Page 103 of Duke of Bronze
After some coaxing, she convinced him to stay just a little longer. The night need not end in shadows.
"Dance with me?" he asked, the edge in his voice now softened.
Her lips curved. "Yes."
The music swelled again, and he guided her to the dance floor where the masked crowd spun and swept in elegant circles. Colin's hand found the curve of her waist, warm and steady, while the other held hers in a firm yet gentle grip. Their eyes met.
And that was all it took.
Anna moved with him, the world falling away. The music, the murmurs, the candles flickering like stardust—it all blurred until there was only him. His gaze locked on hers, full of something she dared not name, and she felt weightless in his arms.
But even fairy tales have their clock.
The hour crept upon them, and the final strains of the waltz faded into the night. It was time to return home.
In the quiet carriage, the spell lingered like perfume. Colin stared out the window for a beat before turning to her.
"I cannot believe this was our final outing."
Anna smiled, wistful but true. "Thank you, Colin. Tonight was… unforgettable. These past five outings—they've been the most wonderful of my life."
He gave a small, disbelieving laugh. "No. Thankyou, Anna. For giving me the adventure of a lifetime."
She looked at him then, heart aching at how earnestly he spoke.
He went on, "The time I've spent with you—it's been the most fun I've ever had. And that's no trivial thing."
Her heart squeezed. Oh, how she wanted to believe him. To believe that she mattered beyond these moments. That she hadmeantsomething.
Then, just as she began to retreat into thought, his hand came to her cheek. Warm. Reverent.
She leaned into it before she could think better of it. Her breath caught as his face inched closer, his gaze dipping to her lips.
He paused there, a whisper away.
Waiting.
If she had told him no, he would have stopped. She knew that. But she didn't.
She couldn't.
And then he kissed her.
Her eyes fluttered shut as bliss swept over her. The feel of his lips against hers, the tenderness in the way he held her—as though she were something precious—it shattered the last of her defenses.
She kissed him back with everything she had. All the ache, the longing, the love she hadn't dared to speak.
But time, cruel thing, intervened.
The carriage slowed.
They pulled apart slowly, the air between them heavier than before.
It was goodbye. She felt it in her bones.
Colin didn't speak. Neither did she. What words could make sense of this?
He helped her down. She gave a small curtsy, her mask in hand, and turned toward the door of her home.
