Page 37 of A Problem Princess

Then her heart stopped completely when he took her hand and gently pulled it away from her mouth to bring it to his to place a kiss to the backs of her fingers before releasing her. A tingle sped up her arm, and she warmed with the possibility of being kissed again. This time not on her hand.

“How is Elizabeth?” Her voice emerged far throatier than she’d intended.Goodness.

“The aunties took your wishes to heart and are keeping her with them until a more permanent alternative to the Foundling Hospital can be found.” He quirked a grin. “They’re spoiling her rotten.”

“Good.”

“But all she can talk about is the fairy-tale princess who rescued her from the bad witch, how the princess swept in like an angel and flew her away. The aunties are boasting across Mayfair that they’re helping ‘the angel.’”

She winced. “The palace isn’t going to be at all happy aboutthat. That’s probably why they allowed me to come to the opera tonight, to keep me as far away from the royal family as possible.”

“No. You’re here because you needed a night of escape.”

She shook her head. “I’m here because the Duke and Duchess of Hampton were gracious enough to…” Her voice trailed off as she realized how tonight came to be. “And you’re friends with the duke and duchess.”

“Best friends, actually.”

Her mouth fell open. “Youmade tonight happen, didn’t you?”

“I wanted you to have an enjoyable night.” He glanced over his shoulder out the front of the box as the soprano onstage reached her highest notes, and he winced. “As enjoyable as possible, that is.”

Her chest swelled with gratitude. “I’m having a wonderful time.”

“Because of Grafton’s attentions?”

Was that jealousy she heard in his voice?Impossible.“No. Because of you.” Impulsively, she rose up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek, her hands resting flat against his lapels to keep her balance. “Thank you for tonight,” she murmured in his ear. “It means a great deal to me.”

As she lowered herself away, her hands remaining on his chest, she looked up into his face. The grin that had been there moments before was gone, and his gaze had dropped longingly to her mouth.

His deep voice wrapped around her like velvet. “I serve at the pleasure of the princess.”

“Do you?” Her hands curled into the soft satin of his waistcoat, and her heart pounded as she taunted, “Then prove it.”

She heard the soft hitch of his breath. He stood still as a statue, making no move to lower his mouth to hers, but he wanted to, she was certain. So certain she could feel it down in the swirling nervous knots he tied in her belly and the faint ache he stirred even lower.

Her mouth lingered so close to his that his warm breath tickled her lips. “Kiss me, Clayton.”

His eyes stared hungrily at her mouth even as he clenched his jaw and refused to kiss her. He was warring with himself. Could she tempt him into surrendering the battle?

She slipped her hand behind his neck and teased her fingers through the silky hair at his nape. “Don’t you want to kiss me?”

He laughed, the deep sound rumbling into her. “Of course I do.”

“So do I.” When he didn’t move, she challenged, “You know too much about opera while still claiming to dislike it to attend solely for the performances. Something tells me that I won’t be the first woman you’ve kissed in a dark theatre box.”

His mouth tightened with chagrin and proved her right. “But you’re not a woman. You’re a prin—”

“Don’tyou dare call me that.” She put her fingers to his lips to silence him. “Tonight, I just want to be an ordinary woman.”

“Trust me,” he mumbled against her fingers, looking terribly aggrieved at the idea. “Princess or not, you could never be ordinary.”

Her chest warmed, the compliment pleasing her far more than he would ever know. “Then don’t think of me as anything more than a woman who wants to be kissed.” She caressed his lips, fascinated by their softness. How could they be part of this otherwise hard, muscular man? She stroked the pad of her thumb across his bottom lip and thrilled when he inhaled sharply. “Show me that I’m not any more special than that.”

A low groan of frustration escaped him. “You’re asking for the impossible.”

“I’m only asking for what you promised tonight would be.” She outlined his sensuous lips with her fingertip, and he trembled. “A normal night.”

“I don’t think I promised that.” The husky sound of his voice belied his determination to keep his distance.