Enchanted by Your Kisses Read Online Free PDF Page A

that.
    He waited for her to say something, she realized, grimly holding her tongue. But he could go to the devil for all she cared, he and his silly, ridiculous observations.
    "Or is that what you want?" he asked.
    Still she held her tongue, though she knew doing so provoked him, perhaps to the point that he'd do something rash.
    Like what? asked a voice.
    Like kiss me.
    "No," she answered.
    "No, my lady?" he said, thinking she meant no to his question, not to her ridiculous thought that he might kiss her. "That I wonder." He took another step toward her. And now she could feel the heat radiate off his body like warmth off lantern glass. His smell, too, permeated her senses. A scent that was all maleness and uniquely his. She retreated a step. The back of her legs came in contact with the bench.
    "That is a pretty ring," she commented, trying to distract him, grasping at anything that came to mind to do so.
    "Is it?" he asked, still advancing.
    "Yes. . .ah. . .what kind of stone is it?" she croaked. Gracious, but he still came at her.
    "A serpentine."
    "Oh." How appropriate. A serpentine for a man who moved like a serpent. "I've never seen one before."
    He didn't answer, just closed the distance between them. All thoughts of his ring vanished. "What are you doing?" she asked, and she hated that her voice sounded breathless.
    "I'm going to test the waters."
    Test the wat —
    "Oh, no," she said, instantly gleaning his meaning. She tried to duck around him, but he moved faster. Masculine arms pulled her against him, a gasp of protest turning into a moan of " Nooo " as he lowered his head.
    "Yes," she heard him answer, and then she felt the warm pressure of his lips against her own. She stood there, stunned, as myriad sensations flooded her senses: Fear. Shock. And a sweet desire that startled her with its intensity.
    And then it was over. He released her. Stepping back almost as if their kiss had jolted him, too.
    "Is that what you want, Lady D'Archer —stolen kisses pilfered in a garden? For if that is the life you envision for yourself, then go. But I warn you, if you give in to your cowardly urge to retreat, you will regret it for the rest of your days."
    Turning on his heel, he left. She watched his dark form get swallowed up by the darkness, broad shoulders stiff with disapproval.
    Or disappointment?
    Or was she disappointed? Gracious heavens, she didn't know. Nor did she care to analyze why her shoulders slumped as he walked away. Why her lips felt burned. Or her legs felt as weak as cook's favorite noodle.
    She sank to the bench, her hand covering her erratically beating heart. And as his footsteps receded she found herself thinking that he was right. Men would forever treat her as he had. Worse, she wondered if all of them would make her heart race as he had.

    He shouldn't have kissed her, Nathan thought, as he rode home in his uncle's elegant ducal carriage. Damn, but he shouldn't have done it.
    And just why had he done it? he asked himself, swiping a hand over the left side of his face. He could feel the ridge of the scar tissue there, a memento of why he should never desire or trust a beautiful woman again. Besides, women such as she found his disfigured face interesting for only so long before they went on their way. ' Twas a bitter irony, really, for it was a woman who had shot him and caused the disfigurement. But he would not think of the woman who'd betrayed him. The lying, treacherous whore was no longer his concern. Lady Ariel D'Archer was.
    Damn, but he couldn't stop thinking of her. Those lips enticed him. He felt a need such as he'd never known, which made his anger surge to the point that kissing her had seemed reasonable at the time.
    Reasonable!
    Bloody hell.
    The coach swayed upon its springs as he settled back angrily into the plush, red velvet squabs, the luxury that surrounded him completely ignored. Fury at himself had him clenching his fists. He would not make such a mistake again—if she ever