Scandal by Amanda Quick Page B

more of the world."
    "No doubt. I have been stuck in Little Dippington all of my life."
    "Then you will grant me the advantage of wider experience and allow me to make the decisions regarding the course of our future relationship."
    "I will?"
    "Yes, Emily," he said quite gently. "You will." He bent his head and kissed the tip of her nose. "I am convinced it would be best if you wait until your wedding night before you surrender completely to another bout of excessive romantic passion."
    "Then I shall wait forever, my lord," she snapped, "because I certainly do not intend to wed Elias Prendergast and he is about the only one who is likely to offer for me."
    "No, my dear, he is not. I am going to offer for you. Just as soon as your father returns to Little Dippington."
    Emily looked up at him in blank incomprehension. "You are going to offer for me? But, my lord, I just finished explaining that I am a ruined woman."
    "I think," Simon said coolly, "that we will not discuss the Unfortunate Incident in your past again."
    "We will not?"
    "You begin to understand." He brushed his mouth lightly across hers and then drew back, smiling faintly.
    She caught one of his big hands in her two small fists. "Simon, do you mean it? You intend to go through with making an offer for me regardless of the great scandal in my past?"
    "Oh, yes, Emily. I fully intend to ask your father for your hand."
    She could hardly believe it. Joyous excitement threatened to swamp her. "And you do not wish to begin an illicit romantic liaison tonight instead?"
    "It is, naturally, difficult to resist a woman of such warm passions as yourself, Emily, but I intend to wait until our wedding night to consummate our union."
    "Oh."
    Simon laughed softly at the rueful disappointment in her eyes. He brought one of her hands to his lips and kissed her wrist, his eyes never leaving hers. "Which is not to say, my sweet, that we cannot avail ourselves of a taste or two of forbidden fruit."
    She glowed up at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Does that mean you are going to kiss me?"
    "Among other things." He lowered his head, his dragon's eyes the color of molten gold. His mouth was warm on the curve of her throat.
    "Oh, Simon."
    "I like it when you say my name in just that manner. I like it very much. Almost as much as the way you shiver when I touch you."
    He gripped her firmly around her waist and lifted her up off the floor. She looked down at him with a sense of wonder, her hands braced on his shoulders as he carried her over to the mahogany desk.
    Simon seated her on the edge of the desk and then very deliberately began to unfasten Emily's chintz wrapper. His eyes held hers in thrall as he slowly parted the edges of the garment to reveal the embroidered, high-necked muslin nightdress underneath.
    Emily felt herself going pink from head to toe. No doubt he could see the way her nipples were thrusting against the soft fabric. She reminded herself she was a ruined woman and he would be expecting some level of sophistication about this sort of thing from her.
    She cleared her throat. "My lord, is this what you call kissing?" she said in what she hoped was a suitably blase fashion.
    "No, this is what I call tasting forbidden fruit." He smiled down into her eyes and bent his head to cover her mouth with his own. His hand went to her breast.
    Emily stiffened with shock and then moaned softly. Her arms tightened around his neck. Simon's thumb moved over her nipple, causing it to form a tight bud of desire. His mouth slid druggingly across hers. The heat of his body as he leaned close kept away the chill of the room.
    Lost in the wonder and excitement of Simon's kiss, Emily barely noticed when his hands went to her legs. He pushed the hem of the nightdress up to her thighs and then he gripped her knees very firmly. Slowly, gently, he forced her legs widely apart and then, in a shockingly intimate move, stepped boldly between them.
    Emily's eyes flew open. "My lord…