She nodded and set down her plate, then drank the rest of her wine in three gulps before she took his hand.
“Is the prospect of dancing with me so terrifying that you needed liquid courage to do it?”
“Not at all.” Even walking with the prince, heads began turning in their direction. She plastered a smile on her face. “I’m not terrified of you, Your Highness.”
“Oh? Then why?”
Since she couldn’t very well say what was on her mind—that she was depressed by her prospects, and by the thought of going home even though that place wasn’t really a home to her and she never felt safe there, and she probably had something in her teeth and the wine helped wash that down, but maybe she still had something in her teeth and people would see it and he would see it and she’d make a fool of herself, and her prospects would get even worse, and her mother would somehow find out, and then?—
“Miss Ruffin?”
She took a deep breath as they took their position on the dance floor. “I merely wanted to finish my drink, Your Highness, that’s all.”
His eyebrows rose ever so slightly. If she hadn’t been avoiding looking directly in his eyes, she might have missed it.
Couples took their place on the dance floor, but gave them a wide berth. She caught the eye of a man she had met at some other party weeks ago—Luke maybe? She gave him a small smile and a nod, and he glanced at the prince’s back before giving her a smile in return.
“Am I so boring, Miss Ruffin?”
“Hmmm?” She looked up at him. Why was he so tall? Why wassheso short? Even in heels, the top of her head barely met his chin.
As the music began—The Second Waltz—he clasped her hand and slid the other over her hip and to the small of her back. His glove slid over the thin material of her dress to the exposed skin of her back, and she shivered despite herself.
She hated the smug look on his face, hated that she’d reacted to him and that he knew it.
She glanced back at Luke, only to find his smile gone and his gaze focused on the prince’s hand at her back.
Damn it. This fucking prince was going to ruin all her plans.
three
I’ve never before met a woman who wanted so little to do with me. I’m not sure how I ought to proceed. Perhaps I’ll ask Ferdinand for advice, though I’m sure he’ll only laugh at me. ~ from the journal of Prince Gabriel
GABRIEL
Was it wrong to love the way she felt in his arms? Even through his gloves, he could feel the warmth of her skin.
The music began with a few instruments, seemingly playful and happy. She crouched slightly to pick up her dress, then they twirled as the waltz truly began.
“You should watch your hands, Your Highness.”
He couldn’t resist teasing her. “Hardly my fault if there’s no where else for my hands to go. This is the proper stance for a waltz, as I’m sure you know.” As they turned again, he leanedslightly closer. “However, I can place my hands somewhere else, if you prefer. I’m open to suggestions.”
“Does that line ever work, Your Highness?”
“Not so far, though you’re the only one I’ve tried it on. Should I try it on someone else?”
Her mouth fell slightly open, then shut into a demure smile. “Do as you like, Your Highness.”
He decided his usual flirting may not work with her, so he decided to try being straightforward. “I get the impression that you do not much like me, Miss Ruffin.”
She waited a beat before responding. “And?”
He huffed a laugh. “You’re the first one to be quite so obvious about it.”
As the music swelled and the entire orchestra joined in, he continued to move her expertly around the ballroom. He couldn’t help but notice the way her skirt subtly floated behind her as they waltzed, how the soft lighting seemed to catch the highlights in her dark blonde hair and make her skin appear even more luminous, how her earrings danced along with them. He wished he’d chosen a longer waltz for their dance.
Shifting to a lighter topic, he asked, “Did you wear this dress for someone?”
