Read Online An Unexpected Proposal (St Daine Family 1) by Leighann Dobbs - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Leighann Dobbs
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Adult, Regency, England, Friendship, 19th century, Marriage, Bachelor, Victorian, Britain, Forever Love, Single Woman, unexpected, Proposal, London Society, Marriage Minded, Third Season, Duke Rothwyn, Troubled Brother, Accusing Sister
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and inadvisable, considering her goal (not to mention the strictures of Society) and from her reaction to his casual, almost familiar use of her given name. He must know his doing so during such a vulnerable moment for her was hardly helping matters. “You should not use my name, Your Grace. We are hardly—”
“Intimates?” he asked, his tone ever more sultry, and Claire could not help but wonder if he drew some fiendish pleasure from watching the play of shocked emotions chase across her face. They came on so suddenly where he was concerned and there was no time for her to hide them.
“ Family ,” Claire corrected, her tone filled with censure. “Or even yet friends. We've barely met, Your Grace, and I am—”
“Terrified of the smoldering desire you feel when I am near?” he answered for her yet again, completing her sentence in a way she never would have dared, even if he had spoken the truth.
She flushed hot, a denial rising to her lips in a furious rush even as her insides melted at his quietly voiced summation of honest fact. Her mouth dropped open to issue a scathing retort but she quickly snapped it shut in indecision. If she boldly declared herself unafraid, he might believe she was being forward. Yet, if she decried the warmth she felt when he was near, she would be lying.
Desperately searching her thoughts for an appropriate response to his no doubt purposely scandalous question, Claire neglected to realize just how near he really was or that he meant to kiss her—until his head lowered and she felt the air between them disappear.
His lips, warm and full, touched hers. At the same time, his arms came around her, closing with his palms against her back. After a moment which seemed much longer than it actually was, he lifted his mouth the barest breath from hers, and then lowered it once more. This time, however, his lips began to move, finding first the delicate curve of her neck and then the highly sensitive area just below and to the right of her earlobe.
Claire shivered in reaction. Her hands forgot to remain clenched in her wrapper and stole upward instead. Her fingers threaded themselves through the dark hair at his nape while her chin rose, giving him greater access to the place where his lips were pressing. His teeth gently nibbled, causing a wash of liquid heat to pool low in her belly before spreading toward the secret place hidden between her thighs.
His tongue flicked out, soothing the spot where his teeth had nipped and Claire sucked in a quick breath—which Lucien stole with his kiss, his lips returning in just that instant to mold themselves against hers. Claire felt her own open to him and his kiss; to his questing tongue. Hungry now, she rose up on her toes to better meld her body to his, to give...
“Well this looks like it could get interesting.”
The humor-laced words were drawled into the darkness behind her, from somewhere above her shoulder, and Claire's frightened squeal, thankfully muffled beneath Lucien's lips, triggered a reaction from him she was not expecting. Quick as lightning, he released her and pushed her behind him in one smooth, reflexive move, protecting her from the possible danger of being recognized while he faced down their common enemy.
“No longer pining after Bethany, I take it?” the voice came again, and Claire could have sworn she heard a low chuckle follow.
With his large body positioned squarely in front of her, hiding her from his obviously unexpected late-night visitor, Lucien visibly relaxed. Claire guessed he must have recognized the fellow because he said, “Your timing is atrocious, Tony, but I must say I am glad to see you. Have a bit of trouble finding your way home?”
Careful to not draw attention to herself while the duke greeted the man in the shadows, Claire hastily rearranged her wrapper, pulling it tight while she tried, unsuccessfully, to shrink into utter invisibility behind Lucien. Apparently, her attempt to disappear
“Intimates?” he asked, his tone ever more sultry, and Claire could not help but wonder if he drew some fiendish pleasure from watching the play of shocked emotions chase across her face. They came on so suddenly where he was concerned and there was no time for her to hide them.
“ Family ,” Claire corrected, her tone filled with censure. “Or even yet friends. We've barely met, Your Grace, and I am—”
“Terrified of the smoldering desire you feel when I am near?” he answered for her yet again, completing her sentence in a way she never would have dared, even if he had spoken the truth.
She flushed hot, a denial rising to her lips in a furious rush even as her insides melted at his quietly voiced summation of honest fact. Her mouth dropped open to issue a scathing retort but she quickly snapped it shut in indecision. If she boldly declared herself unafraid, he might believe she was being forward. Yet, if she decried the warmth she felt when he was near, she would be lying.
Desperately searching her thoughts for an appropriate response to his no doubt purposely scandalous question, Claire neglected to realize just how near he really was or that he meant to kiss her—until his head lowered and she felt the air between them disappear.
His lips, warm and full, touched hers. At the same time, his arms came around her, closing with his palms against her back. After a moment which seemed much longer than it actually was, he lifted his mouth the barest breath from hers, and then lowered it once more. This time, however, his lips began to move, finding first the delicate curve of her neck and then the highly sensitive area just below and to the right of her earlobe.
Claire shivered in reaction. Her hands forgot to remain clenched in her wrapper and stole upward instead. Her fingers threaded themselves through the dark hair at his nape while her chin rose, giving him greater access to the place where his lips were pressing. His teeth gently nibbled, causing a wash of liquid heat to pool low in her belly before spreading toward the secret place hidden between her thighs.
His tongue flicked out, soothing the spot where his teeth had nipped and Claire sucked in a quick breath—which Lucien stole with his kiss, his lips returning in just that instant to mold themselves against hers. Claire felt her own open to him and his kiss; to his questing tongue. Hungry now, she rose up on her toes to better meld her body to his, to give...
“Well this looks like it could get interesting.”
The humor-laced words were drawled into the darkness behind her, from somewhere above her shoulder, and Claire's frightened squeal, thankfully muffled beneath Lucien's lips, triggered a reaction from him she was not expecting. Quick as lightning, he released her and pushed her behind him in one smooth, reflexive move, protecting her from the possible danger of being recognized while he faced down their common enemy.
“No longer pining after Bethany, I take it?” the voice came again, and Claire could have sworn she heard a low chuckle follow.
With his large body positioned squarely in front of her, hiding her from his obviously unexpected late-night visitor, Lucien visibly relaxed. Claire guessed he must have recognized the fellow because he said, “Your timing is atrocious, Tony, but I must say I am glad to see you. Have a bit of trouble finding your way home?”
Careful to not draw attention to herself while the duke greeted the man in the shadows, Claire hastily rearranged her wrapper, pulling it tight while she tried, unsuccessfully, to shrink into utter invisibility behind Lucien. Apparently, her attempt to disappear
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