneuvering, had been manipulated. And had loved every moment of it. Even now she couldn’t muster much angst toward Lord Devon. She’d experienced twenty-and-four kisses in her lifetime, stolen by gentlemen, bohemians, even royalty from all the continental nations , men who could not kiss without trying to maul her. But number twenty-five — Wilhelm — had set her aside despite his obvious arousal. Rather chivalrous, in a way.
Sophia could only
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