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Harry burst into innocent laughter over some nonsense Clayton had spewed, and the earl smiled. He liked Harry—a great deal. He wasn’t so sure about the other one.
In fact, he hoped that young Clay didn’t take Kitty’s fancy. He wasn’t the sort of man the earl wanted for her.
Now where had that come from? When had he become so protective? And, yes, he was feeling protective over her. What was happening to him?
He attempted to divert his mind by joining in the light banter between the young men, but thoughts of Kitty still came unbidden.
As the earl contemplated this new development in his brain, the library doors opened wide to display a splatter of color in the form of two lovelies, one in pale blue, the other in soft green. He saw at once that both young ladies looked happy, but it was Kitty who held him frozen in place.
His senses were locked on her. He couldn’t look away. He couldn’t think.
All he could do was stare. She was exquisite, in fact the most exquisite woman he had ever seen. He was stunned by her beauty, and as she moved towards him, he felt his heart beat at a racing pace and unbidden his manhood throbbed in his pantaloons.
The swells of her breasts captured his attention, as did her nipples protruding through the silky material of her form-fitted gown. Gone was the hoyden. In fact, not a trace of the hoyden … and then he looked into those green eyes of hers and found the mischievous girl once more. What was more to the point, he was happy to find it still so embedded in her.
What was happening to him?
Oh no, he told himself. She is not for you. You don’t dally with innocent maids.
And still, he could not tear his gaze away. It was as though he and she were connected by an invisible bolt of energy. He wanted to take her into his arms and sweep her away. He wanted to kiss her luscious mouth. He wanted … No. He stopped himself. Have you gone mad?
* * *
Kitty couldn’t tear her gaze away from the earl. Clothed in his casual dining coat of blue, with the tight-fitting waistcoat of a paler blue, his muscular form was mesmerizing. He was masculine and desirable and, oh my, what was she thinking?
Absurdly, it occurred to her that they were wearing the same shade of blue, and she smiled.
That shows you what a child you still are, she told herself. Grow up. If you are going to meet
men of the earl’s stamp in London, you must have more sophistication, more … oh, but he was ever so large and well-formed, and his eyes, which reminded her of a turbulent ocean, kept her riveted. She couldn’t tear her gaze away. It was as though a bolt of energy had enwrapped itself around them, drawing them together. She wanted him to take her into his arms. She wanted him to kiss her and take her to another world … where they were alone, just the two of them.
If she went into his arms, would he kiss her? Would he …?
Harry broke through these wayward thoughts, thankfully, she told herself. He had called out their names and began raising his glass in a toast to their beauty. Beside her, Henrietta smiled as she looked at Harry and went into the room towards the young men.
The earl put away the distance between them even as she took a step towards him.
She reached him and gave him her ungloved hands, and her lashes lowered as she heard him whisper, “I am undone. You are more beautiful than any woman of my acquaintance.”
She raised her eyes and told him, “It is all thanks to my Ree … she cut off the lace at the bodice, and the bow and—”
“With the bow and the lace, still, you would be ravishing,” he answered softly.
“What if I were in britches?” she teased.
“Ah, Kitty,” he said quietly and turned away to make polite conversation with Henrietta and the lads. He did this, still with one hand in his, drawing her up beside him.
She was excited beyond her wildest dreams. What was happening to her? Why was this happening to her? Why did he make her feel this way?
She should withdraw her hand, but she didn’t want to, and then Harry intruded on her thoughts.
“By Jupiter, we are blessed gentlemen, are we not? I say, here we have angels of beauty.”
Henrietta received this with a soft smile and downcast lashes, sweetly just as she ought, Kitty thought to herself as she laughed and answered him, “Pray, Harry, you are outrageous. What is all this jack-pudding flattery?”
“No, don’t stop him,” Ree bantered at once. “It is so very well done.”
Harry moved closer to her, and their eyes locked in a gaze that actually held Kitty captive. They were perfect together. Did they see that? Did they know it? She hoped so.
