Katharine Ashe > Quotes

“Can—” She caught her lip in her teeth. “Can you tell me . . . ? How does one breathe?”
Very unsteadily while those eyes gazed up at him. “Breathe?”
“While kissing.”
Not easy. He tried to moderate his voice. “In the usual manner, I imagine.”
Her slender brows dipped.
“At opportune moments,” he suggested.
Her lips twisted up in that manner he both dreaded and longed for.
“Through one’s nose, perhaps,” he said, because his only refuge was to continue speaking or to walk away.
“Really?” She appeared unconvinced.

And so, because her skepticism suited his need to have her lips beneath his again, he showed her how one breathed while kissing. To her soft gasp of surprise, he took her waist in his hands, bent to her mouth, and kissed her in truth this time. Her lips were warm and still, and then not still as he felt her eager beauty, tasted her, and made her respond.

She held back at first, and then she gave herself up to it. Her mouth opened to him as though by nature, offering him a sweet breath of the temptation within. If he’d gone seeking an innocent with more ready hunger he could not have found her. But he had not wanted an innocent. He’d wanted no one, yet here he was with his hands on a girl he could not release, his tongue tracing the seam of sweet, full lips that she parted for him willingly.
“Now, breathe,” he whispered against those lips, then he sought her deeper. She made sounds of surrender in the back of her throat. He wanted to run his hands over her body, to pull her to him and make her know what a real kiss could be.

“Breathe.” God, she smelled so good. He could press his face against her neck and remain there simply breathing her. But he feared that if he enjoyed much more of Diantha Lucas he would be in a very bad way when it came to giving her over to her stepfather and subsequently her intended. A very bad way indeed. And she didn’t deserve it. Rule #9: A gentleman must always place a lady’s welfare before his own.

She slipped her tongue alongside his, gasped a little whimper of pleasure, and he coaxed her lips open and showed her more than how to breathe. He showed her how he wanted her.

It was a pity for Miss Lucas’s welfare that no gentleman could be found here, after all.”
― Katharine Ashe, How a Lady Weds a Rogue

“A beautiful woman needs no embellishments. But a prideful man may give them to her nevertheless.”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“He moved a half step closer. “What have ye got in that bonnie head o’ yers, lass, that makes ye believe ye’ve got leave to make demands as ye do?”
Dreams. Hopes. The desperate wish for somebody to understand her.”
― Katharine Ashe, How to Marry a Highlander

“A girl silly enough to leave her private thoughts displayed so blatantly in a plain notebook tucked snugly in the back of an undistinguished piece of furniture in the corner of an out-of-the-way parlor frequented only by her closest female companions deserved to have her privacy invaded. He continued to invade.”
― Katharine Ashe, Kisses, She Wrote

“Pickaxes?" Alex screwed up his brow. "What do you plan to do with those in Bristol, Pooele? Beat upon little old ladies?”
― Katharine Ashe, Captured by a Rogue Lord

“You did the right thing." "Yes, I did." He stroked her cheek with his thumb. "But with you, Arabella Anne Westfall, I have done everything wrong, from the moment we met, at nearly every turn. I have been arrogant and overly confident and short-tempered and deeply, insatiably lustful"-a bystander gasped-"and afraid of this between us. I was everything that must have been abhorrent to you when all you wished was to find your prince charming. Instead you ended up with a blind, surly, autocratic fool. If I could turn back time, if I could so what I should have done-" "Before I fell in love with you?" "-b-before I stole your virtue." His brow cut down. "By God, woman, you will always say what I least expect, won't you?"

-Arabella & Luc”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“Come to my bedchamber now,' he whispered against her mouth ...
'I don't take -'
'Orders. I know.' He kissed her, over and over now, a delectable repetition that despite its simplicity made her cling to him tighter. 'Then your bedchamber.'
... 'It shares a wall with Madame Roche. I cannot -'
He grabbed her hand and dragged her along the corridor. He opened the first door they came to.
'A linen cabinet?' But they had managed perfectly well on a staircase once. *Perfectly.*
... 'You are yanking me about a lot.' She was breathless.
'I am. Feel free to reciprocate.”
― Katharine Ashe, How to Be a Proper Lady

“Most sailors weren’t observant in that fashion. Pity she wasn’t most sailors. Jinan Seton was a fine specimen of masculinity.”
― Katharine Ashe, How to Be a Proper Lady

“Dear Violet, I beg your pardon for that minor infidelity. Please forgive me. It will not occur again, I promise.'
His infidelity had not felt minor to her. In an instant that single kiss had cracked her world open. Or perhaps it had only widened the fissure that already existed. And Jin Seton had filled the void.”
― Katharine Ashe, How to Be a Proper Lady

“So, this is what it feels like,” she said a bit wonderingly.
“That—” He kissed her neck as she squeezed him gently and he saw stars. “Is what it feels like.”
Hesitantly, she stroked her hand along the length of him. “Why does touching you here make me feel liquid and hot?”
“Because your body wants it.”
“I know,” she whispered. “At least, I suspected.”
She had suspected him into a frenzy several mornings while reading her diary. And now she was putting her suspicions to expert use.
Tentatively her hand explored and his cock jerked beneath the caress. He pressed into her palm, needing her to touch him harder. He could not endure another moment of this teasing. He hadn’t sufficient self-control. He never had, but he’d never before put himself to the test.
Grasping her hand gently he removed it from him. But he could not tear himself away. Not just yet.
“I can give your body what it wants without assailing your virginity.”
“I know that too,” she admitted.
He knew she knew it, but he was not certain to what extent. “You know quite a lot for an unmarried girl.”
“I read.”
“I’d like to borrow your books.”

-Jacqueline & Cam”
― Katharine Ashe, Kisses, She Wrote

“Damn you, Cam." Bedwyr leaned against the sideboard negligently. "I don't suppose you recall damning me when you were shedding your life's force in the sand. Really, Lucien, you are repeating yourself tiresomely." "You deserve every moment of damnation you are wished." "Probably, but that is hardly to the point."

-Luc & Cam”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“I need you, Viola. I need you.'
'You are repeating. You are trying to convince yourself, aren't you?'
'You are an impossible woman. I am declaring my love to you and still you quarrel with me ... Viola, I am perishing before you. *Perishing.*' His tone was strained. 'Say something.'
She nodded.
'What does that mean?'
She nodded again, faster, her throat a clogged mess of joy.
His eyes seemed to sparkle. 'You do love me.'
She got dizzy nodding.
'Why aren't you speaking? What is -'
She clutched her neck ... He looked astounded. Then he pulled her hand away and bent to set his mouth atop her windpipe.
'Function, beautiful harridan's voice,' he murmured, trailing soft, sweet kisses along her throat.”
― Katharine Ashe, How to Be a Proper Lady

“I am not in the habit of deflowering governesses." "I am not in the habit of being deflowered by pirates. Shall we consider it a draw?"

-Luc & Arabella”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“He buttoned his trousers. Without a word, he took her into his arms again.
She had not expected that.
She pressed her face into his shoulder, breathing in his scent shakily ... 'Stay with me.'
His hands fell away.
'Viola -'
... 'This one night. Only for comfort. You needn't make love to me again.' She was begging, and frankly lying. She wanted him for more than comfort and rather forever. 'I want your arms around me.”
― Katharine Ashe, How to Be a Proper Lady

“Are you happy?' he repeated quietly.
...
'Wouldn't you like to know?'
...
'Yes, or I would not ask. But apparently the child has returned and I shan't have my answer.' He moved away.
She wanted to shout that she was not a child but a woman, and the woman hurt.”
― Katharine Ashe, How to Be a Proper Lady

“What are you staring at, sailor?'
His ice eyes did not flicker. 'My captain, ma'am.'
'Get back to work, Seton.'
He bowed.”
― Katharine Ashe, How to Be a Proper Lady

“The animal inside him could wear a diadem and ermine and he would still be nothing more than an animal.”
― Katharine Ashe, How to Be a Proper Lady

“I am lost without you, duchess." "Then you are found. Because you will not be without me ever again." She dipped her brow to his chest. "I will never leave you."

-Luc & Arabella”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“I am not in the habit of forgiving."
"Perhaps you might make an exception this time."
"I don't know why I should."
"Consider my injuries." The dent deepened anew. "Perhaps I am already sufficiently punished."
She tried not to smile. "I won't apologize for that."
"I never expected you to. Now may we put this unfortunate episode behind us and instead pretend to be two people who happened to become acquainted over spilled champagne?" "Why should we pretend that?"
"It's either that or the pitchfork." His dark eyes glimmered.
"All right. But don't do it again."
"Kiss you in the stable or defend you from tabbies?"
The heat was back in her face. "Either."
"I believe I can promise that." He bowed again. "Good night, madam." He walked away.

-Ravenna & Vitor”
― Katharine Ashe, I Adored a Lord

“Don’t you see?” she cried. “I cannot have been wrong that you don’t have a heart.”
He came toward her swiftly, grasped her wrist, and flattened her hand to his chest. Through his ribs, his heartbeats beneath her palm were fast and hard. “You are denying me this?” he said close to her brow, the depth of his voice coating her rawness. “Because it has been like this since you walked through the door of that inn four days ago. It was like this when you stood across your parlor in London refusing me. And in Edinburgh in April. And each time I have seen you for longer than I can say.”
“Stop. Do not say this.”
“I don’t need to kiss you to feel this,” he said. “You have been turning me inside out for years.”
― Katharine Ashe, The Earl

“There are plenty of girls in that castle," the Frenchman said, knowing his thoughts. "Sebastiao will not be wanting for choices if you take an interest in one of them." No. He'd already caused trouble coming between one of his brothers and a woman. He would not do so again. "I have no interest in her," he mumbled. "You are still under the seal of the confessional, Vitor." He snapped his head around. "How do you do that?" "Recognize lies upon a man's tongue? It is my gift."

-Denis & Vitor”
― Katharine Ashe, I Adored a Lord

“She gestured to the nether regions of the body. "For both of us to examine the wound will be more thorough."
"You might be comfortable with such an examination," he said, cutting her a slanted glance, "but I don't believe that I am prepared to witness your comfort with it."
"Coming from the man I encountered in the stable last night, I don't believe that for a moment."

-Ravenna & Vitor”
― Katharine Ashe, I Adored a Lord

“You smell good to me," he said, his voice deeper than before, like a warm autumn night, the vowels especially round. Not French. Italian? Spanish? He must have come with one of the other guests-one of the other guests who had wretched judgment when hiring stable hands. "I-" "And, por Deus," he said upon a catch in his throat, his eyes hard upon her mouth, "you are lovely." The rutting urge must have overcome him. The only male creature that had ever considered her lovely was Beast, and that was because she sometimes smelled like bacon. She must distract him. "I can help with that bruise on your brow," she said, struggling against panic. "Can you?" He seemed bemused. Jars to the head could scramble the brain. "It's starting to swell. It will leave a painful wound that could fester. Let me up and I'll ask the housekeeper for-" His mouth came down on hers without further warning. Not hard or violently or forcefully. But fully, with complete contact.

-Vitor & Ravenna”
― Katharine Ashe, I Adored a Lord

“He extended his hand to Arabella. "Duchess?" She reached for him and he drew her into his arms. He bent to nuzzle behind her ear as she slipped her palms over his shoulders. "Luc?" "Mm?" "Now that I am truly your duchess, what will you call me?" He brought his lips to hers. "My love."

-Luc & Arabella”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“Whatever it requires.
Whatever it requires to accomplish what?
Whatever it requires to wipe the care from those pretty eyes forever.”
― Katharine Ashe, The Scoundrel and I

“Her lungs stung. “I came here to marry a prince,” she said nonsensically.

“My dear, in all things but title you already have.”
― Katharine Ashe, I Married the Duke

“Suspicion prickled at Ravenna. "Who is to say you are not the murderer, and now that you know I have useful information you won't dispatch me too?"
"None but me."
She glanced into the darkness where the butler had disappeared, then back at the tall, dark man who had subdued her quite effectively in a stable the previous night. "This is the part where you pull out the bloodstained dagger, isn't it?"
"Why wouldn't I have done it earlier, before Monsieur Brazil knew of your involvement?"
"No doubt you only thought of it at this moment."
"It seems I am carelessly shortsighted."
"It does."
"Miss Caulfield?"
"You are not the murderer?"
"Go to bed."

-Ravenna & Vitor”
― Katharine Ashe, I Adored a Lord

“Cam?” Luc stood at the top of the stairs. “Why are you standing there staring at the door?” He started down the steps. “You look wretched.”
“Thanks, coz. I feel splendid. By the by, that scar across your face is dreadfully red lately. Might want to consider a larger piece of fabric to conceal it. Or perhaps a bag to cover the entire head.”
Luc leveled an implacable stare. “I assume you have come here with a purpose?”
“I may be reconsidering that.”

-Luc & Cam”
― Katharine Ashe, Kisses, She Wrote

“Ravenna Caulfield's ruination began with a bird, continued with a pitchfork, and culminated with a corpse wearing a suit of armor.”
― Katharine Ashe, I Adored a Lord

“I believe there is such a man in this very parlor, your highness.” He should cut out his tongue. It was the only solution. He couldn’t very well cut off the other part of him that was rebelling from his best intentions. It was his favorite appendage.
Her black lashes made several swift beats. “You would do it? Without worrying that I would tell my brother or mother or Arabella or anybody? And without telling anyone yourself?”
“Come now. We are friends enough that I believe you know you can trust me.” Trust him to know her most fervent dreams and fantasies and not tell a soul including her? Yes, she could trust him. He was a villain. “Shall I teach you how to kiss your husband, princess?”
“I don’t know.” She hesitated. “Will I like it?”
He deserved that. “I suspect so.”

-Cam & Jacqueline”
― Katharine Ashe, Kisses, She Wrote