Page 51 of The Highlander's Princess Bride
After Kade struck the first bars of the waltz and she finally placed her hand in his, Nick felt an odd sense of triumph, as if he’d won some sort of skirmish. He heard the sharp intake of her breath and saw the color in her cheeks deepen to a lovely rose.
Skirmish? Hell, he suddenly found himself in a full-out battle not to sweep the bloody girl up and carry her away to his bed. Thank God his family was in the room; otherwise, he’d be tempted to do something incredibly stupid. Victoria Knight was a gently bred womanandone of his servants, thus entirely out of bounds.
Besides, the last thing he needed was a woman—any woman—on a permanent basis. Shagging was now a simple, basic need and nothing more. Janet had certainly taught him that lesson.
Victoria finally looked up at him with a shy smile. Nick forced himself to smile back and then bowed as she dipped into a curtsy. Slipping his arms about her, he gently swept her into the first revolution of the dance.
She was graceful and elegant in his embrace—slender, fine-boned, and a small slip of a thing compared to him. But she danced with energy and grace, matching his movements with smooth self-assurance. She might give the impression of fragility, but she had a lithe body and pleasing feminine curves, evidenced by the swell of breasts that brushed against his chest when he swung her through a turn.
After a minute or so, during which she kept her gaze steadfastly pinned to his shoulder, she glanced up with a startled expression.
“You might be holding me too close, my lord,” she said in a breathy voice.
His first clue should have been the fact that he could feel her breasts as they pressed against him, along with other lovely bits as their bodies rubbed intimately together.
“My lord, your brothers are watching us,” she added tersely.
“Sorry,” he said, loosening his embrace. “I suppose that’s not the example we wish to set.”
Her lush lips curved up with reluctant humor. “Probably not.”
He glanced over at his family. The twins were watching with fierce concentration, as if taking mental notes. Royal had gone back to the chaise and resumed brooding. Kade was smiling at the keyboard, lost in the music.
Angus, though, was stroking his bristled chin and regarding them with a canny, oddly intent expression. Nick could all but see the wheels and gears turning in his head.
In response to his questioning frown, the old man gave Nick a bland smile and waggled a hand, as if to sayhave at it.
“Your brother was right,” she said. “You’re a very good dancer.”
He glanced down. She was smiling, and her cheeks were flushed with pleasure. When she let down her governess guard, Victoria was more than simply pretty. She was like a princess from a fairy tale, with golden hair like Snow White and ruby lips like Rose Red.
And like a fairy-tale princess, she was casting a spell on him.
“I’m a little rusty,” he said. “It’s been quite a while since my last foray onto the dance floor.”
“One would never know. How long ago was it?”
“The eve of Waterloo. It was at the Duchess of Richmond’s ball,” he said softly. Almost every moment of that night and the horrific days that followed were etched on his memory with painful clarity.
“Oh.” Her blue gaze went misty.
“That’s the last time Royal danced too,” he added. His brother would likely never dance again.
“I’m so sorry.”
He swept her through a few more turns, taking comfort in her warmth and enjoying the swish of her soft skirts as they brushed his legs.
“You needn’t be sorry,” he finally said. “He survived.Wesurvived, while many didn’t.”
She slipped her hand a little higher, closer to his neck. “I can still be sorry, for both of you.”
When Nick involuntarily tightened his grip, her breath seemed to fracture. He didn’t want her pity. He wanted—
Kade concluded the piece with a flourishing trill. Momentum carried them through another revolution before Nick brought them to an awkward halt. In the sudden silence, he and Victoria stared at each other. Her gaze was wide and her pupils looked dilated, standing in stark contrast to the surrounding cornflower blue. When the tip of her tongue slipped out to wet her lips, it took a mighty effort to refrain from dipping down and capturing her luscious mouth in a devouring kiss.
She wriggled, silently asking for release. The delicious little movement had the opposite effect, but Nick forced himself to let go and take a step back.
When the twins began to applaud, Victoria smiled and dipped a curtsy, looking composed despite the blush coloring her cheeks.
