Page 56 of A Scot on Duchess Square
She shook her head and gave a mirthful chuckle. “For me? My sensibilities are not delicate at all. In my opinion, you look perfect just as you are.”
“My, my. I’ve never been described as a Roman god before. Are ye certain ye’re no’ running a fever?” he teased.
“It is possible, for the butterflies in my stomach have not stopped fluttering and my body has not stopped tingling since I set eyes on you.”
“Aye, then ye must be running a high fever.” This was all he had hoped for since first encountering her, too. His one wish was that she might grow to care for him deeply and come to think of him as the mate to her soul. He had never thought of himself as romantic before, and probably had not given sufficient thought to marriage, since he was still a bachelor at his age. But Miranda had him thinking seriously about his heart and about finding his perfect, true love.
He knew she was the one. He knew it to the depths of his soul.
“Yes, I must be burning up.” She playfully placed a hand on her brow. “I’m sure Lady Trowbridge’s fever spiked as well. Her eyes must have popped out of their sockets when you opened the door and she saw you.”
“And yer eyes?”
“Oh, they are still rolling somewhere down this hall,” she said with a light laugh.
It pleased him that she liked his body. “Och, dinna say anything more or ye’ll tempt me to do something naughty to ye.”
“Bram…”
“Aye, love?” What did she wish to tell him? Something important, no doubt. Perhaps she wanted to indulge in a little naughtiness with him and did not know how to come straight out with it.
She also had to know that anything they did in the bedchamber would be a step toward marriage on his part, never a mere dalliance.
“Oh, I had better wake Gwenys or we’ll be late to supper.”
She made to scurry away, but Bram grabbed her hand. “Gwenys is asleep?”
Miranda nodded. “She was tired after our jaunt to the marketplace, so she lay down to rest for a few minutes.”
“Dinna wake her.” He drew Miranda into his quarters, pleased when she did not resist.
She cleared her throat. “Um, why am I in here?”
“I told ye I was going to give ye an improper kiss. There’s no time like the present.”
Her lovely, glistening eyes widened. “Now?”
“Aye, any objections?” She did not appear to have any, and was no doubt eager to end this fifteen-year drought of any man touching her. That she would choose him to bring an end to this dry spell filled him with pride. Yet he understood the responsibility that came with being the one for her.
It was not merely about giving her a good kiss. It was also about expunging the shattering hurt of mockery and rejection she had endured in the past.
Her cheeks turned fiery as he drew close enough so that their breaths mingled. “Miranda, do ye want me to let ye go?”
“No.”
“Good.” He shut the door behind them and gently pressed her back to it, trapping her between his arms. “Close yer eyes, my sweet lass. I’ve been aching to give ye a long…” He placed a feather-soft kiss along her neck. “Deep…” And another kiss along her throat that elicited a soft moan.
“Bram, perhaps—”
“Hot…” He kissed the swell of her bosom, which was rapidly rising and falling with her every breath. “Highly improper…”
He captured her warm, sweet mouth with his, pouring his wild longings into their second kiss, which he wished could last into forever.
He captured her hands in his while kissing her with all the raw ache he felt inside, and kept them grasped because he neededhishands to stay put and not roam wildly along her lithe body because he yearned to undress her.
But that wasn’t working too well, because Miranda was now rubbing her body against his, causing flames to erupt inside of him. His blood turned thick as molten lava.
Blessed saints.The lass was delicious, and he hungered for all of her.
