Page 75 of By No Means a Gentleman
Surely he could conquer a smile?
If you can conquer your stutter, you can conquer your smile.
With a renewed determination, his wife’s beautiful face in his mind, Will straightened his posture and looked into the depths of his own eyes. He thought of every one of her smiles he’d caught, even the ones that were rife with challenge. The way she tilted her head back, the way she swayed as she walked, the way her eyes flashed with anger when he crossed a line...
Slowly, his lips curved upward, a smile emerging from the depths of his being. He studied every angle of his reflection, the solemn lines fading, replaced by a flicker of affection. Was this what was called smiling from the eyes?
Better.
His face, however, still looked as though he was about to join a circus act. Stiff. Unnatural. Almost foolish.
But at least there were no teeth.
“What are you doing?” An amused voice came from behind him. “Why are you smiling into my mirror like that?”
Will slapped the mirror back onto the table. “Like what?”
“Like smiling is some foreign form of facial movement.”
Ah, Christ. There truly was no hope for him.
Will smiled. Probably. “It’s not.”
She suddenly laughed, and Will thought that he would smile every day for her, regardless of how odd it might look, if it meant he’d be met by that beautiful sound.
“Very well, I am convinced,” she said, sitting up. “You are most entertaining in the morning.”
“Then you should allow me to stay here tonight as well. I can entertain you every morning.”
“I’ve never heard a more obvious hint.”
“Should I entertain you some more?”
She adjusted her position to sit cross legged as she stared at him. “You can answer a question for me.”
“Of course.”
“Whydidyou marry me?”
Will turned to fully face her. “I already told you.”
“Yes, yes, I’m beautiful, intelligent, and unattached. I believe that was the exact order.”
Will paused. “You remember even that.”
“How can I forget?” She gave him a dry look. “No one has ever called me beautifulandintelligent in the same sentence. However, there are many women who are beautiful and intelligent. But you picked me.”
“I shall tell you the truth then,” Will said, almost coming up short when her eyes widened, and a glimmer of anticipation entered their depth. He nearly chuckled.
“You will?”
He nodded. “But not today.”
Her face fell. “Why not?”
“I need a bit more time.”
Two lines appeared between her brows. “For what?”
