Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

"Mr.Ambrose, it is most vexing that you have put me in an uncomfortable position. How am I to let Miss White down easy now that you tell me you will not marry?"

Miss White? The twists and turns in this conversation were making him dizzy. "What does Miss White have to do with anything?"

"Well, she was to be your bride until your most inconvenient confession."

"My bride? When was I to learn this information, as I stood at the altar?"

August stood and poured himself another finger of whisky. Miss Westbury surely responsible, driving him to drink.

"Mr. Ambrose, don't be silly. You would have had to propose to her first."

"Of course. How daft of me. I would surely have realized as I bent on one knee."

Miss Westbury sighed, the one that indicated she'd reached her limit of patience with him. He usually took a measure of enjoyment in eliciting that sound, but tonight, it was infuriating. How dare she act as if he was the one not going to plan. There wasn't a plan !

Flashes of the past number of weeks flashed in his mind. The sudden addition of Miss White to afternoon tea. The insistence he take her on a walk. The mistletoe.

"Miss Westbury, how was it that we found ourselves under the mistletoe tonight?"

As much as he did not want to revisit the events of earlier this evening, he realized that he had possible been played for a fool for a number of weeks.

Miss Westbury had the courtesy to blush. "Well, you were escorting Miss White and me to dinner. Although you should have only been walking with her as I am perfectly capable of making my own way to the dining room."

She sat back and folded her arms across her chest, as if daring him to challenge her. Between her flushed cheeks and bright eyes, she was the most passionate creature he'd ever met. He had the sudden urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless.

"And if you had not entered on my arm, what might have happened?"

"The same thing, really. We would have ended up in the dining room."

"And Miss White and me? Why do I think that we may have suffered the same fate if she had not had the misfortune to lose her feet?"

Miss Westbury trained her eyes on the floor. "I have no idea what you're implying. It was Mrs. Bridges who pointed out the custom. I could not have helped that."

"Perhaps," August allowed. "Yet I am confident that you may have noticed had you not been standing under it."

"Perhaps. There is no way to know."

August set his finger underneath her chin to tilt it until she met his gaze. "Miss Westbury, am I the victim of a set up?"

She returned his steady gaze, reflexively licking her lips as his eyes darkened. "You're hardly a victim. It's in your best interests."

Still gripping her chin lightly, he asked, "How is it in my best interest to kiss Miss White? "

August made a valiant effort to rein in his rogue thoughts. It suddenly felt to be most imperative that he kiss Miss Westbury. Holding her close, all rational thoughts to the contrary vacated, and he was left with the steady drum beat of kiss, kiss, kiss .

"It's the only way to fall in love, of course."

There were more questions about that statement than he had time to ask. He settled on "You think kissing makes people fall in love?"

The flush on Miss Westbury's cheeks spread to her neck. August found himself wondering if it went farther down to her chest.

"Of course. That is how it's done in novels."

He was reminded again of her innocence. She had no idea how attraction and love between a man and a woman worked.

"Kissing is one of the most enjoyable activities one can partake in. However, kissing does not create love."

A confused frown creased her forehead, and August could tell he may as well have told her the sky was crimson red like her dress. "I don't understand."

"You needn't. When you're kissed for the first time, it will be by the man who intends to take you for his wife. He will teach you that and more."

"There is more?" The eager expectation on her face twisted his gut, and the thought of someone else teaching her the physical pleasures made him want to punch the wall.

"Indeed. Very much more." He released his grip on her chin, suddenly self-conscious of the intimate touch.

"Show me."

His body vibrated with the desire to comply with her request.

"I cannot."

"Why ever not? You have declared your intention not to marry as have I. You will have opportunity to experience what you speak of, but I will not. I want to know."

August was conflicted. He very much should not be considering this madness. Yet, she offered a clear boundary to the experience. One kiss, one proper kiss, then they could put this evening and her curiosity behind them. Perhaps it was the most sensible thing to do.

"All right, Miss Westbury. One kiss. Then we do not speak of this topic ever again."

She nodded so quickly it made tendrils slip out of her updo. "Yes, please." She closed her eyes and tilted her head towards him, offering all he'd ever wanted but had never thought he could claim. August would savor this one kiss, to keep him company during the lonely nights.

He cupped her face with both hands and shifted closer so that he could angle her head as he wished. He was close enough to feel her breath on his mouth and the anticipation of how it would feel to finally claim her for his own, if just for a few stolen moments, was growing.

Heart racing, he closed the distance between them until his mouth landed on hers. She gasped at the contact and he swallowed her exclamation. He kept the kiss light and exploratory. As much as he longed to deepen their embrace, he did not want to overwhelm her.

Miss Westbury returned his kiss with enthusiasm, showing no signs of being offended by the intimacy of the act. She rested a hand on his shoulder and leaned farther into the embrace. She scooted closer, their legs pressing together and he could feel her skirts surround him.

She licked his lips and he opened to her. She let out a squeak of surprise but didn't move away. August slipped his tongue into her mouth and she opened to accept him, meeting his movements with her own.

In fact, she leaned closer still until she was practically in his lap. Her hands roamed over his shoulders, back, and arms, exploring freely. He allowed a hand on her hip and caressed the silky fabric of her dress. As much as his fingers itched to explore further, he intended to only show her what she asked, not ruin her. It would do neither of them any good for him to take this a step to far and destine them both for the altar .

He slowed the kiss and eased back. Her lips were full and her eyes glassy. He reached out to curl a tendril of hair around his finger.

"Did that answer your question?"

"Yes and no. I now have many more questions in need of answers." She touched her lips with her fingers and August had the urge to kiss her once again.

"Those questions will go unanswered unless you decide to marry. So you may as well put them out of your head."

"I had no idea it could be like this."

"Now you understand. There are vast physical pleasures that are not always related to romantic love."

Although, August had just silently disproved his point as the kiss he shared with Miss Westbury convinced him he was well and truly in love with her.