His gaze dropped to her mouth, and his expression turned serious. “Meg,” he breathed. It was a question. A plea.
In response, she leaned forward.
And then his lips were on hers.
It was the height of foolishness to allow the kiss, even worse to invite it, but it seemed to be the predestined ending to their strange, emotional day. All of the fighting, the bargaining, and the revealing had led to this, the most unlikely of kisses.
And yet, here they were.
His mouth slanted across her lips, still parted in a soft smile. His hand cradled her cheek, pulling her closer and claiming her as his—at least for the moment. He growled and deepened the kiss, thrilling her with the knowledge that he wanted her. Desired her.
She wouldn’t have believed it possible a few short hours ago, but there, on the earl’s staircase in the evening’s waning light, she could imagine that she was not a governess in a dowdy dress.
At that moment she was, as he’d said, a comet, bursting across the heavens in a shimmer of light.
A delicious shiver shot through her limbs as their faces bumped lightly, retreated, and came together again. He speared his fingers through her hair, cursing at the blockade presented by her tight bun. Changing course, he trailed his fingers lightly around her ear and down her neck, where the barrier of her modest neckline renewed his ire.
Unwilling to surrender, he teased the seam of her lips apart with his tongue, daring her to open to him. She did.
Never before had she been kissed like this—like it was meant to lead to something more.
Though her head was muddled with equal parts shock and bliss, she was certain of one thing: the earl could teach her all she needed to know about kissing. And other things as well, no doubt.
Yes, she was in excellent hands. And since the magical evening couldn’t last forever, she might as well enjoy it while she could.
Tentatively, she curled a hand around his neck, lightly tugging the soft curls at his nape. When he groaned, she gave herself over to the kiss—and him.
The earth beneath her gave way, and she was floating, anchored only by his hand on her hip and his mouth on hers. She thought of nothing but the taste and feel of him, the pressure and heat of his body next to hers. Her breath came in short gasps and her skin heated. When the wall of his chest brushed against the front of her gown, her nipples tingled and hardened to tight, aching buds. As though he knew, he reached between them and caressed her breast, teasing its peak through the layers of lawn and wool, sending waves of pleasure through her body.
She cried out softly, but he swallowed the sound and murmured against her mouth. “I always knew.”
Reluctantly, she broke off the kiss and pressed her forehead to his. “What did you know?”
His heavy-lidded eyes gleamed, reflecting her own desire. “That you were a magnificent, passionate creature.”
In other circumstances, she might have been insulted, but since he clearly meant it as a compliment, she decided to accept it as such. “Thank you.”
“I told you the day wasn’t all bad. We managed to salvage the end.”
He pressed a kiss to her palm and held her hand in his lap for a minute, giving her pulse a chance to return to normal. With each beat of her heart, she felt the spell between them slowly breaking, and the stark reality of their situation intruding once more.
She had everything to lose. Her virtue, her pride, her job.… her heart.
Suddenly self-conscious, she pulled her hand away and smoothed a tendril of hair behind her ear. She required time and space to think about what had just happened and to figure out what, if anything, it had meant. “This day did have some things to recommend it. However, I think that now I shall truly retire for the evening.”
When she reached for the balustrade to pull herself up, he immediately stood and offered his hand, lifting her to her feet. With his hair disheveled and cravat askew he looked vaguely lost. Almost vulnerable. “Until tomorrow,” he said, his words holding the hint of a question.
“Of course.” However, she wasn’t really sure of anything. Not while her lips were still swollen and her mind was still reeling from his kiss. “Tomorrow.”
He walked beside her as she made her way to her bedchamber, crossing his arms as though he didn’t quite trust his hands to be free. As she opened the door, he stepped aside but lingered.
Perhaps he wanted to say something, like I shouldn’t have kissed you. Or ask her a question, like Could we pretend this interlude never happened?
Or maybe he wanted to kiss her again.
Her skin tingled at the thought.
He leaned his long frame against the doorjamb, reached for the curl resting on her shoulder, and twirled it around his finger as though mesmerized. His gaze drifted to her mouth, and she knew. He was going to kiss her again.
But instead of coming closer, he dropped the curl and backed away solemnly. “Good night, Meg.”
She closed the door to her room and rushed to the mirror above her washstand to check her reflection. She wanted to see if her face looked as flushed and her lips appeared as swollen as they felt. In short, she wanted to see if she had the look of a woman who’d been ravished.
But no. The change, it seemed, was primarily on the inside.
It was only after she’d washed, changed into her night rail, and slipped beneath the covers of her sumptuous bed that she realized the irony of the evening she’d spent with Will.
She’d gone to see him intending to turn in her resignation, but had ended up kissing him.
Even worse, she’d begun to think of him not as the earl or Lord Castleton, but as Will.
Clear signs she had begun the steady and inexorable descent into madness.
Praise for Anna Bennett’s Wayward Wallflower series:
I Dared the Duke
“Sharply drawn characters, clever dialogue, simmering sensuality, and a dash of mystery make this well-crafted Regency thoroughly delightful.”
—Library Journal
“Readers will enjoy this sassy Regency take on the classic Beauty and the Beast tale.”
—Booklist
“A captivating page-turner that will become a new favorite among romance enthusiasts!”
—BookPage
“Will truly win readers’ hearts.”
—RT Book Reviews (A Top Pick)
“Bennett brings new life to traditional Regency stories and characters.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Scrumptious … I devoured every word! A hot and wounded hero, a heroine you wish could be your friend in real life, and witty scenes that sparkle with life … The Wayward Wallflowers just keep getting better!”
—Laura Lee Guhrke, New York Times bestselling author
My Brown-Eyed Earl
“Heart, humor, and a hot hero. Everything I look for in a great romance novel!”
—Valerie Bowman
“One bliss-giving read … witty and whimsical.”
—USA Today
“Delightful historical romance.”
—Night Owl Reviews (A Top Pick)
“Heartwarming and joyous … a delightful read.”
—RT Book Reviews
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anna Bennett started swiping romances from her mom’s bookshelf as a teenager and decided that books with balls, dukes, and gowns were the best. So, when she had the chance to spend a semester in London she packed her bags—and promptly fell in love with the city, its history, and its pubs. She dreamed of writing romance, but somehow ended up a software analyst instead.
Fortunately, a few years and a few careers later, Anna found her way back to writing the stories she loves and won the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart®. She lives in Maryland with her husband and three children, who try valiantly not to roll their eyes whenever she quotes Jane Austen. Other weaknesses include reality TV, cute shoes, and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. You can sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Excerpt: My Brown-Eyed Earl
Praise for Anna Bennett’s Wayward Wallflower series
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
THE ROGUE IS BACK IN TOWN
Copyright © 2018 by Anna Bennett.
Excerpt from My Brown-Eyed Earl Copyright © 2016 by Anna Bennett.
Author Photo by Anne Ardizzone
All rights reserved.
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St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / January 2018
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