Say Yes

Garrick’s laughter filled the room, and he wiped tears of mirth from his eyes. “That one is new.”

She peered at him over the top of her glass. “So none of it is true?”

“Do you want to go to my cellar and find out?” He raised his eyebrow at her.

Kaila shook her head vehemently. “Certainly not! I’ve seen what that’s about when the… The Duchess cried when it happened each and every time. I want no part of it.”

“That’s not lovemaking, Kaila,” Garrick said quietly. “That’s abuse at the hands of an evil, perverse man who takes pleasure in the pain of his wife and more enjoyment in scaring you.”

“Even so, I think I’ll not be seeing your cellar,” she announced.

“Good choice—it’s damp and dark down there. I wasn’t looking forward to it if you’d said yes.”

She smiled. “I think you put on a show to make people stay away.”

He inclined his head. ‘Either that or I am the ogre they say I am.

“I’ll be here until my passage is secure back to my island home, so I assume I will find out,” Kaila replied. She put her hand over her mouth and giggled. “I’m sorry, I’m not usually this loose with my tongue. I think it might be the wine. I can usually keep my thoughts in check.”

“Please don’t keep that lovely device in check on my account,” Garrick replied. ‘I rather like your lips and such. Would you like to play some cards in the parlor room after we clear the table?”

“I don’t know how to play,” she admitted.

“I’ll teach you. I’m quite good at educating waifs,” Garrick said with a small smile.

“I’m sure.” Kaila picked up her plate and with deftness balanced it with a few others on the table in a neat stack in her hands. Maybe it was because of the wine, but she found herself wondering what exactly he meant

An hour or so later they were sitting across from each other with a small card table in the middle. He was teaching her a card gambling game from the Americas called poker, and she had won a few hands.

“Three queens, I win again.” She clapped her hands in delight.

“It’s beginners luck—no use getting all excited,” Garrick grumbled. But when she looked at him his eyes were amused.

“Are you upset because you haven’t won any of the hand we’ve played?” She took a sip of wine from the glass close by. Garrick brought the wine from dinner in with him and poured them both another glass.

“I’m not bothered by it since the stakes are so low,” he replied. They were playing for cherries, and his bowl was half empty while hers was overflowing. “Plus if you keep eating the winnings, what will we play for?”

“Well, I don’t have anything of value.” Kaila chewed her lip. “What should we play for if not cherries?”

“How about a kiss?” Garrick asked easily. “If I win I want one kiss; if you win you can have anything you want.”

“What if I asked for a boat that would be mine even in the islands?” Kaila asked. “Or maybe I would ask for a genie to grant my every wish?”

“The boat I can do, the genie proves you have read too many books,” he replied.

“You would do that all that for one kiss,” Kaila said. “You are putting a lot of worth on just a peck from me.”

‘I don’t think so. Your kiss is worth more than you think.” Garrick’s voice was deep.

“Since I’ve never been kissed, I doubt that very much,” she said.

“Now it became even more valuable: a first kiss from sweet lips.”

Kaila pondered for a moment. What could one kiss hurt? Besides, she was winning, so it was more than likely that he would lose anyway.

She came upon her decision with a wide smile. “I agree to your wager.”

Garrick took the cards from the table and began to shuffle them with precision. He dealt them both five cards and put the rest of the deck to the side. Kaila picked up hers and studied the cards carefully before discard the three she didn’t want and asked for three more. She noted that Garrick only took one with a raised eyebrow, and he said nothing.

“Are you ready to show your hand?” Kaila asked.

“You go first,” Garrick encouraged.

She placed her cards on the table and said triumphantly, “Two pairs.”

Garrick placed his own set of cards on the table. “Four aces.”

He’d won! Kaila looked at the cards. “Did you cheat?”

Garrick looked offended. “Did I accuse of cheating when you were winning? And I’ll have you know any man who would say that to me would be called outside for such a disparaging comment.”

“I’m sorry, but it seems rather strange you begin winning right now,” Kaila pointed out.

“Well, the stakes changed, and I had more invested—like a boat and a kiss,” he said.

She sighed and leaned over the table with her lips puckered. “Here is your kiss, take your prize.”

Garrick looked at her. “That is not a kiss—you look like you sucked on a sour lemon. We’ll do it right. If you please, would you stand?”

Kaila did as she was told, and when Garrick stood in front of her she felt a shiver run through her at his presence. He was so tall, she automatically felt shy and put her head down. Garrick countered by lifting her chin with one finger until she met his blue gaze. She suddenly felt…breathless.

“Put your hands on my chest,” Garrick said softly.

Kaila’s hand crept up to his chest, and she could feel the heat of his skin through the crisp white shirt he wore.

“That’s good,” he said, and his words rumbled and reverberated in his chest, causing her fingertips to move reflexively. “Tilt your head up just a bit more.”

“What happens next?” she asked. She wondered why her voice sounded so husky, and she licked her lips.

Garrick groaned and said in a rough voice one simple word. “This.”

His lips covered hers, and she was surprised at how warm yet firm his mouth was as it moved on hers. Her lips began to tingle, and then the sensation traveled down her body, followed by a warmth she couldn’t explain. Instinct caused her to open her mouth, and again another groan escaped his lips before he buried his tongue between her lips. She made a small whimper of surprise, and then that began to feel so good. The heat he created felt like it was seeping into her bones and melting her from the inside out.