Free The Wedding Wager by Elena Greene Page A

he said. “I just want to marry you .”
    Oh, why did he have to sound so earnest, and so totally charming?
    “It’s best that we don’t,” she said. Gently, she tried to pull her hands back, but he held them firmly. Despite herself, she felt warmed by the touch.
    “Harry, you must realize by now that I can be faithful. Do you think I haven’t encountered any temptation?” Julian asked, in a serious tone. He paused a few moments before continuing. “I probably shouldn’t tell you, but perhaps when you hear this you’ll believe me. Last night, I went to a masquerade, and met a . . . well, a very charming, very exquisite lady.”
    Harry felt her heart begin to pound at his description. He’d found Diana charming ? Exquisite ? “What happened?”
    “She told me she was looking for a lover,” said Julian, looking troubled. “I must be honest with you, Harry. She tempted me, more than I’ve ever been tempted before. I was going to kiss her, and then I just couldn’t.”
    Somehow, Harry found her lips had gone dry. She licked them, and managed to croak out the question, “Why?”
    “I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you . Harry, I promise I’ll stay here in Kent with you always. We need never go back to London, or anywhere else. Just say you’ll marry me!”
    “You would make such a sacrifice? Just to marry me? Why?” she asked, not wanting to hope, but unable to stop herself.
    “Because I love you!”
    She stared at him. If her heart was pounding before, it was galloping now.
    “I know you still think of me as a friend, perhaps even as a brother. But Harry, we are not brother and sister. Your feelings might change, if you let them. Will you try?”
    She gazed into his eyes. She’d never seen them blaze with such emotion. For her ?
    “You don’t believe that I love you?” he cried. “I’ll prove it to you!”
    Before she could say anything, he closed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms. Then he bent his head down and kissed her. At first he merely pressed his lips fervently against hers. She sat rigidly within the circle of his arms, still not quite believing what was happening, and without any notion of how she should respond. Then the reality of the situation struck her. She looked tired and hideous, but Julian was kissing her anyway!
    The unexpected joy of it all set her pulses leaping anew, and she twined her arms around him and hugged him back with all her might. He tightened his hold, and she gave a little moan. His tongue teased her lips apart, and began to warmly explore her mouth. She stiffened again at the shock of it. She’d never imagined a kiss could be like this.
    Then a warmth spread through her like nothing she’d ever felt before. Instinctively, she began to follow his lead, and their tongues curled about each other in a strange, wonderful embrace that hinted at even greater pleasures yet to come.
    As he kissed Harry, Julian couldn’t stop marveling at his good fortune. She must love him, or she would not be responding to his kiss with such innocent fervor. It was clear she’d never been kissed before, but she was definitely doing her best to make up for lost time. He felt nearly insane with the yearning to touch and caress every part of her, but he forced himself to be careful, not to shock her too much.
    He finally withdrew from her lips, and heard a little gasp of disappointment as he kissed her cheek. He wanted to kiss her ear, but her blasted cap was in the way, so he moved down her neck, and found places there just as sweet. He followed the lovely line of her neck down to where the little hollow at the base of her throat was just barely revealed by her modest décolletage. He kissed her there, hungrily, thrilling to feel the quick beat of her heart, reveling in her scent, mysterious and innocently sweet at the same time. Her scent . . .
    Lilies of the valley.
    Abruptly he pulled back, assailed by a fantastic, unbelievable suspicion. He gazed