Where the Heart Leads by Laurens Stephanie

Author:Laurens, Stephanie [Laurens, Stephanie]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance, Fiction, Historical, General
ISBN: 9780061469251
Publisher: Avon
Published: 2008-02-19T08:00:00+00:00

She was wearing dark green silk, a conservative, severe gown with black buttons marching from the raised waist to her throat, her long slender arms tightly encased, with even tinier black buttons at her wrists. The semifull skirts thoroughly camouflaged her lower limbs.

With her hair looped back tightly in a sleek chignon, her spectacles perched on her nose, she should have looked forbidding.

Instead, as ever, she looked like forbidden fruit.

The dark silk made her skin glow, porcelain fine, pearlescent pale. His hands moved over her back, consciously possessive; the silk rustled dryly, a sensual sound, one suggesting surrender.

His or hers—he suddenly wasn’t sure.

It took effort to draw back from the kiss—in which she’d somehow managed to ensnare him. “Penelope…”

Hugely satisfied, she drew back enough to smile beatifically at him, simultaneously relaxing against him, snuggling her breasts against his chest. “I came to inform you that I’ve made a decision.”

“I see.” Looking into her dark eyes, aglow with an enthusiasm—an energy—the like of which he hadn’t before seen, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer, yet felt forced to ask, “What decision?”

She held his gaze, her ripe, luscious lips gently smiling. “The last time we spoke on personal matters, you made an offer—do you recall?”

“I recall very well.” His voice sounded gravelly even to his ears.

Her distracting smile deepened. “You said if I wanted to know more, you’d happily teach me, provided I was eager and willing to learn.” Head tilting, she studied him, her dark eyes amused; she was enjoying the moment—the culmination of what had clearly been a plan. “I’m here to tell you that I’m both eager and willing—I’m here to ask you to teach me more.”

The inevitable effect of her words spread through him, but…studying her eyes, her pleased and undeniably eager expression, he confirmed she had indeed skipped a stone or two on his intended path. Agreeing to marry him, for instance.

Of course, he hadn’t yet offered for her hand.

Before he could find words to seize the moment, she did.

“I realize a lady of my station is supposed to remain ignorant of such things until she weds, but as I’m firmly and ineradicably opposed to marriage, I had thought I would be condemned to ignorance—which of course isn’t at all to my taste. Not on any subject. Which is why I’m so grateful for your offer.”

Her expression was one of confident expectation that he would fall in with her plan and educate her ignorance.

His outward expression mild, inwardly he swore. He should have stipulated that she had to marry him, or at least agree to marry him, first—but he hadn’t. Could he now renege, renegotiate his offer?

Not easily. She’d told him she wasn’t looking for marriage, but…firmly and ineradicably opposed?

His hands stroked up and down her back, gently soothing—him. Releasing her, putting distance between them wasn’t possible; now he had his hands on her, he couldn’t get them off. She lay more or less on him; his body craved her warmth, the sensation of her softness, the subtle and arousing assurance of her willingness.

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