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Annalise smiled. Her father was against the match from the start. He had said Blake wasn’t the gentleman ladies married; he was the gentleman ladies had affairs with. Annalise’s mood turned sour. Her father wasn’t wrong about that. It wasn’t until she threatened elopement and her mother was having conniptions that the baron finally gave them his blessing.
“And he was right,” Blake continued. Annalise looked up at him, startled. One side of his mouth kicked up in a smile. “When I came to see you that day, my intentions weren’t exactly honorable. I was looking for a dalliance.”
“You never told me that.”
Blake shook his head. “It wasn’t worth mentioning. That day, when I intercepted you here with Norfolk… I was certain you wouldn’t join me. I just came here to make myself known, to make my interest apparent. But you hopped out of Norfolk’s carriage without a second’s thought.” Blake’s face lit up in a radiant smile. “By the time your toes hit the ground, I was irrevocably in love.”
Annalise’s heart made a tiny leap. He’d never told her that either.
“And there”—Blake pointed to the right—“is the place where I kissed you for the first time. Such a scandalous lady you are.” He tsked and smiled at her.
The same smile she remembered from before, his eyes twinkling with merriment, softening the hard edges of his face. He turned the barouche slightly out of the way of the traffic and halted the vehicle.
“Would you mind repeating the experience?” He turned to her and offered his hand.
Annalise looked at his upturned palm, and laughter bubbled out of her. “You must be jesting.”
“I am utterly serious.”
“Well, I am a respectable matron now. I cannot go around kissing gentlemen in the woods now, can I?” Annalise raised a brow at him, her cheeks heating, her heart fluttering in excitement. Oh, how long it’d been since she spent an afternoon flirting with a man.
“If you don’t go with me now, I shall kiss you right here. In front of everyone.” To put words to action, Blake scooted closer to her on the seat.
“Blake, no. People are watching!” Annalise laughed and swatted at him playfully.
Blake caught her hand and slowly brought it to his lips. “If you insist on being proper,” he said against her glove. “I shall have to act wicked for both of us.”
He kissed her knuckles, her wrist, then moved higher up her arm. A tingly sensation ran up and down her spine. Her heartbeat accelerated, and she had to clench her thighs for an unknown ticklish feeling settled low in her belly.
“Payne!” A loud male voice interrupted Annalise’s frantic thoughts.Thank God!
Blake raised his head, winked at Annalise, and turned to the intruder. His face immediately blanched, and he froze. Annalise craned her neck to see who had startled her husband so. The sun was against them, so the gentleman’s face appeared shadowed. He moved, and she finally saw that it was Viscount St. John, Blake’s friend. He stopped by the side of their barouche on horseback.
“Jarvis,” Blake finally pushed past his lips.
“Lovely to see you out and about. Excellent choice for your first public appearance. Well, second, if we count Kensington’s betrothal ball, which we shan’t.” He finally turned toward Annalise and bowed. “My Lady. Lovely to see you.”
“Pleasure is all mine, I assure you.” Annalise gave him a tight smile and returned her gaze to her husband.
Blake was acting strangely. St. John was one of his best friends, and yet he was stony and tense. Perhaps he was just annoyed that he’d interrupted their flirtations, but Annalise suspected there was something more to it.
Blake was just about to say something when another barouche stopped beside them. An elderly couple tipped their heads toward Blake. “Payne! Welcome back to London. Do tell us, where have you been hiding all this time?”
Blake briefly turned a regretful smile toward Annalise, and she just smiled in return. The rest of the afternoon would be spent in a similar vein: greeting strangers, recounting the same stories over again.
No more flirtatious gazes, no more kisses.
Annalise was glad for the interruption. She told herself that even as her stomach dropped in disappointment.
