Excerpt from Catching the Baron
“Stop looking at me like that.”
After blinking several times, she retreated back a step. “Like what?”
“As if I am worthy of your adoration. I’m selfish, not selfless. One of my main reasons for buying you those chairs was so I could see you again.”
Kenneth ran his hand through his hair, and then turned and strode away from her. Mentioning his interest in her hadn’t been part of the plan. She unnerved him. Now he needed to leave her alone. He accomplished what he sought out to do, so there was no point in plaguing her further.
A warm hand slid between his arm and body. Startled, he whipped his head toward her. She smiled shyly as her hand curled around his arm, accepting his earlier offer of an escort.
“Anxious to leave? That isn’t the response I expected from someone who invented an expensive excuse to see me. So, why did you?”
Unwilling to answer, he clenched his teeth and kept his stare straight ahead.
“You don’t have to answer.” The brightness of her voice made him wary. “I can invent my own reasons.”
“You can envision any number of sordid reasons, but I...I just wanted to talk to you again.” He shrugged as if his request was the most natural occurrence.
“Oh. Then are you satisfied?”
Sliding his attention to her, he drank in the sight of her. His hungry eyes traveled from her silky brown hair down to the tips of her dainty toes. His body hardened. No. He wasn’t satisfied. He wanted more from her. One night to be more specific. That would be the cure he needed. Then his fascination would be cured.
“For today.” He rubbed his free hand along his jaw.
“Stop looking at me like that.”
After blinking several times, she retreated back a step. “Like what?”
“As if I am worthy of your adoration. I’m selfish, not selfless. One of my main reasons for buying you those chairs was so I could see you again.”
Kenneth ran his hand through his hair, and then turned and strode away from her. Mentioning his interest in her hadn’t been part of the plan. She unnerved him. Now he needed to leave her alone. He accomplished what he sought out to do, so there was no point in plaguing her further.
A warm hand slid between his arm and body. Startled, he whipped his head toward her. She smiled shyly as her hand curled around his arm, accepting his earlier offer of an escort.
“Anxious to leave? That isn’t the response I expected from someone who invented an expensive excuse to see me. So, why did you?”
Unwilling to answer, he clenched his teeth and kept his stare straight ahead.
“You don’t have to answer.” The brightness of her voice made him wary. “I can invent my own reasons.”
“You can envision any number of sordid reasons, but I...I just wanted to talk to you again.” He shrugged as if his request was the most natural occurrence.
“Oh. Then are you satisfied?”
Sliding his attention to her, he drank in the sight of her. His hungry eyes traveled from her silky brown hair down to the tips of her dainty toes. His body hardened. No. He wasn’t satisfied. He wanted more from her. One night to be more specific. That would be the cure he needed. Then his fascination would be cured.
“For today.” He rubbed his free hand along his jaw.