Page 10 of Twice Upon a Midnight

With rusty movements, he led her through the waltz steps. He’d learned to dance years ago because his cousins Mary and Jane had needed someone to practice with, not because he’d be attending any society balls, and he was certainly stiff. But Ella was an excellent partner. She moved with a fluidity that hid his missteps and made him appear to be a far better dancer than he actually was.

Fitting, he supposed. Because she made him feel far more interesting and handsome than he actually was, too.

She was soft in his arms as she moved effortlessly with him, and with each tight turn, he caught the sweet scent of her on the night air…jasmine.

As they glided together, they remained in the far corner of the garden, hidden from sight of the house and protected by the expanse of park beyond the stone wall. He held her closer than he should have but certainly didn’t regret it. This was as close as he would ever come to holding her in his arms, and he planned on making the most of it.

Slowing their steps until they were dancing out of time with the music—and neither one caring if they did—he lowered his mouth to her ear. “You truly do move in beauty like the night, Ella.”

She stopped dancing and gazed up at him, but she didn’t slide her left arm away from his shoulder or pull her right hand free of his. Instead, her fingers tightened their hold.

“Kiss me,” she whispered.

Sweet Lucifer, how much he wanted to do exactly that! Let the hand on the small of her back gently pull her against his front, then lower his head until his lips touched hers. The taste of her would be just as spicy-sweet as her jasmine scent, he knew.

Just as he knew he didn’t deserve her. She thought he was someone he wasn’t.

She thought he was one of her kind.

When he didn’t move, she added in a tempting tease, “I’ve changed my mind, you see. I now believe you are absolutely the single most interesting man at the ball.” She caressed the side of his face with her fingertips. “And definitely the most attractive, even if you hadn’t quoted Byron to me.”

He stiltedly returned her teasing, his voice suddenly hoarse, “No gentleman has ever quoted poetry to you before.”

“Fools,” she murmured.

He stared at her mouth. When her lips parted with anticipation, he could no longer resist. His hand at the small of her back tugged her gently toward him, his head lowered slowly, his lips lightly touched hers—

When her soft mouth greeted his with innocent curiosity, he bit back a groan. Her spicy-sweet taste was just as wonderful as he’d imagined, and the moment nearly undid him.

She leaned into him and filled his senses as she returned the slow, languid kiss. Her warmth, her softness, her exotic scent… She melted against him in surrender as a quiet sigh left her, and her sensuous lips teased at his the way her conversation had teased his mind.

He raised his hand to her cheek to cup her face against his palm—

She broke the kiss with an unhappy sound of protest and moved her mouth away from his, but she didn’t step out of his embrace.

“Take off your gloves,” she ordered softly and trailed her lips along his jaw. “I want to feel your bare fingertips against my cheek.”

He tensed. His hands were stained with ink. Although she couldn’t have seen the stains in the shadows,heknew they were there, and he feared he might sully her simply by association.

Misreading his hesitation, she whispered, “I know I’m being forward, that I shouldn’t ask a gentleman to do such a thing.” Her soft breath tickled the side of his neck and sent warm shivers through him. “But I want this moment, here, with you.” She explained in a voice that was little more than a purr, “I want to feel as beautiful as you claim I am.”

“My hands are dirty.” He could hear his shame in that confession.

“I don’t care.”

He shook his head, and a knot formed in his chest. “I shouldn’t even be here tonight. I don’t belong here.” Certainly not with someone as wonderful as she was. “I’m not like the other men in attendance.”

“I know. That’s exactly why I like you.” She placed a soothing kiss to his jaw. “Remove your glove…please.”

His embarrassment wasn’t strong enough to overcome his desire for her. Losing the battle, he shifted back to cautiously remove his gloves and tuck them into his waistband.

This time when he reached to caress her cheek, she closed her eyes and tilted her face toward him in invitation to be touched. And this time, he couldn’t hold back a faint groan of torturous pleasure as he trailed his bare fingers across her cheek.

A ragged sigh fell from her smiling lips. She was obviously pleased with herself that she’d coerced him into giving her such a caress, and he couldn’t resist smiling at her audacity as he outlined her lips with his fingertip.

“Youarebeautiful, Ella,” he murmured and smoothed both his hands over her cheeks until he cupped her face between his palms. “So very special.” He lowered his mouth and murmured against her lips, “You have no idea how much.”

When he kissed her, there was no teasing, no hesitation. He captured her mouth beneath his, and when she opened to him, he slid his tongue inside to claim all of her kiss. Her slender arms snaked up to encircle his neck, and her soft body pressed into his in a silent plea to increase the intimacy of their embrace. He did exactly that by sliding his tongue over hers in wanton encouragement to do the same to him, and when she did, his heart nearly soared out of his chest.