Free Cast in Ice by Laura Landon

When he lifted the corners and allowed the deep creases to form on either side of his mouth.
    His hands tightened around her upper arms and he pulled her further into the darkened shadows of the terrace. She went willingly, as if she didn’t possess the strength to stay in the moonlight where anyone watching from the ballroom could clearly see them. Instead, she moved into the darkest corner of the terrace, knowing she’d go anywhere he led her.
    He focused on her mouth for several agonizing moments, then he uttered a groaning curse and lowered his head.
    His mouth met hers, his lips brushed against hers.
    Winnie had never been kissed before. In this she was a true novice. But she didn’t feel like a novice. She didn’t feel inexperienced. She felt as if she were finally doing something she’d anticipated doing her whole life. Something for which the skills she needed were only lying dormant, waiting to come to life and be put to use.
    His lips were soft, yet firm. Cool, yet burning hot. His kiss was gentle, yet demanding. Courteous, yet controlling. Everything she’d always expected in a kiss, yet so much more.
    He lifted his lips and she moaned in protest, then wrapped her arms around his neck and brought his mouth back to hers. She couldn’t abide him stopping. Couldn’t let this be all. Couldn’t let this end.
    He deepened his kisses, demanding more from her, although she didn’t know what more he might want. And then he showed her.
    His mouth opened atop hers. His tongue skimmed the crease of her lips, pressing until she realized he was asking her to open to him.
    And she did. She allowed him entrance and he came in search. His tongue found hers, it sparred with hers, it conquered hers. The sensations spiraling through her were fierce. They were violent. They were all-controlling.
    A passion unlike anything she’d ever imagined possible consumed her, drove her to lengths she didn’t think could be reached. Pushed her past the brink of an abyss she didn’t think could be crossed. Urged her to demand more. And suddenly she realized there were no limits that would stop her if Nick Stillman were there with her. If he were encouraging her to travel with him.
    As if he’d come to the same startling realization, he lifted his lips from hers and turned his head. He brought her up against him and gathered her to his body.
    She pressed the side of her face against his chest. His pounding heart thundered beneath her ear. His arms trembled as they held her close to him. And his rapid breathing rushed into the nighttime air in stifled gulps.
    Neither spoke for several moments, in part because Winnie could think of nothing to say. But more because she didn’t have enough control of her voice to speak. She knew the same was true for him.
    Finally, he said, “My lady, I—”
    But she stopped him with a lift of her trembling hand.
    She didn’t want him to say anything. She didn’t want him to spoil this perfect time with words that would diminish what they’d just done. She didn’t want him to make excuses to explain what could not be explained.
    When her legs were steady beneath her, she stepped away from him and walked back into the ballroom.
    She didn’t want to think about what had just happened. She didn’t want to try to make sense of something that defied description.
    Or undo a mistake that could never be rectified.

CHAPTER 7

    Nick walked back into the ballroom with one purpose in mind: he needed to talk to Lady Amy and Miss Bickford, then he’d get the hell as far away from Society and Lady Winnifred Waverley as possible.
    What had he just done?
    What had come over him? Kissing her had been a monumental mistake. Kissing her had only proven what he never wanted to have confirmed—that he had feelings for her.
    And she was the last person to which he wanted to form an attachment.
    She was a member of Society. And not just any member, but her father was a bloody duke! After the way his mother and father