Jessica Hart - Convenient Engagements

Phoebe looked at him then away. This was her chance. ‘No,’ she said, and then had to stop and take a breath. ‘I want you to kiss me.’

It came out more abruptly than she had intended. ‘If you don’t mind,’ she added hastily.

Gib looked at her with rather a twisted smile. ‘Sure, if that’s what you want,’ he said.

He didn’t sound exactly thrilled at the prospect, Phoebe noted with a sinking heart. It had seemed reasonable enough when she had first thought of it, sensible even. What was the point of obsessing about that kiss this morning, when she could just get the whole thing out of her system by kissing him again? she had reasoned. It wouldn’t be the same this time, and it might at least keep her mother quiet. It wasn’t that she wanted him to kiss her particularly. It was just part of the act.

‘I don’t want to force you,’ she said defensively. ‘Of course you don’t have to if you don’t want to.’

He shrugged. ‘It’s no big deal. I’m getting paid, remember?’ he pointed out. ‘You might as well get your money’s worth.’

Well, there was one way of taking any romance out of the situation.

Phoebe wished she had never started this, but it was too late to back out now.

And, as Gib had so coolly reminded her, she was paying him good money for this. Why shouldn’t she ask him to kiss her? The fact that she had been thinking about it all evening was neither here nor there.

‘Shall we move back where your mother can see us more clearly?’ Gib was saying briskly.

Without waiting for an answer, he took her by the waist and manoeuvred her as if she were a rather unwieldy piece of furniture until they were on the edge of the light spilling out from the French windows, where they would be visible while looking as if they had meant to conceal themselves in the shadows.

In spite of his deliberately prosaic attitude, Phoebe’s senses jolted with anticipation as Gib’s hands tightened against her. Her heart was thudding in slow, painful strokes, and the excitement building inside her was so intense that she abruptly lost her nerve.

‘M-maybe this isn’t such a good idea after all,’ she croaked, but she didn’t move and her hands seemed to be creeping up his arms as if they had a will of their own.

‘Oh, I think it is,’ said Gib in an odd voice. He pulled her close, and when his mouth came down on hers Phoebe’s momentary hesitation evaporated in a rush of sensation.

His lips were warm and sure and persuasive as they explored hers. He might not have been too keen on the idea initially, but it certainly didn’t seem to be too much of a hardship for him now. That might be a sign of a man expert in dealing with women, but Phoebe was beyond caring one way or another. She gave herself up to the sheer pleasure of being held hard against him and, as his hands drifted enticingly down her back, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

God, it felt wonderful! It was all Phoebe could do to hang on to the last vestiges of her self-control but somewhere she found the will-power to unhook her arms from round his neck. Reluctantly, she broke the kiss, and took a ragged breath.

‘I think that should do the trick,’ she said.

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