Excerpt from Redeeming the Earl
“Good evening, Miss Doutree.”
She jumped and turned her startled eyes on him. “Lord Dunmore, I didn’t see you approach.”
“Moving in silence can prove to be useful from time to time.”
Curiosity glittered in her eyes as she cocked her head to the side. “Do you enjoy scaring people? Or do you enjoy being a shadow?”
“Such questions.” He shook his head. “And here I came to request your next dance.”
She lowered her eyes. “I apologize, my lord. Sometimes my mouth gets away from me.”
Her words brought his attention to her lips. Her teeth held on to the delicate pink flesh. Did she do so to keep her comments from spilling out? He wondered what other secrets those lips held. Surprised by his thoughts, he drew his gaze away. This wasn’t going as planned. They should have been dancing right now instead of watching the couples taking part in their missed opportunity.
“Then perhaps we can begin anew,” he suggested.
Immediately her lip was released from its confines as a smile spread across her face. “You aren’t exactly what I expected, but I would love to begin again.”
Although he wanted to ask what she’d expected of him, he nodded. “Good evening, Miss Doutree. Would you honor me with your next dance?”
“Of course, my lord.”
Considering the current dance hadn’t reached its conclusion, Charles knew he should depart from her now, but instead he waited. Why was he reluctant to leave her side? Awkwardness stretched.
The following song was a waltz. The fact seemed significant in a way. Or perhaps a bad omen. As a rule, he didn’t indulge in the dance. Sharing such a level of contact in front of so many others struck him as indecent.
With a tight smile, he drew Miss Doutree into his arms and moved with the music. To his delight, he noticed how skilled she maneuvered the steps. The swaying of her body brought a whole new dimension to the waltz. He wanted to dislike it. To be repulsed by the sensuous movements and the pleasure in her face, but he couldn’t. He didn’t want the song to end.
She jumped and turned her startled eyes on him. “Lord Dunmore, I didn’t see you approach.”
“Moving in silence can prove to be useful from time to time.”
Curiosity glittered in her eyes as she cocked her head to the side. “Do you enjoy scaring people? Or do you enjoy being a shadow?”
“Such questions.” He shook his head. “And here I came to request your next dance.”
She lowered her eyes. “I apologize, my lord. Sometimes my mouth gets away from me.”
Her words brought his attention to her lips. Her teeth held on to the delicate pink flesh. Did she do so to keep her comments from spilling out? He wondered what other secrets those lips held. Surprised by his thoughts, he drew his gaze away. This wasn’t going as planned. They should have been dancing right now instead of watching the couples taking part in their missed opportunity.
“Then perhaps we can begin anew,” he suggested.
Immediately her lip was released from its confines as a smile spread across her face. “You aren’t exactly what I expected, but I would love to begin again.”
Although he wanted to ask what she’d expected of him, he nodded. “Good evening, Miss Doutree. Would you honor me with your next dance?”
“Of course, my lord.”
Considering the current dance hadn’t reached its conclusion, Charles knew he should depart from her now, but instead he waited. Why was he reluctant to leave her side? Awkwardness stretched.
The following song was a waltz. The fact seemed significant in a way. Or perhaps a bad omen. As a rule, he didn’t indulge in the dance. Sharing such a level of contact in front of so many others struck him as indecent.
With a tight smile, he drew Miss Doutree into his arms and moved with the music. To his delight, he noticed how skilled she maneuvered the steps. The swaying of her body brought a whole new dimension to the waltz. He wanted to dislike it. To be repulsed by the sensuous movements and the pleasure in her face, but he couldn’t. He didn’t want the song to end.