How could that be? She wanted more.
And when he slanted her mouth open and brushed his tongue past her lips to touch his tongue to hers, sensation ricocheted through her as she tilted her head even further to give him all the access he desired.
She never wanted this kiss to end.
But it did just the same.
Chapter Nine
Brandon lifted his head.
Not because he wanted to. He’d like to kiss Emily all night until the sun rose and then he’d take her home and strip her…
He forced himself to stop. That kiss hadn’t been about his pleasure.
Though it had been beyond pleasant.
It had been obvious she’d never kissed a man before. Rather than mind her inexperience it had filled him with…satisfaction. A reminder when he’d worried that she didn’t actually want him, that she would be his and his alone.
And then she’d bloomed under him, kissing him back with such innocent passion that he’d forgotten all his worries. She was his.
And he had no intention of letting her go.
Her heart was pounding against his and male pride surged through him.
He’d done that.
He cupped her cheek in his palm as his thumb swept across her now-swollen lips. He ached all the more when she pressed a small kiss to the pad.
But he cleared his throat, attempting to order his thoughts. He had a proposal to make. “Miss Emily Carrington,” he said, looking down in her large, gorgeous brown eyes. The soft tilt at the corners and dark lashes only accentuated the depth of love and kindness that sparkled in them. “Will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”
He felt her let out a breath, the warm air tickling his thumb’s tip. “Brandon,” she started, and her voice cracked on his name. Was she overset with emotion? “That’s not what I meant when I said you hadn’t proposed.”
“I beg your pardon?” But his stomach dropped.
“I…” She swallowed. “I meant you still had the opportunity to…” She stopped again. “You could marry an earl’s daughter. Or a marquess’.” Emily took a half step back or she tried.
He tilted his head to the side as he looked down at her. “You think I should marry someone else?”
She nodded. “You’ve only just received the king’s favor. You should marry into a sparkling family with a stellar reputation.” Her hands came to his chest. “I know you’ve worked very hard to clear your family’s name.”
“Years,” he replied, beginning to understand. “It’s all I wanted for the longest time.”
She smiled up at him. “I’m so glad that you earned it, then.” Then her smile slipped. “But am I really the best choice for you?”
His gaze narrowed. “Emily, I am getting the impression that you don’t want to marry me. First you try to hand me off to your sister and now—” He tried to keep the hurt out of his voice.
But she shook her head, her hands lightly massaging his chest. “How could I not?”
“How could you not what? Want me?”
She pressed to him again and some of the tension in him dissipated. “Of course, I do. You sweep in like some fictional hero and rescue me…not once, but twice. You give me romantic proposals in the garden, you kiss me until I forget—” She stopped, looking away. “But let’s be honest. You deserve better.”
He blinked several times as he pieced through everything she’d just said. Like lightning he realized that she was attempting to protect him.
The very idea stole his reason. Just like her family, she was willing to give up her own happiness for his.
It was everything he’d dreamed of and in this moment, he wanted her more than ever.