Kiss Me, Kate (2 page)

He pressed her back on the bench, their tongues tangling deeply. She brushed her fingers through his hair and arched her chest up into his.

He did not take more liberties than the kiss. His arms remained wrapped around her back, cushioning her from the hard stone of the bench. The whiskers on his face prickled her soft skin, but she didn’t care, even if that meant staying away from the rest of the company for longer than she’d ever previously dared.

George released her. “We need to get you back.”

“I’m not ready to say good-bye yet. You’ve only just arrived.” She gave a little pout with her lip.

“And it’ll be noted that we are both missing.”

He pulled her up from the bench. He was right, of course. And if they wanted her father’s blessing in marriage, they needed to act with the greatest propriety.

They stood and looked at each other for a moment, both reluctant to go back. She gave him a coquettish smile.

George groaned and roughly raked his fingers through his hair. “You put me on edge, Kate. What I would give to hear you say, ‘Take me away and marry me without anyone’s consent.’ I’d do it in a heartbeat.”

“I know you would. But we must do this properly.”

“Kate, dearest, there is nothing proper about us sneaking out of a house party to kiss under the stars.”

“Well”—she traced the strong line of his jaw—“that will just have to remain our secret.”

He laughed and caught her up in his arms to pull her into a tight hug.

With much more reluctance than she wanted to show, she pulled away and took his hand as he led them back to the house.

Chapter 2

George threw another pebble at the glass-paned doors that flanked Kate’s private balcony. He would take his chances with the trellis just as soon as Kate was awake and he knew he wouldn’t scare her half to death. Besides, he still had a fistful of pebbles in his palm.

A taper finally lit, but no one came to the window to see who dared to throw rocks. He whistled and tossed another pebble. The halo of light from within edged closer. He hadn’t even caught a glimpse of Kate before the lock on the door clicked over and she came outside to peer down at him.

Her hair was tied in a thick blond braid that fell over her right shoulder. The robe she wore was short sleeved and cinched around her small waist, revealing the lean lines of her body. The weather was agreeable and quite warm for a spring evening in June. A light breeze swirled more fog about his feet and lifted a few loose tendrils of Kate’s hair.

He’d known she was the woman who would be his wife since he’d come back from Eton. She’d been brazen and daring; every man in her vicinity had taken a second, very assessing look. But she belonged to him.

“What an enthralling, beautiful sight you make when the moon is bright in the sky.”

Why hadn’t he spent a greater portion of his younger days throwing rocks at the window of the loveliest woman he’d ever known?

“What are you doing here so late, George?”

“Your father said no.” He’d debated telling her that for hours now. But she needed to know that his suit was refused once again.

She leaned forward on the balustrade with an annoyed huff. “I think he does it in spite.”

“He’ll never agree to a match between us. There is no reasoning with him, Kate.”

“I’ll speak with him first thing in the morning.” She yawned into her hand. “What time is it?”

“Three.”

“You woke me up at three in the morning to tell me my father refused your proposal?”

“The disappointment of his answer has kept me awake this long.” With a cheeky grin, he added, “Besides, everyone should see their future bride at least once in the middle of the night before they take their vows.”

With a soft giggle she asked, “And why is that?”

“To make sure you aren’t hideously appointed once the party is over.”

She straightened and gave him a reproachful look. “If you are going to wake me up at three in the morning to throw insults at me, I’ll take my leave.”

“And now I know how you’ll respond should I wake you in the middle of the night when you’re next to me.” He tossed down his handful of pebbles and dusted the palm of his hand off on his breeches. “Now, my bride-to-be, it’s time for me to steal a kiss and be off before your father catches us.”

“You cannot come into the house at this hour.” Her finger drummed along the balustrade. “Will you climb the wall like a young Romeo after his Juliet?”

“Don’t be so tragic, dearest. I prefer you were Rapunzel and I your handsome prince come to your rescue. Much nobler a story when the protagonists live in the end. Now, let your hair down, my fair princess.”

She tossed her braid over the balcony with a laugh. Of course, it fell short of the goal, but that didn’t matter. Dusting his hands off as though that would help aid him in his task, he took a running leap at the trellis wall; using that and the adjacent wall of the house, he pulled himself up to the second story.

Kate rushed forward with a surprised gasp and leaned over the stone balcony to grab his arm as though she’d be able to pull up his weight.

“Let me be the knight in shining armor for a moment before you fuss over me.” He looked back over his shoulder when he had a good footing on the wall. “I daresay, it looked shorter a distance from the ground.”

On reaching the top, he hoisted himself over the stone barrier separating them and landed softly on his feet in front of her.

“Now, I think a kiss is in order for that marvelous feat.”

“How do you propose you’ll get back down?”

“Same way I got up. Don’t worry.” He patted off a few stray leaves from his jacket and puffed out his chest. “It’ll be as easy as climbing up.”

She stepped forward and helped him dust off some of the debris from the wall. Though he enjoyed being fussed over by lovely lass, he wasted no time and pulled her into his arms. 

“I’ll be covered in bits of dirt and flower,” she scolded.

“It’s for a good cause. Now, that kiss for your rescuer is long overdue.”

“Is it?” she teased.

“Oh, indeed, madam. Or I shall lay siege to your lips without permission to do so.”

Her eyes lit up with a becoming smile. “You always have my permission.”

With that she leaned forward to press her lips to his. Her lips brushed featherlike over the side of his face and ear as he scooped her off her feet and led her back inside to her private chambers.

He stared into her dark eyes, seeing the spark of mischief that lay in wait for him. “You make me want to do wicked things to you.”

She threw her arm around his shoulder and hugged him tighter. “What kind of wicked things?”

“I’ll share the details once we are married.” He placed her on the damask bench situated at the end of her bed and sat next to her.

Her arms were still wrapped around his shoulders, her eyes searching his. “How cruel you are to keep me in suspense.”

“For now, it’s how it has to be.” He gave her a smile, knowing that wasn’t the response she sought. “Now, tell me what I’ve missed while I’ve been away?”

“Absolutely nothing. It’s been a dry season thus far. The Pemberses’ fourth daughter debuted and she seems to have a fair number more suitors than all her sisters put together.” She absently drew a pattern on his arm as she rehashed what he’d missed during the months he was away.

“We could create a little excitement of our own, darling. If we ran away right now, we’d be the sensation of the season.”

“But I have a two o’clock engagement with Westmoore,” she said with a sidelong look.

“Ah, yes, we can’t leave the poor duke waiting and wondering.”

She shoved at his shoulder and stepped away from him.

“None of that, dearest.”

“I will plead with my father tomorrow. Now, I think you should give me another kiss?” she said.

The heat of her so close did things to his body that made thinking next to impossible.

“I’m going mad with my want for you,” he said.

“Good, because I wouldn’t want you sane if you left me to my father’s schemes.”

He pressed his lips to hers, reveling in the sweet taste of her mouth. He’d needed and wanted her for so long now that he would take any liberties she offered freely.

Twirling her tongue over his, she moaned into his mouth when his hand wrapped firmly around her back and pulled her tighter against his body. He spread out on the bench beneath Kate, his shoulders firm against one arm as she maneuvered herself to sit astride his thighs. The soft give of her breasts crushed into his side, and her hip brushed against the evidence of his arousal. He groaned as her hand wormed its way beneath his cravat and shirt to wrap around the back of his neck.

What he would give to feel her bare flesh in his hands, their bodies hot and sweaty as they joined together in a passionate embrace. They needed to stop before he took this too far. He pulled away gradually, sliding off the bench and putting his feet firmly on the floor.

Their lips were still fused when he finally disengaged his body from the lush softness of hers.

When their mouths parted, he said, “I will await a letter from you indicating the next step I should take in securing our future together.”

“What if he should say no again, George?”

He pressed his palm to the side of her face. “You shouldn’t think so negatively, darling. Where there is a will, there is always a way to succeed in what is most important to you. We will marry—that is my promise to you.”

She leaned back against the footboard of her bed; the sheets were rumpled and twisted behind her and looked far more inviting than they should.

“Won’t you stay awhile longer?” she asked in that husky, sleepy voice of hers.

With a quick peck to her lips, he stepped toward the balcony. When he turned back to her, the moonlight made her pale skin luminescent. With her hair tumbled over her shoulder and her lips swollen from his kisses, he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and make her completely his. The last thing he wanted to do was leave, but if he didn’t, their night would turn into day before long. He would have her hand in marriage before taking her to his bed.

“Tomorrow, love. When you have your father’s blessing, I’ll come directly over. We’ll announce our engagement tomorrow.”

“That sounds lovely.” She fixed a lose tie at the front of her nightgown. He had to look away from her or be tempted by what she kept hidden.

He cleared his throat and stumbled back a step. He couldn’t dally here, or he’d find himself persuading her to allow him to spend the night. She wouldn’t object, even if she didn’t know what his staying might entail. Though . . . staying didn’t mean . . .

Whom was he fooling? He could no more keep his hands to himself than she. “I must leave. I only wanted to tell you that you needed to speak with your father. I will give you tomorrow to convince him that our marriage is inevitable; otherwise . . . I’m done waiting, Kate.”

“Poor Papa. He wants the best for me but doesn’t realize that I could never accept or love a man like Westmoore.” She stood from the cushioned bench and realigned her skewed nightgown and dressing robe. He could see the hard pucker of her nipples outlined beneath the flimsy material.

He took a step over the threshold of the door, knowing that if he didn’t quit her company, he’d toss her on the far-too-inviting bed to have his wicked way with her. Before he put his leg over the edge of the balcony, she threw herself into his arms. He held her, breathing in the rose scent of her hair and staring out over the garden blanketed in a light fog.

“I could stay in your arms forever,” she said, “enjoying the beauty of the night.”

The moon wasn’t quite full, but the light reflected off the fog to create an eerily beautiful backdrop to the night.

“I’d have you here forever, too.” He pulled away slowly. With one final kiss, he climbed over the balcony wall and trellis. Kate blew him a kiss when he hit solid ground. 

He’d give her one final day to convince her father that they should marry. He refused to wait on this matter a moment longer. Kate would be his, and his alone.

Chapter 3

Her father had said no. George knew that would be the case, but had hoped her father would have second thoughts once his daughter insisted on a union between them.

In Kate’s words, the no wasn’t just a no, but a firm, resounding absolutely-under-no-condition would his daughter—the daughter of a duke—marry some country-bumpkin earl. He fingered the tearstain on the parchment once more before crinkling up the note and shoving it in his pocket. 

Her father didn’t seem to care that the Carleton Estate was twice the size of Westmoore’s. Never mind that the Carleton Estate bordered her father’s lands, and his daughter would never be far from home once married to George. No, a man who dealt in trade would never be good enough for the old duke’s daughter.

Tonight, everything would change. Truth be told, he had planned out the events that were about to unfold long before he went away, knowing Kate’s father would never accept him willingly as a son-in-law. He’d already enlisted the help of his two oldest friends, both in agreement that Westmoore and Kate would not suit, not when she loved George and George loved her. Though they called him a sap, they stood behind him in his desire to marry Kate.