Fairy Tale Weddings Read Online Free PDF Page B

upturned face. Almost as if he were in a trance, Thorne pulled one hand from his pocket and cupped her chin, staring at her with a thoroughness that brought a rush of color to her cheeks. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered with a reverence that made his voice tremble.
    Cindy lowered her eyes.
    His grip tightened almost imperceptibly. “It’s true,” he continued. “I’ve never known anyone as lovely.”
    â€œWhy did you bring me here?”
    Thorne expelled his breath, and his words were an odd mixture of anger and wonder. “For the most selfish of reasons. I wanted to kiss you.”
    Cindy’s questioning gaze sought his. “Then why haven’t you? Cinderella’s waiting.”
    He smiled then. “You’re taking this prince stuff seriously, aren’t you?”
    â€œVery.”
    He slid his thumb across her bottom lip, his eyes pensive. “I’ve never experienced anything like this.”
    â€œMe neither.” It was important that he know these feelings were as much a shock to her. Despite her fantasy, despite her hopes, she hadn’t expected this to happen, hadn’t believed it ever would. When she’d first seen him, her disappointment had been acute. But all of that had changed the moment he’d come to her and asked her to dance. From that time forward he’d been magically transformed into the prince who’d dominated her dreams for weeks. He was everything she’d imagined and a thousand things more.
    â€œI haven’t any right,” he said, but his mouth inched toward hers as though he wanted her to stop him.
    She couldn’t—not when she longed for his kiss the wayshe did; not when every part of her was crying out for the taste of his mouth on hers.
    The ragged beat of his heart echoed her own as Cindy flattened her hands against his chest and slowly, deliberately, tilted her face to receive his kiss. They were so close their breath mingled. Cindy stood on tiptoe as Thorne gently lowered his lips to hers. His mouth was firm and so tender that Cindy felt a tear form at the corner of her eye. Their mouths clung, and Cindy’s hands crept up to rest on his shoulders.
    â€œSo sweet, so very sweet,” Thorne groaned and buried his face in the slope of her neck. “I knew it would be like this. I knew it would be this sweet.” His breathing was uneven.
    Cindy felt shocked into speechlessness. Her whole body went numb, tingling with wonder. As difficult as it was, she resisted the urge to raise her fingers to her lips. Thorne looked equally shaken. They broke apart and Cindy teetered for a moment until she found her balance.
    Their eyes met for a timeless second. When Thorne reached for her, Cindy walked willingly into his arms. Then his mouth was on hers, twisting, turning, tasting, testing as if he had to reexperience these sensations. As if he hadn’t believed they could be real.
    When he released her, Cindy was weak and trembling. She looked up at Thorne and saw that he was unnaturally pale.
    Thorne took a step back and removed his heavy coat. Gently, he draped it over her shoulders, his hands lingering there. “You’re cold,” he whispered.
    â€œNo,” she murmured, shaking her head. “It’s not the cold. It’s you—you make me tremble.”
    â€œFeel what you do to me.” He took her hand and placed it over his pounding heart. A frown drove his dark brows together. “I’m no inexperienced schoolboy. What’s happening to me—to us?”
    Cindy smiled and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Magic, I think.”
    â€œBlack magic?” He regarded her suspiciously, but his eyes were smiling.
    â€œNo, this is the very best kind.”
    He agreed. Nothing that felt this good could be wrong. He slipped his arm around her shoulders and led her to one of the many benches that faced the pond.
    Silently they sat