Page 63 of The Duke’s Matchmaker

“I’m not courting her,” Nathaniel countered. “Not yet.”

“And you never will be if she sees you fixating on me all the time,” she said. “She’s going to think that there’s something between you and me, Nathaniel. She won’t understand that we’re only friends. She’ll think it’s something more. You know how many people think that already. Anyone would think it. You have to stop.”

He was staring at her, his gaze locked to hers. “I can’t do this,” he said. “I can’t have this conversation with a butterfly. Take off the mask.”

She took a small step back. “What? No.”

“I took mine off. Go on. I want to see your face while I speak to you.”

“It’s a masquerade, Nathaniel. We’re not supposed to.”

“There’s nobody else here. And since when did you worry over what you’re supposed to do?” Nathaniel took a step forward, closing the distance between the two of them. “Go on,” he said, his voice low. “Take it off.”

She couldn’t. The mask was the last semblance of a barrier between the two of them. She felt protected by it, even if only in a small way. She couldn’t remove it.

But now his hands were rising to her face, and she didn’t move away as he reached around to pull at the laces securing the mask to her face. She stood frozen, allowing it to happen.

Wanting it to happen.

Wanting her bare cheek exposed so that he might graze it with his thumb again.

“May I?” he whispered.

She nodded, helpless.

The mask fell away into his hands, and he cradled it as he stood there, regarding her, waiting to see what would happen next. Or perhaps he knew. Perhaps it was she who was waiting.

The entire world seemed to shrink down to his gaze, fixed upon her. He was so close. And now he was leaning toward her, just as he had the last time she had been at his home, and this time…

This time I won’t pull away. I don’t even want to.

Instead, she found herself leaning closer. Consenting. Inviting.

Wanting.

His lips met hers, and it felt inevitable. She melted into him, his strong arms and the unfamiliar and exciting scent of him. The scratch of his cheek, the surprising softness and gentleness of his lips…she forgot everything. She forgot that she had intended to stay away from him, that she needed to stay away from him, that this was a terrible and destructive idea…all that mattered was this intoxicating moment. This kiss.

His hands were on her waist, the back of her neck, gentle but firm and pulling her closer to him. She went willingly, bending in response to his touch, allowing herself to be his. Whatever happened next could be dealt with later. For once in her life, she would live in the thrill of the moment and allow it to sweep her away. She wouldn’t worry about the consequences. Just this once.

And then she heard the sound of the door opening.

Even then, knowing they were caught, she didn’t pull away. As if she had been discovered with her hand in a cookie jar, she just kept going, for there was no taking back what had been done, and before everything fell apart she would claim one more exquisite moment of bliss for herself…

A familiar gasp. “Dorothy!”

That was Agnes’ voice.

A pair of arms that did not belong to Nathaniel encircled her and began to hurry her away. Dorothy allowed herself to be ferried through a crowd of people, all of whom were staring, many of whom drew back as though afraid to get the stain of her scandal on them.

It didn’t matter. All she could think about was his kiss.

CHAPTER 32

“What on Earth were you thinking, Dorothy?” Honora demanded, pacing back and forth.

Dorothy didn’t answer. It was difficult to find words, truth be told, and she didn’t want to anyway. She wanted to sit quietly and think about what had happened last night

She’d kissed Nathaniel