respond, and he tried again. "Grace…"
Her eyes fluttered open. For a few seconds, she studied him, her confusion clear, then realization dawned. To his delight, she didn’t recoil or race out in a huff.
Her only immediate reaction was to withdraw the arm on his waist. She rose up on an elbow and assessed her surroundings.
"Where am I?" she asked.
"In my bed. You fell asleep."
"During supper?"
"Yes."
"How mortifying." She flopped down and chuckled. "I’ve won the award for being the worst guest ever."
"I agree. As company, you’re an absolute bore."
"How long have I been out?"
"Six or seven hours."
"Hours!"
"Yes."
"What time is it?"
"Three."
"Why didn’t you send me on my way? Why bring me in here?"
"I’m a wretch, and I have no manners."
"No one saw me, did they? Please tell me none of the servants came in."
"No, no one saw you."
"Thank goodness. If my reputation had been shredded, you’d have had to marry me. It would be a cruel fate for you. I doubt you’d survive it."
"Very funny."
"What have you been doing?"
"Drinking. Watching you."
"My, my," she sarcastically said, "what interesting amusements you have in the country. I’m so dull, I’m amazed you could stay awake."
"It was definitely a chore."
She grinned. "We’re making progress. You’re not shouting at me."
"I don’t shout."
"Ha! You have the most annoying temper."
"I only display it when I’m incredibly aggravated."
"Yes, you’re a shouter."
"I am not." He frowned, then grinned. "Well, maybe a little."
"I’d better get out of here."
"I don’t want you to go."
"You’re not allowed to have an opinion."
"You didn’t complain when I was carrying you in my arms."
"Spoken like a typical male who always thinks he’s in the right."
"I always think I’m in the right because I always am."
She was quiet then, smiling, lost in thought. She was so pretty, and though it sounded silly, he was so happy just from being around her. Before he could reconsider, before he could talk himself out of it, he leaned over and kissed her.
It was very chaste, very innocent, but it was a kiss nonetheless. He probably shouldn’t have proceeded, but he wasn’t sorry.
"What did you do that for?" she asked as he drew away.
"I couldn’t resist. I’ve been contemplating it all night."
"You couldn’t possibly have been."
"I’m a man. I hardly ponder anything else."
"I’m sure that’s true. Has your curiosity been assuaged?"
"No. How about yours?"
"I wasn’t curious, so there was naught to assuage."
"You are such a liar. You’re fascinated by me. You’re enthralled."
"I might admit to being fascinated, but that doesn’t mean I’ve been dying to be kissed by you."
" All women are dying to be kissed by me. I’ve never met a female who wasn’t a trembling wreck, waiting for my amorous advance."
His brash comment made her laugh and laugh, and he liked how her eyes crinkled with merriment, how two dimples creased her cheeks.
As her mirth waned, he rolled on top of her, and she warily evaluated him.
"This isn’t a good idea," she insisted.
"Yes, it is."
"You’re taking advantage of me when I’m tired and my defenses are down."
"It’s the best time to get my way."
"We don’t even like each other."
"Maybe if I kiss you again, we’ll change our minds."
"I doubt it. You’re too much of a—"
"Grace?"
"What?"
"Be silent."
She was prepared to launch into a tirade of his faults, but he was in no mood to listen. She generated the oddest feelings, and he didn’t like to suffer so much emotional upheaval. He was solely interested in sexual contact, and if he could just get close enough, if he could focus on the physical, perhaps he could chase away the irksome sentiments that kept bubbling to the surface.
She was studying him, appearing resigned, as if she finally accepted that they’d arrived precisely where they were supposed to be. There
Her eyes fluttered open. For a few seconds, she studied him, her confusion clear, then realization dawned. To his delight, she didn’t recoil or race out in a huff.
Her only immediate reaction was to withdraw the arm on his waist. She rose up on an elbow and assessed her surroundings.
"Where am I?" she asked.
"In my bed. You fell asleep."
"During supper?"
"Yes."
"How mortifying." She flopped down and chuckled. "I’ve won the award for being the worst guest ever."
"I agree. As company, you’re an absolute bore."
"How long have I been out?"
"Six or seven hours."
"Hours!"
"Yes."
"What time is it?"
"Three."
"Why didn’t you send me on my way? Why bring me in here?"
"I’m a wretch, and I have no manners."
"No one saw me, did they? Please tell me none of the servants came in."
"No, no one saw you."
"Thank goodness. If my reputation had been shredded, you’d have had to marry me. It would be a cruel fate for you. I doubt you’d survive it."
"Very funny."
"What have you been doing?"
"Drinking. Watching you."
"My, my," she sarcastically said, "what interesting amusements you have in the country. I’m so dull, I’m amazed you could stay awake."
"It was definitely a chore."
She grinned. "We’re making progress. You’re not shouting at me."
"I don’t shout."
"Ha! You have the most annoying temper."
"I only display it when I’m incredibly aggravated."
"Yes, you’re a shouter."
"I am not." He frowned, then grinned. "Well, maybe a little."
"I’d better get out of here."
"I don’t want you to go."
"You’re not allowed to have an opinion."
"You didn’t complain when I was carrying you in my arms."
"Spoken like a typical male who always thinks he’s in the right."
"I always think I’m in the right because I always am."
She was quiet then, smiling, lost in thought. She was so pretty, and though it sounded silly, he was so happy just from being around her. Before he could reconsider, before he could talk himself out of it, he leaned over and kissed her.
It was very chaste, very innocent, but it was a kiss nonetheless. He probably shouldn’t have proceeded, but he wasn’t sorry.
"What did you do that for?" she asked as he drew away.
"I couldn’t resist. I’ve been contemplating it all night."
"You couldn’t possibly have been."
"I’m a man. I hardly ponder anything else."
"I’m sure that’s true. Has your curiosity been assuaged?"
"No. How about yours?"
"I wasn’t curious, so there was naught to assuage."
"You are such a liar. You’re fascinated by me. You’re enthralled."
"I might admit to being fascinated, but that doesn’t mean I’ve been dying to be kissed by you."
" All women are dying to be kissed by me. I’ve never met a female who wasn’t a trembling wreck, waiting for my amorous advance."
His brash comment made her laugh and laugh, and he liked how her eyes crinkled with merriment, how two dimples creased her cheeks.
As her mirth waned, he rolled on top of her, and she warily evaluated him.
"This isn’t a good idea," she insisted.
"Yes, it is."
"You’re taking advantage of me when I’m tired and my defenses are down."
"It’s the best time to get my way."
"We don’t even like each other."
"Maybe if I kiss you again, we’ll change our minds."
"I doubt it. You’re too much of a—"
"Grace?"
"What?"
"Be silent."
She was prepared to launch into a tirade of his faults, but he was in no mood to listen. She generated the oddest feelings, and he didn’t like to suffer so much emotional upheaval. He was solely interested in sexual contact, and if he could just get close enough, if he could focus on the physical, perhaps he could chase away the irksome sentiments that kept bubbling to the surface.
She was studying him, appearing resigned, as if she finally accepted that they’d arrived precisely where they were supposed to be. There
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