Page 74 of Discovering Her Earl

He studied her for a moment as if she were an unidentified artifact just plucked from the ground.

“You don’t believe me,” he said quietly.

She shrugged and looked away. “I know I’m not… beautiful. You don’t need to charm me. I would rather you be honest.”

He chuckled and shook his head.

“I have never been more honest. And I know you are not being coy. You truly believe you are lacking in some way? Is it because of what happened at your come out?”

She shrugged but said nothing.

“I know well how hurtful things are more easily believed. I can’t tell you how often I hear my father’s voice in my ear listing all the ways I am lacking.”

“It isn’t true,” she said forcefully.

“And neither is what Robert Bloody Dunnage said that evening. He is no one of consequence. Yet his words have burrowed deep inside your soul and even now cause you to doubt me—someone I would hope you could trust at least more than that bastard.”

She considered his words and was rather embarrassed to admit he was right.

“I guess it is true. The insult apparently penetrated deeply—” Her explanation was cut off. “You’re laughing.”

Julian wasn’t just laughing. He was bent over with his arm across his stomach, fully enraptured in mirth.

“Forgive me,” he said when he had settled enough to speak. “It’s just…” Another round of laughter erupted. “You said ‘penetrated deeply.’”

She pressed her lips together to keep from being pulled into his nonsense.

“Lord Melville, I think you should wear short pants as a warning to all you meet that your humor is still that of an adolescent.”

“Or perhaps you want to see my bare legs?” He winked as she rolled her eyes.

“You are a menace.”

“Forgive me,” he sobered somewhat. “You should know I use humor to distract people from noticing when I’m uncomfortable. Often with inappropriate jests.”

“And why would you be uncomfortable now? With me?”

“Because the pain and doubt I saw in your eyes is my fault. Because of me, you don’t know the truth about yourself. You can’t see it. All you believe are the cruel words Lord Dunnage spoke and my laughter. You are lovely. And a man—especially one who has already had the pleasure of your kiss—doesn’t need a reason to want to kiss you beyond the sheer pleasure of it.”

She swallowed as she looked in his eyes, searching for any hint he was saying this to manipulate her. All she saw was… the truth. She had allowed that piggish Dunnage to shape her view of herself when he wasn’t worthy of that importance.

But this man before her was significant. And he thought she was beautiful.

“Oh,” she whispered.

He smiled. “Now, if you don’t mind, you have the most enticing freckle at the edge of your lip that is beckoning me to lick it.”

She took a step closer in silent approval of his plan.

Like the first time he’d kissed her, it started off as a soft, slow press of lips, but this time it was she who escalated from there.

Knowing better what to expect, she reached for his hair pulling him to her so she could open her mouth and receive him. Mingling her tongue with his as his arms banded around her waist and back, securing her to him completely.

With her eyes closed she could feel the sway of the ship under their feet making her slightly unsteady. She opened her eyes.

He pulled back enough for a smile and kept his blue gaze on hers as he dipped his head to kiss her again.

Kissing is intimate, but kissing while looking at the person was even more so. As if he were looking into her soul. And he was just as open to her. She stared into his eyes and saw all the happiness, excitement, and desire within.