A Gentleman's Kiss by Kimberley Comeaux Read Free Book Online Page B

off to scratch her itching head. “But let me ask you the same question, Lord Kinclary. What are you doing down here in this part of town, and what is this place?” she asked, pointing her finger at him.
    “What do you mean that you had something to see about down here? What business could possibly bring you here?” he all but shouted, ignoring her latter question.
    “Will you stop yelling at me?” she snapped then turned to sit in one of the chairs in front of his desk. She scratched her head again while examining the dirty cap she’d been wearing. “I hope this didn’t give me lice,” she murmured.
    Cameron walked over and grabbed the cap from her hand and tossed it on his desk. “Lice are the least of your worries!”
    She stared up at him, and their gazes held. She found it fascinating to see the emotions that crossed his face. First frustration, then exasperation, then. . .worry? He actually seemed concerned for her.
    Her emotions were somewhat raw from their previous encounter, and now being so close to him she tried to fathom why he affected her so much. She was usually so good at dealing with young men and had a way of artfully avoiding their hints of wanting to marry her. Verbal sparring and witty remarks came easily to her, and Claudia often thought she could get out of any trouble as long as she had a voice and a clear mind.
    But she was tired of battling with Cameron. She didn’t want to dislike him or have him think ill of her.
    So she rose slowly from the chair and faced him with her arms folded. “Do you truly think me mad?” she asked softly, nervous as to what his answer might be.
    His brows furrowed. Finally he sighed and shook his head. “No, I don’t think that at all. It’s just that I don’t know what to think of you. You seem to do things without any forethought or regard for your own safety.” He paused and held his hands up in a helpless gesture. “Frankly, Claudia, you worry me. I fear that the next time I find you, you’ll be hurt, or I’ll hear you’ve been sent back to America because your grandfather found out what you’ve been doing.”
    Her eyes widened with anxiety. “You’re not going to tell him, are you? If he finds out, he’ll take me to Scotland and marry me off to some burly highlander with bad manners. And I can’t—”
    Cameron pressed his finger over her lips. “What are you talking about? What highlander?”
    She grabbed his hand and moved it from her mouth. “ Any highlander—it doesn’t matter! He’s always vexed with me, Cameron, and if he knows I’ve dressed like a boy and risked my life to look for my—well, look for someone—he’ll marry me off, and I’ll have to live in the mountains where it snows all the time and—”
    “Claudia, if you will calm down—”
    “No, no! You must not—”
    He kissed her again.
    ❧
    It occurred to Cameron, as he caressed her lips with his own, he could have found other ways to calm her down.
    This one, however, seemed the most enjoyable.
    He cupped her face gently and was happily surprised when she began to kiss him back. But as much as he wanted to continue, he knew he must act honorably. Slowly he lifted his head, breaking the kiss, and watched her eyes open slowly.
    He didn’t know how she would react once she had her wits about her, and he truly expected her to be upset again.
    He should have known Claudia never reacted as one might expect.
    “You kissed me—again,” she said, her voice sounding confused.
    “Umm,” he agreed. “I did say it might happen again.”
    “Yes, but it isn’t at all proper.”
    He grinned, one hand still holding her cheek. “Because we’re not betrothed.”
    “Exactly,” she said, finally backing away from him. “I don’t understand why you keep doing it.”
    Cameron sighed and wondered that very thing himself. He usually had much better control. “Neither do I,” he finally admitted aloud.
    Claudia bit her lip as her gaze searched his face. “I believe I