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"You don’t even have a ring," he said

"I don’t need one," she said quickly

His bro into a firh"

Then, with a ht him capable of it in his current condition, he pushed hiht and touched her chin "Kiss me," he said

"What?" she practically yelped

"Kiss reeably, "but I think any man would be quite sane to want to kiss you"

"Anyto make sense of the moment

"Perhaps not" He pretended to consider this "I think I ht be the jealous sort So it would probably be quite foolish on their part"

She shook her head Then rolled her eyes Then did both "You need to rest"

"A kiss first"

"Edward"

He mocked her tone to perfection "Cecilia"

Herpuppy eyes at ?"

Yes

"No"

He hmmphed "You’re not a very accomplished liar, are you?"

Oh, he had no idea

"Finish your broth," she ordered, trying--and failing--to sound stern

"Do you th to kiss you?"

"Oh oodness, you’re insufferable!"

One of his brows rose into a perfectly arrogant arch "Because I’ll have you know I take that as a dare"

She pressed her lips together in a futile atteed "Happiness"

Just one word, and it knocked the breath right out of her Underneath his honorable exterior, Edward Rokesby had a streak of playfulness a mile wide She supposed she shouldn’t have been so surprised She’d seen hints of it in his letters

All he’d needed to unlock it was a spot of joy

"Kiss ain

"You need to rest"

"I just napped for three hours I’m ridiculously awake now"

"One kiss," she heard herself saying, even as her reed, then added, "I’, of course"

"I’m not sure it counts as a lie if you confess to it in the sa her

Cecilia caught her lower lip between her teeth Surely one kiss wouldn’t hurt And on the cheek, even She leaned in

He moved his head Her lips touched his

"You tricked me!"