Free The Rebel Surgeon's Proposal by MARGARET MCDONAGH Page B

and whistles from the girls but all she could focus on was him. He pulled away slightly and she experienced a crushing sense of disappointment that it was over, but he didn’t let her go. Eyes sultry with something she didn’t recognise, he brushed the pad of his thumb over her lips.
    ‘Open your mouth for me, Chessie,’ he instructed softly, using the name only he called her.
    ‘W-what?’
    He smiled, amused but kind. ‘I want to do this right.’
    A bit bemused, she nevertheless did what he said, her lips parting as he tilted her head and his mouth took possession of hers once more. There was no other way to describe it. Gently, firmly but thoroughly, he possessed her, teaching her what kissing was like. The world ceased to exist beyond their own space as his lips caressed hers. Then she started in shock as his tongue teased her lips before sliding inside her mouth. Even more shocking, she found she liked it. More than liked it. And she kissed him back, tentatively touching her tongue to his, gasping as he kissed her more deeply, more strongly, drinking her in, tasting and savouring her as if unable to get enough.
    ‘Devlin!’ His name, bellowed across the yard, made them jerk apart.
    Dazed, she stared up at Luke as his hands dropped away from her, his expression a mix of desire, sorrow, anger and resignation as the teacher came up and shoved him.
    ‘Get your hands off her.’ The order had been unnecessary as they had no longer been touching. ‘The headmaster’s office. Now.’
    As Luke was marched off like a criminal, Francesca had followed behind, determined he would not be punished just because of who he was, because of his awful father and brothers. Her anger had flared at the unfairness. It wasn’t right, she wouldn’t let it happen. By the time she had caught up with them, ignoring the secretary and stepping into the office, Luke was already being lambasted.
    ‘Excuse me,’ she interrupted, unsure where her courage was coming from.
    Three pairs of eyes watched her, one shocked and concerned, two hostile.
    ‘There’s no need for you to be involved here,’ the head told her.
    ‘But there is. Luke’s done nothing wrong, sir. I kissed him. I walked up to him and asked if I could kiss him. He did nothing to me. He didn’t hurt me, or do anything against my will. It’s not fair to blame him or treat him like this.’
    Silence followed her impassioned speech.
    ‘Why would you do such a stupid thing?’ the head growled at her. ‘He’s not the sort of person you should be associating with. What would your mother say? He’s bad news.’
    ‘I don’t believe that, sir. Luke’s not responsible for his family. You can’t do this. You can’t blame him when it wasn’t his fault. If you want to punish someone, it should be me.’
    Her gaze met Luke’s then and she saw his shock, his admiration, then he shook his head, trying to tell her to back off, to leave him, but she wouldn’t, she was too angry at the injustice of it….
     

    The clatter of a tray being dropped on the canteen floor snapped Francesca back to the present.
    She didn’t know to this day what all the fuss had been about over the kiss, but she had been dismissed and all but frogmarched back to her classroom. She had no idea what had happened after that as she had only seen Luke a few times in the distance, but never alone. She had never been able to talk to him, to do more than exchange lingering eye contact. A couple of weeks later he had sat his final exam, and then he had gone and she had never seen him again—until ten days ago.
    But she had never forgotten him or that kiss. She’d been kissed since then but nothing had compared to that first time.Which she knew was silly as she’d had no idea what she’d been doing and Luke had been scarcely more than a boy at the time, however much more experienced than her. But a connection had flowed between them, one she couldn’t explain.
    ‘It was enjoyable,’ she said now with