The Heiress - Lynsay Sands [17]
“Excuse me? I am no good at this?” Daniel asked with amazed disbelief. “My dear girl, if you think that was a kiss—”
“Do stop calling me a girl,” Suzette snapped a bit impatiently and got to her feet, too agitated now to sit. “You sound like you’re old enough to be my father and you aren’t quite that old.”
“Not quite that old? For pity’s sake! What a charmer you are,” he said with irritation, and then stood up as well and informed her with some dignity, “That was not a proper kiss.”
“Well if you are such an expert, why do you not show me how to do it right?” she suggested, glowering with frustration at this turn of events. She had started to like the man once she’d realized that he wasn’t Dicky’s friend and had intervened simply to prevent the encounter from becoming fodder for gossips. And then her hopes had risen as she’d realized he was in need of a rich bride. However, that kiss had been so disappointing, she—
Her thoughts died on a gasp of surprise as Daniel suddenly answered her challenge, pulled her into his arms and lowered his mouth to hers. He certainly did do it differently to how she had. His lips did cover hers, but not quite so firmly. Instead, they moved over hers in a caress as light as a butterfly’s wings, just brushing the surface in a sideways motion that stirred her interest. That interest only grew when he then nipped at her lower lip, drawing it between his own and suckling lightly in a way that sent little tingles through the soft flesh. His tongue came into play next, sliding out to run along her lips, and then before she quite knew what was happening, it had slipped past them, pushing its way gently yet firmly into her mouth so that her taste buds were suddenly assaulted by a wholly unfamiliar, yet not unpleasant flavor as he lashed her tongue with his own.
Daniel’s hands had been still to this point, but now they suddenly began to move as well, molding her body to his as he invaded her, adding other sensations to the riot of strange feelings he was coaxing from her with his tongue.
Suzette released a little sigh of mingled relief and pleasure into his mouth, her hands creeping up around his neck of their own accord now as the most amazing feelings washed through her. She had the strangest urge to pull him closer and yet she was sure their bodies were already as close as they could possibly get. Suzette also had the strange yet irresistible urge to stretch her body, as if just awaking from a long slumber. Giving in to the temptation, she did so, moaning softly as she found that perhaps they hadn’t been as close as she’d thought. The arching and stretching bore her upper body back, forcing him to curve over her to continue the kiss, but it also pressed her hips firmly against him, bringing on a new assault of sensation to join the others.
Now Suzette thought she understood about that warm and wonderful commotion she’d read about. Certainly, she was experiencing a warmth that seemed to be pooling between her legs like liquid heat and spreading outward, and it did feel wonderful as his mouth continued to slant over hers, his tongue lashing her and exploring with a delightful thoroughness.
It was the sound of voices that forced them to end the kiss. Though, truthfully, Suzette was deaf to the voices and even had she heard them would have happily ignored the sound and risked her reputation to continue kissing. However, Daniel appeared to retain more sense than her and broke the kiss to set her firmly away.
“We should return to the ball,” he said gruffly, taking her arm to urge her back along the path.
Suzette went docilely at first, still too overset by their kiss to think clearly. She walked silently along, unable to resist running her tongue over her still tingling lips and thinking that those visits for procreation purposes shouldn’t be a problem at all. The next thought to strike her, however, was that he hadn’t actually agreed to marrying her . . . or anything else.
Frowning, she slowed,