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“To hold it against my rear? People will notice.”

“No, to hide your expression,” he said, adding more gently, “You look stricken.”

Stricken?

At least she didn’t look lustful. Thank God for small favors.

Obediently Daisy turned to her left. He stepped forward, bringing his silk pantaloons into contact with the hand that was vainly trying to cover her bottom. She snatched it away with a gasp.

As his large body crowded behind hers, she drew in a sharp breath. That … something pulsed against her nearly bare bottom.

“I apologize,” Lord Devin said in a husky voice. “We are both embarrassingly exposed.”

A group of ladies was passing before them, so Daisy lowered her fan and smiled casually, as if Lord Devin was merely escorting her out of the ballroom, albeit while standing abnormally close. The dowagers nodded and continued on.

“Don’t you think you should address me as Miles, under the circumstances?” His voice was a smoky thread in her ear. “And I shall address you as Daisy, which is how I have thought of you for months.”

She cleared her throat. “Good evening, Lady Shelby!”

The lady walked by, the feathers she wore on her head waggling.

“Miles,” Daisy breathed. “Are you—” She ran out of words. Honestly, she wasn’t even entirely sure what she wanted to say.

“I’ve never known you to be at a loss for words before … Daisy.” Amusement was threaded through his voice.

They began moving, strolling across the ballroom toward the door. Unless someone happened to glance at them from the side and saw his body pressed against hers, they might not consider their proximity.

But if they did? He was touching her. An important part of him was—

Daisy cleared her throat again, wondering if she was imagining a sensation that was only in her head. Almost certainly it was.

She had always had a naughty imagination. Other young ladies would probably scream and faint if they caught sight of a naked groom. Even at the age of fourteen, Daisy hadn’t screamed. Or fainted.

That particular groom had been completely naked, bathing himself in the horse trough. Standing in the sunlight, pouring a pail of water over his head.

Though she had felt faint that night in her bed, thinking …

Whatever was touching her rear was thick and hard; what else could it be besides his private part? Yet perhaps this situation had no relation to her bare bottom. Perhaps men walked around all the time like this, and she simply hadn’t noticed, never having been in actual contact with a male body.

That was probably it.

They were almost at the door. She could see a few footmen milling about. Once they reached the entry, she would sink onto a bench, request her pelisse, and refuse to move until it was delivered.

“You seem puzzled. Do you have a question I might answer, Daisy?” Miles asked softly, his breath stirring the curls at her ear.

Any proper young lady would ignore his provocation—because that’s what it was. Unless he was just trying to take her attention away from the possible disaster of her rear end being exposed to everyone.

They halted again to allow a flushed and lightheaded countess to progress out of the room before them, leaning on her husband’s arm.

“Yes, I do,” Daisy said. “I have a question. That is, I have several questions but the most pressing—” She broke off, because he started laughing. She looked back and up at him. “I’ve never heard you laugh.”

“I often laugh.” He frowned. “Well, I used to laugh. I’ve become more somber in recent years. At any rate, your pressing question? The answer is yes. Thank goodness you are less shockable than other ladies of my acquaintance. If you feel embarrassed, I assure you that I feel equally disconcerted. I haven’t experienced such a lack of control since I was a lad.”

Daisy rarely blushed, but now she felt her cheeks turning red. Still, she was dying to know more. “Is the phenomenon in question a daily occurrence? Hourly occurrence?”

She twisted about as another crack of laughter erupted from his lips, frowning at him. “Stop bellowing like that!”

One of his large hands landed on her left hip and pulled her back into alignment—which meant close contact with his body. “Don’t move. Good evening again, Lady Regina!”