Page 16 of The Beauty and the Boxer
Her dress, a muted peach pink color wassimilar in style to her sister’s, with a wide neckline that baredher shoulders and bell-shaped skirt created withcartridge pleating. The bareness of her neck made Jack clenchhis jaw as a primitive feeling came over him. He wanted to run histeeth against her skin. To pull her away to some dark corner andgrowl vehemently at anyone who would dare approach. The shadow ofher neck and clavicle bones fascinated him and without thinking, hetook a step towards her.
He must have had a curiousexpression on his face, for Sarah smiled knowingly athim.
“Jack,” she began. “I’m soglad you came. Doesn’t Meredith look like a differentperson?”
“She does,” he said, histone rough, before clearing his throat. “You’re…Enchanting.”
Meredith’s eyes widenedwith open surprise, as did Sarah’s.
“Thank you,” she saidsoftly as her sister laced her hand through her arm.
“Enchanting, indeed,”Sarah agreed peering over Jack’s shoulder. Her voice dipped. “Andfrom the looks of it, that color was the right choice. Come,Meredith, let me introduce you to Mr. Jenik.”
They moved past Jack,further into the room and he felt a distinct drop in his chest asdisappointment settled in his stomach. He didn’t want her to leavehis presence. He didn’t know how to explain it, but a mix ofemotions that he would hardly admit to having rolled within hischest. Confident and unsure, excited, yet hesitant.
It wasperplexing.
“Jack Archer, I presume?” One of the peersspoke, shaking him from his thoughts.
Jack instinctively held out his hand. Thegentleman gazed at it apprehensively before taking it. Simon cameup to them to make introductions and Jack had to control himselfnot to roll his eyes. It never made sense to him that the uppercrust needed introductions to be made for them when one couldsimply tell the other person their name. Besides, he wanted tofollow Meredith.
“Lord Bixby, this is my brother JackArcher,” Simon said.
“Very good to meet you,” the stout man said,smiling at Jack. “You know, I saw you fight in London, yearsago.”
“Did you?” Jack said, tilting his head as heglanced past the peer to Meredith, who had her back to him as shespoke with Mr. Jenik.
“My family used to live in Dorset, MissTaylor. I believe that is where your sister said your family isfrom?” Mr. Jenik spoke as Jack tried to listen in.
“Yes,” she said, her tone slightly high. Whyhe should notice that, he didn’t know, but then he seemed acutelyaware of all Meredith’s eccentricities. “I do miss Dorset.”
“I wish I could claim the same, but Ihaven’t been there in nearly twenty years,” Mr. Jenik said.
Jack was sure he saw Meredith’s back musclessoften at the man’s words and Jack wondered why she had beenholding her breath. Was she worried about something?
“It was a brilliant fight,” Lord Bixbycontinued. “I made twenty quid off it.”
“Hmm,” Jack answered, not particularlyinterested.
Many men had won and lost fortunes bybetting on Jack during his fighting years. He had never much caredeither way, unless someone would get rowdy about Jack having lostthem money. Anyone who let gambling control them as opposed to theother way around was a fool. Regardless, he was more interested inthe way Meredith’s gown trailed behind her when she walked aboutthe room.
Just then, the head butler came in toannounce that dinner was being served. While his brother wasn’t apart of the aristocracy, he was still expected to follow a certainprotocol, especially since Sarah had been a countess beforemarrying him. She had the right to retain the title, especiallysince there wouldn’t be a new countess de Marchand until her sonmarried, but Sarah had been eager to become Mrs. Simon Archer. Jackhad begrudgingly respected that of his sister-in-law, but becauseshe no longer carried the title, she wasn’t the highest-rankingwoman in the room.
Jack was paired with Miss Jenik, who seemedabsolutely terrified to be in his company. He didn’t smile, knowingfull well the simpering woman might faint if he flashed his teethat her. The whole party was seated at a long table in the diningroom for a formal evening. Jack had been surprised to find that heand Meredith had been seated next to each other in the middle ofthe table.
He must have stared at her too long or tooopenly for when he sat after the ladies were seated, she spokeunder her breath to him.
“Will you stop that?” she whispered.
Jack paused momentarily, oddly affected byher voice as he reached for his water glass. He kept his focus onthe wallpaper across the room that had a gold diamond pattern motifas he lifted his glass to his mouth.
“Stop what?” he breathed.
“You know what,” she answered.
“I don’t.”
She reached for her own water glass andspoke as it came to her lips.
