The not too conspicuous act of craning his neck to take a gander at Prudence would indicate that he had indeed abandoned his pride.Or least a significant chunk of it.
“You and Ash agreed that she was my best bet at getting at Bart.I’m simply following through.”
“Since when did you play nice?”
“I’ve always played nice.In my own way.”Soren dropped the conversation intending to supplant it with an observational look at Pru, but when his eyes landed on her, she merely gave him a curt nod and turned back to her twin.
“The devil take it,” he muttered under his breath none too quietly.
“You’re not about to approach her in that state, are you?”
“Should I not?”
“Do you really think your reputation mingling with hers won’t stir the gossip mills?”
“Do you ever just answer a question, Rafe?”
“Do you?”
“Gah.”He clenched his fists inside of his pockets and released a pent up breath.“If Ash were here, he’d…”
“He’d what?”
“He’d probably talk some sense into me.Because I am about to approach her.The chit won’t even send a passing glance in my direction.”
“Is that really what you’re searching for?”
No.No, he was not.He was anticipating a shy look.A fervent blush on her cheeks.A demure shrug of her shoulders.God, anything but a brusque nod.
As discreetly as he could, he retreated a few steps to the left, casually bringing Rafe with him.The better vantage point to see her from.
This time when he caught her eye, she jutted out her chin in an unexpected defiant gesture.What was going on with her?
At the risk of being caught staring, he kept his gaze clamped on her.And that’s when he saw it.A small flex in her jaw.A hand to her neck.And then a side eye.Directly at him.
God, how that little gesture made hope soar in his body.He could practically feel his feet lift from the ground.What a besotted fool he was.Drunk off of half a look from her.
But he couldn’t help it.
“I’m going to talk to her.”
Rafe’s question went unheard as Soren’s feet meandered through the crowd toward Pru.
By the time he approached her shoulder, her two other sisters had wandered off in search of a drink, leaving Pru to her own devices.
“Would my little librarian do me the honor of providing a tour of the library in five minutes’ time?”
The brevity of her reply caught him off guard.“Ten.”
But when he realized what she said, he countered with, “Eight.”And before she could negotiate, he footed it out of the room.
Eight minutes couldn’t pass quickly enough.Mostly because in only forty they’d be ushered in for the dinner meal, which didn’t give them much time alone.
In the midst of checking his pocketwatch for the thirty-third time, he heard the soft snick of the door and unhurried footsteps enter the room.
The sight of her had him catching his breath.Her blonde hair pulled back in a severe bun that he wanted to spend all night unpinning.The prim and proper cut of her dress, too modest to show off any curves.They were all for him.Every last covered inch of her was for his eyes only.
But when her fingers twitched at her side, he knew to tread carefully and therefore added levity to his voice in suggesting, “Let’s answer your second question, shall we?”
