Page 13 of A Countess Never Tells

“For this.” Slowly, his mouth descended toward hers.

Chapter 6

She’d wanted to get him alone, had wanted it from the beginning. Now that she had, the most natural thing in the world was for him to kiss her. Which he was doing with quite a bit of skill. His lips were firm but not hard as they pressed against her mouth. A subtle taste of sweetness came to her, as though he’d eaten a sweetmeat before he’d arrived at Vauxhall. Very pleasant. Delicious, in fact.

Gently, almost without her noticing, he slid his arms around her and walked them backward until they were completely off the path, under a patch of trees that didn’t have lights attached to them, all the while not breaking the kiss. A skilled rake indeed.

Sooner than she expected, he broke the kiss and stepped away from her, so she stood looking up at him, trying to catch her breath.

“Are you satisfied, Miss Tate? I believe you brought me out here to kiss you, did you not?” His charming smile held a hint of smugness. “Was it your first?”

Kitty pursed her lips, slightly perturbed by his questions. “No, my lord. It was not my first kiss.” She cocked her head, peering at his face in the darkness. “Are you disappointed?”

The smile turned into a grin. “I do not count getting caught under the mistletoe at Christmas.”

Straightening her shoulders, Kitty stared directly at him. “Neither do I, my lord.”

His brows shot up then lowered into a frown. “Who, may I ask, took this liberty, then?”

“You may ask, my lord, but that doesn’t mean I will answer you.” Inwardly gleeful at his obvious discomfiture, Kitty shrugged. “Make of that what you will.”

“Did Quatford steal a kiss last evening?”

“No.”

“Sometime earlier in the Season, then.”

“No.”

His frown deepened, darkening his face. “Then who, Miss Tate? And does your brother know about this indiscretion?”

“I will not answer either of those questions, Lord Ashwood. I am discreet, if nothing else.” She chuckled. “A virtue of which you should be very glad.” She nodded toward him, enjoying this game of cat and mouse where she could at last play the cat. “I will be just as circumspect about our little indiscretion.”

“For that, Miss Tate, I am grateful, although in the end it may not be necessary.” He loomed large over top of her again. “Will you allow me to repay that debt?”

Before she could say, “No,” he’d pulled her close once more and pressed his mouth to hers. Warmth spread downward immediately, all throughout her body, as though she’d swallowed hot rum punch. The heat settled deep in her core, a heat that became an ache she wanted to soothe but didn’t know how.

Sighing, she leaned against him, enjoying the closeness of their bodies as his lips worked upon hers, as though he was drinking her in. Had she ever felt anything so wonderful in her life?

But what was he doing now? His mouth had opened, and his tongue prodded persistently at the seam of her tightly closed lips. What did he want her to do? She didn’t want to break the kiss to ask, but she had the suspicion she needed to do something. Still, she was loath to end it. This kiss was so different from the first she began to doubt that one should be called a kiss at all.

Lord Ashwood settled his body against hers once more, his arms wrapped tightly around her shoulders as his tongue continued to probe her lips. More insistently this time. Almost as though he wanted her to part them…

Kitty relaxed her lips a trifle, and as though the flood gates had been flung wide, he thrust his tongue into her mouth. Her eyes flew open in astonishment to see his eyes closed, a look of blissful concentration on his face. She shut her eyes immediately and focused on what he was doing now he’d gained entry.

He was very busy, to be sure, exploring here and there, seeking out the inner recesses of her mouth, stroking first her tongue then the roof of her mouth. The more he trespassed, the warmer she became, the ache in her core beginning to throb. This had never happened during a kiss before—of course it had only been the once, and that gentleman had been very keen, but now she understood he’d had no more knowledge of what to do than she. No tingles had occurred, however, or throbbing erupted when Richard Gramble, a neighbor’s son, had given her that first kiss at a birthday party for Judith at least ten years ago.

This was so much better. Why were unmarried ladies forbidden this thoroughly enjoyable pastime? And if he could give her such pleasure, rake or not, could she do the same for him?

Boldly, Kitty moved her tongue around his mouth, mirroring what he’d done to her, tentatively at first then when he groaned out loud, more boldly still. She savored the lingering sweetness, stroked here and there as he’d done then inspiration hit. Kitty captured his tongue and squeezed it with her mouth.

Lord Ashwood gave a startled gasp and broke away from her, looking at her as though she’d given him a shock. “Who taught you to do that?”

The outrage in his voice made her giggle. “You did, my lord. Or rather your kiss gave me inspiration.”

He stood staring at her, mouth open, as though felled by an ax. “Can you show me again?”

Kitty grinned, warming to the suggestion immediately. “With pleasure, my lord.” She grasped his shoulders and raised her lips to his.