Page 31 of A Naughty Proposal for His Winter Countess
“What’s that?”
“For you,” Daniel replied, taking out the necklace and holding it up for her. “Do you like it?”
Harriet laid the tiny diamond pendant on her palm and smiled. “It's beautiful, Daniel…” her eyes lifted to his, “but you didn’t have to do this.”
“Soon, everyone will know about the engagement,” he said. “I don’t see why they shouldn’t see a tangible sign of it. Please, turn around and lift your hair.”
As she did so, he looped the thin chain around her slender neck and clasped it, while trying to ignore the lovely, inviting fragrance coming from her skin and hair.
“There,” Daniel said, a bit roughly, but Harriet didn’t remark on it. When she turned, he smiled. “It fits you perfectly.” He then took out the ring. “I leave it to you to decide when you want to wear this.”
Harriet took the ring, smiled, then slid it back into the bag, “Now wouldn’t be a good time, but I think I’ll know when.”
“Will you care to appraise me of such time?” Daniel asked, his brow lifting an inch.
Her smile was coy and mysterious, “Now, what fun would be there in doing that?”
Rolling his eyes, Daniel decided to change the subject, “I’ve thought about what you said about my Mother, and I’ve decided to get a full explanation from her. I just find it hard to choose the right words.”
“I can help you with that,” Harriet replied. “And you will teach me how to touch a man properly.”
There was no hint of a double entendre, but Daniel wished she had chosen better words. With an agreeable nod, he escorted her back to the ballroom, just to see a few curious eyes turn to them, but they turned away quickly enough.
“Tonight,” he said, “two dances?”
“Every time the waltz plays tonight,” Harriet said, as she turned to his hold, with a smile, “like now. And since I chose the music for tonight, we’ll be dancing the night away.”
* * *
The next afternoon, inside his study, Daniel topped off Harriet’s wineglass. The two were seated on a couch in his drawing room; it was a rare visit where she came unchaperoned. “I believe it’s unofficially known now that we’re engaged. You don’t mind, do you?”
Sipping her sweet wine, Harriet shrugged a shoulder, “No, I don’t mind, it’s what we were aiming for, weren’t we? Are we going to have a lesson in seduction, or are we going to write to your Mother?”
“Out of the two, my Mother is the hardest,” Daniel replied. “I’ll leave that for later on. Now, about the art of touch. Men are simple creatures, Harriet. Under all the intimidating titles and education, most men are tactile, and when done right, an arousing touch can bring the worst rake to his knees.”
Setting the glass down, Harriet asked, “Now that the song has been sung and the dance, danced, what do I do now?”
“When you flirt, do not touch a man directly,” Daniel said. “An absentminded brush over his arm, flick invisible lint off his jacket, asking for a handkerchief—there are dozens of ways you can meet his skin without making it obvious.”
“And if I want it to be obvious?” Harriet asked, his eyes warm and dark.
Daniel felt as if the air had been sucked out of the room, “Use your instinct.”
After a long—nigh torturous moment—Harriet reached across the table and ran her the back of her finger down his cheek. A shuddery breath left him, and he nearly flinched away. He couldn’t help it; it was a light touch, but the heat that followed in its trail both warmed and terrified him.
Every nerve ending was ablaze as she dipped her finger to his chin. She placed her warm palm on his cheek and used her thumb to stroke across his cheekbone. Her fingertips were fondling his skin, sending shivers of sensation through his blood, straight to his groin.
Transfixed, Daniel could not move an inch…all he could see were her dark-green eyes, and feel tempted to place his lips over hers.
When had the instructor become the student?
Harriet pulled her hand away from his face, slowly, letting him almost lean in to feel her touch again, and the full effect it had on him. Daniel couldn’t move if he’d tried; her touchhadnailed his feet to the floor.
“How was that?” she asked innocently.
Chapter Ten
His posture was iron stiff and his face a slab of stone. Harriet began to fret that she had done something wrong, until Daniel extended a hand to her. Taking it, she felt him pull her up, and then, taking both of her hands, he rested them on his shoulder.
