Henry lifted his free hand and tried to push the hair that had fallen over his forehead out of his eyes. His hand shook too much, and Katie tsked and pushed the hair out of the way for him.
“Thank you.” His entire body heaved a shudder, and he closed his eyes and tried to gain some measure of control. The next thing he knew, a warm female body was pressed against him. Katie’s arms wrapped around him and held him tightly. She sat on the floor beside him, so his head rested on her shoulder.
Was it wrong that he noticed she wasn’t wearing stays beneath her night rail and robe? At least he wasn’t shaking anymore. She smelled warm. He wasn’t sure how a person could smell warm, but she did. It was a mix of vanilla and lavender. Henry couldn’t quite stop himself from turning his face toward her neck to inhale her fragrance more deeply.
“You’re safe now,” she said, her voice low and soothing. “I have you.”
Yes, she did. He was definitely a few years old than she, but he rather liked being held by her. Comforted by her. It had been a long time since anyone had held him like this.
He sighed and closed his eyes, feeling some of the weight he’d been carrying since he lost Carlisle Hall slide off his shoulders. He hadn’t known he’d needed to be held or comforted. And he certainly hadn’t expected Lady Katherine Malfort, daughter of his enemy, to be the one to comfort him. How had a man like Shrewsbury fathered such a lovely daughter? She not only cared enough about tenants she’d only known for a few weeks to chastise him about them, but when he needed support, she offered it to him unreservedly.
Not to mention, she was soft and warm and smelled wonderful.
She tensed in his arms, and Henry realized he’d nuzzled closer to her neck. “Er, sorry,” he said.
She pulled back at the same time he moved away, so their faces were mere inches apart. She froze, and he found his gaze traveling to her lips. Would they be as silky as the skin of her neck? Would her lips taste of vanilla or something sweeter?
He lifted his hand and noted his fingers were trembling slightly, not from fear but from anticipation. He caught her chin lightly between two fingers and drew her mouth closer to his.
Then he paused, realizing what he was about to do. This woman had never been kissed. He couldn’t presume to be her first. Who washe, a reprobate duke who shouldn’t even be touching her right now, to kiss her?
His gaze met hers, and her eyes were so dark he didn’t need to wonder at her arousal. “I wanted to kiss you,” he whispered. “But I…I wasn’t certain if you wanted me to kiss you.”
She licked her lips, wetting them. Henry knew the gesture was entirely innocent, but it pushed his senses into an agony of desire, nonetheless.
“I’m assuming, if you allow me to kiss you,” he murmured, “I’d be your first kiss. Maybe you’d rather save that for someone worthier.”
“I’m not sure any other man would scale a wall twice—no, three times now—to reach me,” she whispered. “You’re worthy.”
Henry reached for her chin again, then paused. “But perhaps you’d rather wait until you’re betrothed or—”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to wait.”
“But what if you decide later—”
“Carlisle, do you want to kiss me?” she asked, sounding a bit stern.
There was that flood of desire again.
“I do. Ireallydo.”
“Then kiss me. Please.”
Henry didn’t need to be asked twice. He cupped her chin again and tilted his head so their lips brushed gently. The frisson that skated up his skin at the barest connection of their mouths was akin to the way he’d felt after a bolt of lightning had hit a tree once when he was just a few yards away. All the tiny hairs on the back of his neck and his arms stood up. Henry slid his hand over, under her heavy hair, to rest at the base of her neck. He pulled back slightly and met her gaze. Her eyes were still enormous and dark, the lids half-closed.
With the slightest pressure, he pulled her closer, taking her mouth again. He kept the kiss gentle and light, though he wanted, desperately, to devour her. But Henry was not an impatient man. He would have made a terrible gambler if he’d not been able to bide his time and exercise patience. The benefit to kissing gently and slowly was that he savored every sensation. Her lips were as soft as he’d predicted. They were the perfect shape as well. Her bottom lip was slightly larger than her top, which meant he could dart his tongue out and taste it.
He wanted to taste her, but he didn’t want to shock her. A first kiss shouldn’t be sweet and only slightly sensual. It should be—
Her tongue darted out to lick along his lip. Henry started, and Katie pulled back. “Should I not have done that?”
“I didn’t think you’d know about that,” he said.
She gave a feminine shrug. “I do have four brothers. I’ve heard a thing or two.”
“Well, in that case…” He drew her close again and kissed her with his lips slightly parted. This was her first kiss. He let her take the lead and explore. She licked his lower lip again, then moved her tongue tentatively inside. He touched the tip of his tongue to hers, tasting mint.
She giggled and pulled back, and Henry smiled at her. “Was it like you thought?”
