He set his lips in a firm line, earning another smile from her. If he weren’t so perturbed by the fact that she had caught him smiling, he would have smiled again.
16
“Is this truly how the night ends?” Violet said aloud to no one in particular as she tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
It was late into the night already. The party had raged on until she decided her feet couldn’t handle any more dancing. She had danced two dances with Ruaridh before the exhaustion of her previous dances with Keira and Callum caught up with her.
Ruaridh had been gracious, leading her to one of the benches and going to fetch her a drink. Remembering how he had held her waist and danced with her had her heart racing, and she giggled into her pillow, remembering how his smile had transformed his face.
He was a truly handsome man, but his smile had made him beautiful, and to think she had been the reason for it made her giggle again.
The night had been thoroughly unexpected in the bliss it offered her. Perhaps it was because for the first time ever, she found herself feeling light and unburdened by worry for her future. In fact, she looked forward to the next day.
She found herself feeling grateful for the turn her life had taken. If Ruaridh had never taken her from the chapel, perhaps she would be married to Lord Westall and miserable.
He was indeed an answer to her prayer. A most unusual answer, but a very handsome one.
“Oh!” she exclaimed, bolting upright.
She rushed to her desk and pulled out her list, and quickly crossed offDance with a handsome man.She bit her lip as she thought of how he had possessively pulled her against his side. He had been hard against her, and the heat of his palm against her waist had seared her skin. Even now, she could still feel the imprint of his palm against her flesh.
She pulled her lip between her teeth.
He had offered to escort her to her chambers, but she had waved him off, not trusting herself. She had wanted to kiss him while they had danced. If they had been alone, she wouldn’t have been able to trust herself.
A knock sounded at her door, drawing her out of her thoughts. She stood, wondering if perhaps Keira had come wanting tosleep over again, but when she opened the door, she couldn’t hide her surprise.
It was as though her thoughts had summoned him to her door because Ruaridh stood there, looking ruggedly handsome, with his previously slicked-back hair unruly and damp as if he had taken a bath or perhaps a dip in the loch.
His linen shirt lay open at the collar, revealing a dusting of dark hair on his chest. Her mouth went dry at the sight, but she forced her gaze back to his face.
“Good evening, my Laird,” she greeted.
“Good evenin’, Violet,” he rumbled. “Did I wake ye?”
“Not at all,” she answered, shaking her head. “I couldn’t fall asleep.”
“Me neither.”
His admission made her go still.
What made him seek her?
“May I come in?” he asked.
Everything in her warned her against letting him in, but she had wanted to see him, and this short moment with him was not enough.
So shutting out the voice of reason, she nodded and stepped back, allowing him in.
His presence seemed to fill the room, and the once-wide chamber suddenly felt too small. He shut the door behind him, and immediately her heart began to race. Tension, thick as butter, filled the room. The air was dangerously charged, and neither of them moved.
He looked down at her, his eyes darkening. She looked down and realized she was only in her nightgown and not one of the more proper ones. This was made of a lighter fabric that did little to hide her body from his gaze.
Violet knew she should have moved to pick up her robe and cover herself, but she liked feeling his gaze on her. Liked seeing the desire in his eyes. His eyes left trails of heat as he scanned her from her neck, where the fabric gaped, to her feet, where her toes peeked out.
“Why have you come, my Laird?” she asked, breaking the silence.
He cleared his throat and met her eyes. “I wanted to see if ye had settled in and to ask if the evening was to yer liking.”
