Read Online To Tempt an Irish Rogue by Kaitlin O'Riley - Free Book Online Page A

was wonderful? Kissing me?”
    “Yes, I did,” Declan admitted, his emerald eyes glittering as he looked at her. “Perhaps too much.”
    “Why too much?”
    He laughed. “You’re asking the questions again, lass.”
    “Well, I can’t help it,” she said, waving her hands in exasperation. “When is it my turn again?”
    “When you’ve answered my questions.”
    “Aren’t you done yet?”
    He chuckled. “You can’t help yourself, can you?”
    “No. I’m sorry. Please continue.”
    “Thank you. Now I forgot what I was going to ask you.”
    “Was it about kissing me?”
    “Ah, yes . . . Our kiss today. Let’s go back to that. You liked it, did you?”
    “Yes, I did. It was magical.”
    “Yes, it was, lass.” His eyes glittered as he paused for a moment. Then he leaned closer to her. “Are you afraid of me, Paulette?”
    “Yes, maybe a little,” she admitted, adding hastily, “but not because people say that you’re a murderer.”
    “Then why are you afraid of me?”
    “Because I let you kiss me. And I have never let anyone do that before. That’s what scares me.”
    He nodded. “I think I understand that.”
    “So what happens now?” Paulette could not help but ask. She liked talking to him and watching the expressions on his face and hearing the soft Irish brogue on his lips.
    “What do you mean?”
    Feeling a bit self-conscious she asked, “What happens with us now? Are you my suitor now? Are you going to call on me? I’m not sure how all this is supposed to work.”
    He chuckled again and gave her a funny look. “I don’t know. I hadn’t thought that far ahead, to tell you the truth, Paulette.” He paused as if in deep thought. “I didn’t come to London seeking a romance or a new wife, if that’s what you’re thinking. I should tell you straight out that I’m not interested in ever getting married again. My first marriage did not end well, and I don’t believe I made a particularly good husband. That being said, I have no idea what I’m doing here with you, kissing you and bringing you flowers. It gives the impression that I am courting you when I barely know who you are.”
    Paulette fought an impulse to reach out and touch his cheek, which was shadowed in stubble now. Did she want him to be her beau? Since she had never had one, she didn’t know what that would be like. A part of her wished crazily that he would say yes, he wanted to call on her, yet the other half of her was terrified by the very idea. Instead, she merely said, “I barely know you either. Yet here we are.”
    “Yes,” he whispered, “here we are.”
    Yes, there they were, alone in the closed bookshop.
    “We could be friends,” she suggested.
    “I don’t know anyone in London and knowing what the papers are saying about me I doubt anyone would be my friend. It would be good to have you as a friend, Paulette.”
    She smiled brightly, loving the sound of his accented voice. “I would like that, too.”
    He reached out and covered her hand with his as it rested on the counter.
    Paulette held her breath, enjoying the warmth of his skin touching hers. They were silent for a few moments. With her heart pounding, she glanced over at him, but he was staring at her hand in his. Slowly he raised her hand to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on top of her fingers.
    Shivers of delight spread through her and Paulette grew dizzy with sensation.
    He said in a low voice, “I should be going home now. It’s getting late.”
    She nodded in agreement, although reluctantly.
    Still holding her hand, he asked, “May I escort you home, Paulette?”
    Paulette had more than a few tasks still to complete in the bookshop before she should leave for the night, but she ignored them completely.
    “Yes, I would like that.”
    He released her hand and within minutes she had the shop locked up and they were walking along the streets of Mayfair. The beautiful summer day had given way to a pleasant summer evening and a large