Page 67 of A Bachelor’s Lessons in Love

“I care for you.”

Edward froze. The silence between them stretched, humming with tension. Slowly, inch by inch, he turned.

Felicity was standing near him, no more than two steps away, her hands clasped in front of her skirts, her chin tilted upward in that way which told him she would not back down. Her cheeks were flushed. Her eyes met his with quiet determination, though he could see the slight rise and fall of her breath, the way she steeled herself for his reaction.

“I…I cannot have heard you correctly,” Edward murmured, his heart stuttering in his chest at the lie. He knew what she had said. But he desperately wanted to hear it again.

She swallowed but did not waver. “I care for you, Edward. Deeply. More than I have cared for any man before.”

For a moment, he could do nothing but look at her. He had heard correctly. She had taken a beautiful risk, a brave chance. And he adored her all the more for it.

Before he could stop himself, before he could reason himself out of action—Edward had crossed the space between them and kissed her.

It was not a tentative or uncertain brush of the lips. It was all consuming.

His hand came to her waist, pulling her closer, while his other traced the curve of her jaw, tilting her face up toward him. Her fingers curled into his coat, gripping him as though she might anchor herself there. The warmth of her, the way she leaned into him, the way she had said his name—it was undoing him.

When he finally pulled away, the fiery kiss tangling his thoughts, it was only enough to rest his forehead against hers. “Felicity,” he murmured.

Her voice was breathless. “Yes?”

Edward exhaled, lifting his gaze to hers, searching. “I have a deep affection for you.”

Her eyes softened. “You do?”

His lips quirked in a wry smile. “You doubted it? After that?”

Felicity’s slight smile answered his, and her eyes danced as she gazed up at him. “I didn’t want to assume.”

His thumb brushed lightly over her cheek. “My stubborn, lovely Felicity. I did not even ask permission to kiss you.”

“Did I not give it to you with my words? With my look? Let me give it more clearly. You may kiss me as often as you wish.”

What could he do but kiss her again, after a declaration such as that? He pressed his lips to hers, one hand around her to draw her closer, the other cradling the back of her head as he supported it at the perfect angle for his much taller form to bend and taste her.

Oh, she tasted sweet. She felt soft in his arms, delicate. When his lips parted from hers, he placed a kiss on her forehead. “You will not stamp on my toes, then?”

Felicity laughed and shook her head. “No. Not this time.” She laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes briefly, a soft smile touching her lips. For a moment, neither of them spoke, content to stand there in the quiet, in the flickering glow of the lamplight.

Edward marveled at his unexpected good fortune. Felicity cared for him, as he cared for her. She allowed him the privilege of holding her. The gift of her kiss.

But peace, as always, was fleeting.

Felicity pulled back slightly, searching his face. “Edward.”

He sighed, already knowing what was coming. “Must we?”

“Yes.”

He dragged a hand through his hair, reluctant to let the moment go. Then, because there was no point in avoiding it any longer, he exhaled. “Lord Blackstone.”

Her expression sharpened. “The man who owns your club? What about him?”

It had to be said, no matter how painful it would be. “He has heard rumors about me. About my past.”

Her brow furrowed. “What sort of rumors?”

His jaw clenched. “That I ruined a young woman and fled responsibility by joining the military.”