Page 14 of Wallflower Games: Lady Be Vengeful
They continued on through the steps. By the end of this dance, the viscount had to be heading toward the mistletoe. Finally, the last strands of the song wound. Lord Clouston led heroff the dance floor. “My, I am parched. I must go in search of some punch.”
“I can retrieve a glass for you,” he offered.
“Do not trouble yourself, my lord.” She smiled at him. “If you wish to be of assistance, please go see how Lady Arabella fares.” She motioned toward Arabella, who was drawing close to where Emma wanted her. She just needed Clouston there as well.
He stared at where Arabella was walking. “Are you certain?”
“I am,” she said. “Oh, and Lord Clouston.”
“Yes?” he asked.
“It’s a masquerade. Have fun.” She winked. “And do take advantage of the mistletoe. It’s hanging for a reason.”
His cheeked pinkened a little bit. “I’ll consider it.”
She prayed he did more than consider it. Emma turned away from him and headed toward the punch table. She peeked over her shoulder, and her grin widened. That timing could not have happened better. Just as Arabella stepped under the mistletoe, Lord Clouston joined her. Then the magic of mistletoe did her work for her. He leaned down and pressed his lips to Arabella’s for a brief kiss just as Miss Harriett returned to the ballroom. She stared atLord Clouston and Arabella, then fled the ballroom again. Well, that was interesting. She had thought that Harriett would have confronted her friend. Perhaps that part would come later.
Blake studiedEmma as she made her rounds in the ballroom. Had she known how sinful she’d look in that brilliant red gown? He wanted to unwrap her slowly, and taste every inch of the gift she had presented to him. His desire for her grew from moment to moment, and the kisses and pleasure they had already shared had only made him frenzied. What was it about her that drove him mad?
Then she went and danced that quadrille with the fop she’d been flirting with. Well, one of them anyway. He couldn’t recall which was which. Not that it mattered. The fact that she seemed to have some scheme planned where they were concerned did. So, he stayed in the shadows and observed everything. Even that blasted dance where he had to grit his teeth the entire time.
He narrowed his gaze as she moved away from the dance floor. She parted ways with the gentlemanand he… Blake frowned and tilted his head. Was that Lady Arabella he walked toward? How interesting. Lady Arabella stopped right under a spring of mistletoe. All that mistletoe that Emma had hung in every nook and cranny of the manor. Was this her plan? To get some of the guests to kiss openly? Did she honestly think a masquerade ball was enough to hide identities so no one would be compromised?
Or maybe that was what she had wanted all along. Had she hoped that Lady Arabella would be ruined? Why? He left his hiding place and stalked toward her. It was time for her to fess up and tell him the truth. There had to be a reason for all of this secrecy and deception. He caught up with Emma as she was about to exit the ballroom. Perfect. He slid his arm around her waist and led her in the direction he wanted her to go.
“Unhand me,” she ordered.
“Not yet, love,” he drawled. “I can’t have you running off when we have much to discuss.”
She shoved at him, but he kept a grip around her. Once they were out of sight from anyone who might witness it, he lifted her into his arms and carried her. She still struggled, but it was far more manageable this way.
“Blake,” she gritted out. “I am not a sack ofgrains for you to haul around. I demand you put me down. Now.”
“I am pleased you remembered to use my given name, darling,” he said in an amused tone. “But that’s not enough for me to give in to any demands you feel like throwing at me.”
“You’re an insufferable lout,” she ground out vehemently. “Why are you doing this?”
“All in good time,” he said cheerfully.
Blake was enjoying this. Far too much… He liked having her in his arms. There was something about her. He’d been drawn to her from the moment he’d arrived at this house party. Now he couldn’t stay away from her. He was done fighting it.
He carried her into the sitting room at the back of the house, a good distance from the ballroom. Blake shut the door and turned the lock before he set her down. She shoved him against the door and stepped back, glaring at him. The candlelight was low in this room, much like the other rooms for the masquerade.
“Why did you bring me in here?” she asked. “I don’t want to be here with you.”
He leaned against the door and folded his arms across his chest, then he tilted his lips up into a sly smile. Blake had her locked in the room with him.Now that he had her there, he could take his time. They had all night to explore what was between them until they both had the truth. He needed to understand her, and what it was he felt for her. He’d never experienced anything like this with any other woman. Emma was special. He couldn’t explain it, but he knew that deep down in his soul.
“Yes, you do, love,” he told her. “You want to be with me as much as I do you.”
“No, I don’t,” she said in a belligerent tone. “Now move away from the door, so I may leave.”
“I’m afraid I cannot allow that,” he told her in a firm tone. “We’re not done yet.”
Blake still had a lot more to do with her, but first, he had some questions. “What did you do with Lady Arabella and that coxcomb you were dancing with?”
She furrowed her eyebrows. “Do you mean Lord Clouston?”
“If that’s his name,” he said in a cool tone. “Then yes.”
