No Groom at the Inn: A Dukes Behaving Badly Novella by Megan Frampton

the light in his eyes was fierce and wild. Thrilling her, even though she had no idea what it meant.
    “I want a kiss.”
    She nearly laughed aloud at the irony of it, but merely nodded and thrust her hand out. “We have a deal.”
    He took her hand, sliding his fingers over her palm, making her heart race with just the merest touch.
    Imagine what would happen to her when they did kiss. Because they would be kissing, of that she was now certain.
    “You mentioned you could beat me with just a few words.” He still held her hand, his tone teasing, his expression entirely somber. “What words would those be?”
    She paused and licked her lips, which had suddenly gone dry. His gaze fastened on her mouth and she felt it as though it was an almost palpable touch.
    “I want a kiss.”

 
    Smicker:
    1. The collar of an apron.
    2. To look amorously.
    3. The spines of a fish.

 
    C HAPTER E LEVEN
    O f course he had to smile at that, but it didn’t matter, since—since now it was a moot point. “Well, then who is the winner here?” he asked, moving forward to put his hand on her waist.
    Drawing her to him, as he’d wanted to do from the first time—well, no, the first time he saw her she’d been sitting down in a pub drinking ale, he hadn’t been thinking about what he wanted to do to her, or with her, until a few hours later.
    Still, it was fairly close to the first time they’d met.
    She leaned back and gazed up at him, and once again, he had cause to be grateful she was such a tall woman. He would only have to lower his mouth to hers a few inches, especially if she rose up on her toes. Kissing could be damned hard on the spine, he’d found, if the two participants were upright.
    “Why, I have won, of course. You smiled.” And then she did the same, her lips curling up into the most provocative, compelling smile he’d ever seen.
    Or that could be just her.
    “So will you claim your reward, my lady?” Jamie said, sliding his palm to the small of her back and pulling her closer.
    She raised her hands and put them at his shoulders, pushing him back. The immediate words of apology began to come from his mouth, but she shook her head, keeping her gaze locked on his face. “ I wish to claim my reward, sir,” she replied, stressing the first word. “ You will just have to give it.”
    Oh, well then. He wanted her to take it more than he’d wanted anything in his entire life. He’d never been with a woman like her before, one who knew what she wanted, even though he was fairly certain she wasn’t entirely aware of what she wanted, being an unmarried woman and all. And since he had been with experienced unmarried women before, he knew she wasn’t experienced, not at all.
    “Will this be your first kiss?” The words popped out of his mouth before he could even think about them.
    Her cheeks pinked, and he knew the answer before she spoke. “Yes,” she said in a soft voice, her fingers beginning to caress his shoulders.
    “Good.” He couldn’t help the note of masculine pride in his voice. “I will just allow you to take it.” He stilled himself, letting his hands go down by his side, watching her as she prepared herself.
    God, her face was so expressive. He could watch it for hours, and still find new emotions revealed there. Her eyes swept down his body, almost as though she were touching him everywhere she looked. She allowed her hands to slide down his arms, to his waist. When they came to rest there, she bit her lip, and he had to restrain himself from bending down to bite it, as well.
    And then she looked up at him, the frank desire in her eyes making him feel as though he were lit from inside. An odd way to put it, to be sure, but it felt as though only she could make him warm. Could soothe him with her kiss.
    Even though he doubted very much that kissing her would be a soothing activity. Exciting, sensual, and an entirely new experience, yes, but not soothing.
    “Well?” he said at last. It was