Cocky Duke by Annabelle Anders

Author:Annabelle Anders [Anders, Annabelle]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2020-05-16T21:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 12

AUBREY

He was going to kiss her again.

Embrace what you have today… Trust your heart…

Aubrey nodded, unable to look anywhere but at him.

She stared at his eyes which seemed to see right through her, at his high cheekbones, his whiskers that no matter how often he shaved always seemed to shadow the line of his jaw.

At his lips.

And then those lips descended upon hers.

Last time it had been Aubrey who initiated their kiss. She’d drank a good deal of wine. It had been a secret kiss—a forbidden one.

This time, it was his mouth that captured hers. This kiss was far from secret as many others surrounded them. Encouraging them.

It began as a very gentle kiss. Sweet.

Aubrey parted her lips and sighed into his mouth. His chest felt warm and solid beneath her hands. Always, always, she felt safe with him.

Trusting her heart, she slid her arms up to his shoulders at the same time he wrapped his around her waist.

This could be their last kiss.

Aubrey pressed herself closer to him and his mouth became more demanding.

He tasted of ale and spice and something she’d never forget. He was Mr. Bateman, her dear Mr. Bateman.

Need spread from her chest to her center. She needed more from him. She needed closer. She simply… needed.

His tongue sparred with hers, playfully, and then not so playfully. His need seemed to rise with hers and the kiss felt almost desperate.

Blood roared in her ears, taking her to a different place, a different time. So much so that she was left feeling dreadfully bereft when he pulled away, breaking their connection. In that same moment she became aware of catcalls and whistles around them.

She opened her eyes and wondered at what she saw.

Mr. Bateman’s blue eyes burned with desire for her. For Aubrey Bloomington. She was not mistaken. She was not imagining it.

She could fall in love with this man. Her heart pounded so loudly that she wondered how he couldn’t hear it as well.

“I believe I rather approve of this tradition,” he joked, the dancing humor returning to his eyes.

Aubrey dropped her hands from where they’d been running through his hair, heat flooding her cheeks as several people in the crowd burst into laughter.

“I imagine he does!” Mr. Keller declared. And then tankards lifted all around them followed by more cheers.

Mr. Bateman did not remove his arm from around her shoulders but kept her close beside him. Half of her meat pie remained on the table and with the turmoil spinning around inside her, there was no way she would be able to eat anymore. He seemed to sense this.

“I hear music coming from the other end of town. Shall we make our way closer to the entertainment?”

Without looking meeting his eyes she nodded and allowed him to assist her to her feet. Her knees were a wobbly, but she didn’t know if that was because of the ale she’d consumed or the effects of Mr. Bateman’s kiss.

Holding hands, they strolled slowly along the bustling line of venders, stopping along the way to admire various items.

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