Free Love's Guardian by Dawn Ireland

strange kind of intensity, and the next, she was being kissed with a passion she hadn’t known existed.
    Declan’s hands roamed her back, trying to coax her closer. Her arms came up, encircling the muscled expanse of his shoulder. Everywhere she touched felt hard, but warm. The soft pressure of his lips continued down her neck, halting just long enough to nuzzle behind her ear.
    She didn’t want to do anything that might make him stop. This vortex of swirling feelings and emotions appealed to her in a way she never could have imagined.
    He reclaimed her mouth with an urgency that seemed to have a direct line to the spot below her belly. She pressed against him, wanting, what?
    The click of a door caused her to stiffen and break the kiss. She glanced up at Declan. A slight smile curled his lips as he glanced over her shoulder.
    “Glory be, and I thought you would be bored in the country.” A man’s lilting Irish voice sounded from the entrance. “You, Worthington, could find a winning colleen on a desert isle.”
    Alex jerked out of Declan’s embrace and turned around to see a grinning man filling the doorway. She tried to straighten the neckline that had slipped half off her shoulder and felt a flush heating her cheeks. Was it from the kiss, or embarrassment at being found in Declan’s arms? Her guardian moved forward to greet their guest. Damn him for appearing so unruffled by their surprise visitor.
    Declan inclined his head in Alex’s direction at the man’s questioning glance. “Lord Morgan, may I present the Countess of Lochsdale, Alexandra Kendrick, my ward.”
    The Irishman raised an eyebrow at Declan before coming forward and bowing over her hand. He had a grace she found surprising, considering his over six foot frame. “I’m charmed, Lady Lochsdale. If I’d known there was such beauty to be found in the country, I would have visited sooner.”
    Declan joined them and gave Morgan an exasperated look. “What the devil are you doing here? I thought you were looking after Catrina.”
    “Nice to see you, too.” The ruggedly handsome Lord Morgan slapped Declan on the back. “I got tired of waiting.”
    A low sultry voice came from the doorway. “So did I.”
    Alex looked in the direction of the voice. A woman, who bore a strong resemblance to the statue of Aphrodite in her mother’s garden, posed in the entrance. She was tall and willowy, making Alex feel like a child by comparison. Her features were classic, with the flawless skin and blond hair Eleanor told her were all the rage in London.
    Dressed in a pale pink gown, she seemed to float toward Declan. She put her arm through his and lifted her cheek for a kiss.
    Alex had a ridiculous impulse to cross the room and yank the vision off him.
    “Lord Worthington, it really wasn’t very kind of you to leave us in London without a word,” she breathed. “I, that is, we were worried about you.” She looked up at him, the image of a concerned lover.
    Alex wished she could be anywhere but here. She reached down to retrieve her list, which brought her to the attention of the clinging vine.
    “Who do we have here? Lord Worthington, this couldn’t possibly be your charge. I was under the impression she was still in the schoolroom.” She raised an eyebrow in Morgan’s direction.
    “How would I be knowing?” Morgan defended. “When Worthington said he’d be needing some time to clear up this business with his ward, I assumed she was a wee thing.”
    The vision looked Alex up and down. “Well, at least some of your assumptions were correct.”
    That did it. She refused to be talked about as if she were elsewhere, and if that was a set down about her height, well it was still her home. She could toss out whomever she pleased.
    Before she could open her mouth, Declan spoke, “Lady Catrina Edwards, may I present Lady Alexandra Kendrick, the Countess of Lochsdale.”
    Lady Catrina inclined her head toward Alex, then turned back to Declan. “You don’t