Page 9 of Awakening a Lord's Desires
As she held tightly to Lord Spencer’s hand as they walked to the dance floor, she realised he had played his part perfectly, acting as though they had never met. She was certain that Alexander and Matilda had not noticed the frisson that had passed between the two of them, and she was grateful for that. She had no wish to discuss it with her friends at the moment, but at the same time, she wondered if he had actually forgotten her.
It didn’t seem possible, and yet she was not an expert on young gentlemen who were used to all kinds of amusements in London. As for himself, he was likely not used to nearly killing strange women in the woods who wore servants’ clothes and carried baskets of rosemary. Her confidence fell a little as she wondered if she was truly that unremarkable.
She tried to keep her breathing steady as Lord Spencer pulled her close. For as the song began, they knew it was to be a waltz. His large hand spread on her lower back, and his other hand held hers just as tightly in the air. They waited a moment, and then they took their first steps to follow the first notes.
Caroline had spent years upon years, it seemed, with her dance instructor. She had been taught every step thousands of times, so much so that she could likely dance in her sleep, but dancing with Lord Spencer made her worry for once that she might misstep.
After seeing him the day before her, her sleep had been fitful, full of dreams of a handsome young man looking like a handsome prince, with eyes like the colour of the forest. Eyes that one could easily fall into, eyes that made her forget everything that made sense.
When she awoke, she’d laughed at herself for her girlish foolishness. And yet right then, as she stared into those eyes that she’d dreamed of, they were just as she’d imagined. In fact, they were even better, and unfortunately to her own equilibrium, they were even more powerful. A light tingle spread over her skin as he stared right at her, unflinching and unwavering. No one had ever looked at her so deeply, so completely.
While her face was flushing, so was the rest of her body. Whatever was pulsating inside of her, strange as it was, made her mouth dry and her stomach fluttery, but the dancing helped. Except when he pulled her even closer, her chest brushing lightly against his. It only made the tingling start afresh.
In all her life, she had never been this close to a man, no matter how many times she’d danced during the Season. Most of the men who paid court to her had been awkward, strange, quiet, and distant.
Spencer was different. He was almost painfully handsome. His dark brown hair had been styled, and his coat and waistcoat were of the best quality to be found on Bond Street. His clothing had been tailored perfectly to his athletic form, and he moved in it with a grace, ease, and confidence she had not seen before.
“So, Miss Turner,” he said, speaking at long last. “I wonder if we might discuss our meeting yesterday.”
His smile brought a flesh fresh fluttering to her belly, and she couldn’t help but smile back at him.
“You remembered. You were such a good actor that I thought perhaps you had forgotten, My Lord.”
“Never,” he said with such genuineness as he stared into her eyes that she felt herself swallow hard. “But one must be circumspect in such a situation.”
He leaned closer, and she closed her eyes when she could smell his scent. It was something woodsy and entirely masculine. It made her shiver a little. She was annoyed at how strongly she reacted to him. Was she ill or going mad?
“It is hard to forget someone whom you nearly run over with your horse.”
“Ah,” she said, chuckling a little, trying to hide her disappointment at his statement.
Did he not feel the heat in their closeness as she did?
“Besides, I did not wish to cause any trouble for you. As you already know, such a meeting would certainly be considered rather scandalous.”
The way he uttered the last word in such a low, quiet voice made her stomach flip, and she cleared her throat to try to focus.
“You are kind, My Lord, and I am grateful. I know my stepmother would not be happy to hear of it, so I thank you for keeping it quiet.”
“Of course.” He bowed his head slightly, but still, he easily kept up their movements. “So, may I ask what you occupy your time with other than traipsing about the woods with a basket, appearing suddenly in front of unsuspecting gentlemen upon their horses?”
She laughed, genuinely, and she watched the pleasure in Lord Spencer’s eyes as he grinned at her. For so long, she had been taught to restrain her laughter or to laugh even if she did not think something was funny. But that true, honest laughter had bubbled out of her unbidden, and it had felt absolutely wonderful. To see his pleasure at her laugh made it all the better.
“Well, that should be a mystery, don’t you think, My Lord? Are young ladies supposed to tell young gentlemen they hardly know about their hobbies and interests? I suppose you expect me to say that I embroider, draw, and play upon the pianoforte.”
She lifted a brow, a teasing smirk on her lips, and he chuckled at her baiting.
“Why yes, I have been taught to expect that when I ask a young woman what occupies her time. But I am getting the feeling that you are rather different, Miss Turner—and I find that rather exciting, to say the least.”
Caroline swallowed again, and as she thought about what she would say next, she prayed the waltz would last forever and ever.
Chapter 9
Charles found himself smiling more than he had in the past six months. Miss Caroline was enchanting, and he was so distracted that he had to remember to listen for when the music ended, or else they would keep on dancing for as long as possible.
“I have never been thought to be exciting, My Lord. What a compliment,” she said, another teasing smile on her lips that drew his eyes to her mouth yet again.
He had to restrain himself to keep from looking at it over and over. They were in polite company, and he had to have polite thoughts. But Miss Caroline’s mouth, both the way her plump pink lips looked, as well as how she used it to tease and speak witticisms, put him nearly into a trance.
