Page 45 of A Wanton Adventure
“Why is that?”
“Ladies don’t smoke.”
He snorted and took another puff. “Plenty of them do, including the proper ones.”
She looked back at the cigar and then at him, biting her lip. He held it out to her, and unable to resist trying something new, she took it. His friend was becoming quite a risk-taker. Her fingers squeezed the cigar, and she asked, “What do I do now?”
“Bring it to your mouth and puff on it but don’t suck in the air.”
She did as he said, bringing it to her lips, forming anO. His eyes were transfixed by her mouth. He had to stop himself from groaning. She inhaled and immediately started coughing. Sebastian leaned over and patted her on her back. Diana handed him back the cigar.
“That is awful.”
He laughed. “It’s an acquired taste.”
She rolled her eyes. “If you say so.”
“Would you like to go back down to the saloon? I will join you.”
She nodded and he held his arm out to her.
“But before we go, I wanted to apologize for sharing so much with you yesterday.”
Her face turned red, and Sebastian suspected she was embarrassed. He dropped his arm before tilting her chin up so their eyes met. “Diana, we are friends. You can tell me anything.”
She clasped his hand and squeezed it. “Thank you.”
A sailor shuffled by them, carrying ropes, and they sprung apart. Diana wiped her hands on her skirt and said, “Well, still, I appreciate you letting me go on and on. I certainly overshared.”
He didn’t want her to be embarrassed. “It sounds like you and your husband had a special marriage. Honestly, it made me rethink what my feelings were for Lilah. Perhaps you were right. Maybe what I thought was love was infatuation.”
“I shouldn’t have said that. Who am I to say if you loved someone or not?”
“I guess my point is if I were to ever fall in love, I would want something as special as you described.”
Diana grabbed his hand and squeezed it. “You deserve that.”
Their clasped hands set off a warning within him. He was in a treacherous area of feeling something he didn’t want or wasn’t ready for. This lady was not for him, and he wasn’t for her. He suspected Diana felt something similar as she released his hand and stepped back. “Well, I’m happy we have that out of the way.”
He nodded. Sebastian wanted her to understand she would always have a friend in him. “Agree, but I do mean it. You can tell me anything.”
“Thank you.”
He held his arm out to her again, and as they walked, Diana asked, “Have you written your update?”
“Not yet.”
She frowned at him. “You must do it before we arrive in Porto.”
He laughed. “I will. Come, let’s go join the others.”
As they made their way to the saloon deck, Sebastian’s mind flitted back to Lilah. Had he loved her? He wasn’t so sure.
Late that night, Sebastian Devons sat at the desk. Addie should like his first missive, he thought. He perused the letter again.
To the Ladies of London,
Lady Hensley is making sure we have the most entertaining adventure. Le Conquet was filled with the magic of the korrigans and sirens. After learning about them, we ate the finest food and were told even more stories about the sirens. These sirens are said to be able to tempt men to their deaths. I told Lady Hensley I wouldn’t be tempted. She seemed doubtful. My ladies, can you believe she thought I couldn’t resist these magical creatures? Why would she make such an assumption?
