Courting Constance (Fountain of Love) Read Online Free PDF Page B

house.  “I don’t know what I’m going to say to him.”
    Alice hugged her friend.  “Just tell him that he’s going to get you sacked.  Be clear.”  She walked to the front of the house and sat down on a bench.  “I’ll wait here.”
    Constance looked at Alice, and wished she could ask her to stay with her while she went inside, but she knew that was cowardly.  She walked to the door and raised her hand to knock, and found it wrenched open before she could.  Charles stood in front of her, and gave her a surprised look.  “I was just about to come to town to badger you to eat dinner with me.”
    Constance sighed.  “We really need to talk, my lord.”
    He opened the door wider to let her inside.  “Come to my study.”  He led the way down the long hall, and Constance followed behind staring around the house.  She had never seen such a fine home, and she felt more determined than ever to get him to leave her alone.  She didn’t belong in his world, and he would never fit in with hers.
    He led her to the study, but instead of taking his seat behind the desk, he sat on the couch across the room.  The couch was blue with huge overstuffed cushions.  He sat in the middle, so she stood looking down at him, wondering where he wanted her.  “You can’t keep sending me gifts.  Mrs. Jackson is threatening to sack me if it doesn’t stop.”
    He patted the cushion beside him, obviously waiting for her to be seated before responding.  “Sit with me, and we’ll talk.”
    She sighed.  “There’s no room with you taking up the middle as you are.”  Constance wanted nothing more than to sit close beside him, snuggled against him, but she knew it was a mistake.  Before she’d met him, Lord Charles had held a mysterious power over her.  Now that she knew him?  She didn’t think she’d ever be able to stay away.
    He caught her hand and pulled her down beside him, his arm immediately going around her shoulders.  “See?  Plenty of room.”  He leaned over and brushed his lips across her cheek.
    She tried to jerk away from him, but he held her against him.  “This isn’t proper, my lord.”
    “No, it isn’t, and please, call me Charles.”  He looked down into her eyes as he spoke softly to her.  “I tried to do things properly.  I asked if I could drive you home last night.  I asked if I could take you to lunch today.  I’ve tried everything proper I know to do.  Now, I’m doing improper things.”  His eyes held hers as he spoke, and he slowly lowered his head to brush his lips against hers. 
    Constance put her hands on his chest to push him away, but found she couldn’t do it.  Her hands slowly wound around his neck, and she pressed closer to him.  What would one kiss hurt?  One kiss to store in her memory forever.
    He angled his head and deepened the kiss, his tongue tracing the outline of her lips.  When she gasped softly at the feel of his tongue on her, he took advantage and slipped his tongue into her mouth, slowly stroking hers.
    She had never been kissed, had never dreamed that a man would kiss her this way.  She clung to his shoulders, her heart pounding madly.  No one had prepared her for the feelings that rushed through her.  Her breasts were pressed against his hard chest, and her body tingled from head to toe. 
    She broke the kiss, panting softly.  “I can’t let you kiss me like that again,” she whispered, surprised she’d allowed it the first time.
    Charles sighed.  “That’s all I’ve been able to think about since the moment I saw you in my sister’s parlor yesterday.  You take my breath away, Constance.  You make me think about forever, and that’s not something I’ve done in a long time.”
    “It can’t be.  I’m sorry.  I have to work, and my employer made it very clear that you are a distraction she’s not willing to allow back in the shop.  The gifts have to stop as well.”  She tried to keep her voice calm and even, but it