Page 35 of How to Seduce a Duke this Autumn
The hand at her waist adjusted slightly, anchoring her firmly as they stepped together again. Yet as his pace quickened, her footing faltered. Charlene wavered, the damp ground beneath too slick to hold her easily.
And then she tipped forward, her momentum pulling her straight into him.
Adam caught her, his arm locking around her back with startling precision, pulling her flush against his chest. The crisp wool of his coat pressed against her bodice, his warmth leaking through the barrier of fine fabrics. The air was suddenly different, charged with a current she couldn’t name, and for an endless moment, she could hear nothing but the faint whisper of his breathing as it fanned against her hair.
She froze, every inch of her acutely aware of where they touched, of the controlled strength in his hold. He seemed equally affected, the tension in his body apparent as he kept her close, his gloved hand splayed firmly over her back, the leather cool but his grip unwavering.
Charlene lifted her gaze, and Adam’s eyes caught hers, dark and searching under the veil of the lingering fog. A flicker of something unknown passed between them, unspoken but undeniable, threading through the closeness they shared.
“You’re heavier than I expected,” he murmured, breaking the spell—but the rasp in his voice sent heat curling low in her stomach.
“And you’re insufferable,” she whispered back, though her tone lacked any bite. Her hands were braced against his chest, fingers curling slightly against the fine weave of his coat. Shecould feel the strength beneath, the steady rise of his breath. Without thinking, her fingers smoothed over the fabric, more to steady herself than anything else, but the movement felt… daring.
Adam’s lips tilted, the faintest hint of amusement curving his expression. “Careful there,” he said, his voice softer now, the words balanced between teasing and something more intimate.
She started to pull away, to step back and recompose herself, but his arm tightened, holding her for just a moment longer. His thumb brushed absently against the curve of her waist. “You’re not running off after one misstep, are you?” he asked softly, his tone laced with something oddly coaxing.
Charlene swallowed hard, her pulse thrumming wildly. “I… believe I prefer to be upright,” she managed, though her breath hitched as she realized he still hadn’t released her fully.
His fingers eased their grip slightly, but the touch lingered as he finally looked away, tilting his face toward the fading path ahead. “Then we’ll try again,” he said easily, though his voice had a new roughness to it. He stepped back, his absence jarring as he reclaimed the space between them.
Charlene couldn’t speak for a moment, her lips parting faintly as she struggled to break through the haze of awareness that clung to her. She adjusted her pelisse, fingers trembling slightly as they worked the folds of fabric.
Adam’s hand was out again, steady and sure. She hesitated, then placed her hand in his, unable to ignore the faint quiver that rippled through her as his fingers curled over hers with controlled firmness.
“One more time,” he said with a faint smile, though there was a glint in his eye that unsettled and steadied her all at once. “Are you ready?”
“Let us do this, then.”
“On three,” Adam said, his tone suddenly serious, though the humor still danced in his eyes. He nodded. “One…”
Her skin tingled as his hands grazed her waist, steady but never lingering.
“Two…”
The fog lifted slightly, the morning creeping forward without fanfare as the park began to glow faintly gold.
“Three.”
And then she jumped with him, a laugh spilling from her lips unbidden, her skirts swirling like the disturbed leaves below. The air zipped past her face, cool and exhilarating, and for one suspended moment, she felt weightless—untethered and entirely free.
When he set her down again, the world reassembled itself, but Charlene’s laughter stayed, bubbling as his grin widened.
“See?” he murmured. “Better than diamonds, chocolates, or flowers.”
That remained debatable.
*
Adam gazed ather, momentarily taken by the sweet shriek she’d let out when she fell and as he tried to reach for her, she gave him a tug. It wasn’t strong, but he’d been caught off guard by her beauty, mesmerized by the light in her eyes.
The world shifted, a blur of damp earth and crumpled leaves rushing up to meet him. His hand reached out instinctively, but instead of catching something solid, his fingers grazed the soft fabric of her sleeve. And then, with a graceless thud, he landed beside her, the sharp scent of wet foliage filling his lungs.
She came to me.
He almost still couldn’t believe it.
Music soared in his mind as though her presence alone gave him the rhythm he’d dance to.
