First Kiss Friday – Miss George’s Second Chance by Heather Boyd

Today’s First Kiss Friday featured guest is Heather Boyd, author of regency romance novella Miss George’s Second Chance.  Welcome Heather!  Here’s the first kiss between Peter Watson and Imogen.

Imogen wished she could see. It must be close to midnight. “How did you get in the house?”

Metal thudded against wood. “Key.”

The sheet tumbled from her hands. “Have you taken leave of your senses? Where’s Walter? What have you done? Did you win the key from my brother or stoop to steal it from him?”

“Neither.” The bed dipped as he sat at her side. “Lost all interest in gambling when you tossed me aside. Deuced unlucky of me. Would you believe Walter handed over the key to me with his best wishes?”

“No.” She swallowed the hard lump lodged in her throat. “He would never do such a thing.”

“Wrong. He’s not completely under your thumb as you imagine, for which I must say I am extremely grateful. Walter has been surprisingly helpful in my wish to speak with you privately.”

A heavy weight settled on her legs. His hand? Imogen fought to breathe as she shook off the sensation she’d lost control of her relationship with Peter. The man she remembered was so lacking in passion he would never dream of risking her reputation. “We’ve already spoken several times since your return. I’ve told you we do not suit.”

He swept his hand up to her hip and she trembled at the storm of sensations his caress caused in her. She slapped her hand over his, holding his wandering fingers in place.

“If you recall our final conversation a year ago I disagreed.” He touched her jaw with his fingertips so lightly she held her breath. “I should have fought harder. When you had no reason to pity me you couldn’t get out of the engagement fast enough, discounting any future we might have had together. I gather you wanted a malleable husband and a man with a title and money of his own would never do. The day my inheritance was confirmed you ended us.”

She huffed at his claims. “There was hardly any us.”

“No.” He dropped his hand to her shoulder and skimmed the skin of her neck above her nightgown. “I should apologize for being too much of a gentleman before, I suppose. I never laid more than a finger on you to prove otherwise and I find I regret not being clearer the first time very much.”

Imogen clenched her hands together to control her shaking. What had happened to the carefully polite gentleman of last night? “Hardly the behavior of an ardent suitor.”

Peter brushed her cheek with his lips. His hot breath fanned over her skin to give her gooseflesh down her arms. “So, it’s true you would have had me be wicked and steal a kiss or two before we married?”

Imogen shifted back against the headboard and crossed her arms over her chest. Her breath came in a rush and she couldn’t calm it. “If the idea had occurred to you I’m sure you would have done something about it long before now.”

His wide palm cupped the side of her head and eased her toward him. “Imogen, the idea occurred to me. I just didn’t want to make a mess of yet another situation. But that was a year ago and I’m no longer a patient man.”

As she took her next breath, Peter’s lips crashed against hers, tossing her theory he wasn’t attracted to her out the window. His arms encased her in warmth. Desire flooded her senses. She struggled to know how to respond as Peter took command of the kiss. He tugged at her lips, the tip of his tongue danced across the tender skin until she gasped.

A groan left him as he slipped his tongue into her mouth and tangled with hers. He pulled her closer, into his arms, freeing her from the barrier of the sheets that stood between them. He cupped her face as he softened the embrace, pressing kisses gentler than she had ever expected to her lips. “Should have done that long ago,” he whispered when he drew back momentarily.