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And then he had another thought—was she a redhead everywhere? His cock, already stiff, swelled at the thought.
When had he become so infatuated with her red hair?
“Where are we going?” she asked, her tongue darting out to lick her lips. He loved that little tic she had, and he watched her tongue wet her lips.
“You’re the keeper of the list. I’m just here to lend my aid.”
“Lord Somersworth?”
The voice came from in front of him and as he lifted his head, he noted Natalie’s mother waving at him.
“Drat,” Natalie hissed. “If she finds me, we’ll be stuck at her side for hours.”
Ethan spun, facing the viscountess and blocking Natalie. “Quick,” he said out of the side of his mouth. “Duck behind the fern.”
She only paused a moment and he watched her out of the corner of his eye as she crouched down to slide behind a group of ferns, the fronds mostly blocking her. Her green dress aided her cause, but he shifted to further block her from view. “Viscountess, how wonderful.”
She gave him a glowing smile. “You’re looking well, my lord,” she said, grasping both his hands in hers. She was a beautiful older woman, dark-haired, but her features and Natalie’s were very similar. Natalie would age well. Her mother was evidence of that fact.
“As are you, my lady.” He lifted one of her hands to his lips, kissing her gloved fingers.
“Always the charmer,” she said with a smile. “I know my daughter is enamored by you as well.”
He cocked a brow at that. Natalie was the least charmed by him of any woman he’d met in some time. He thought that fact to her credit. “On the contrary, your daughter seems determined to avoid my suit.”
“Pish,” the viscountess said with an eyeroll. “She only knows that a man like you prefers a challenge.”
“Too true.” He did like the challenge she presented. But also, he liked her innocence, her straightforward nature.
“Speaking of my daughter, have you seen her? I lost her in the crowd.”
“Alas, I have not.” He shifted again to keep the ferns from view. “But I’m on the lookout and should I find her…”
“Thank you,” the viscountess said before making her goodbyes, moving on to finish her search.
When she’d disappeared into the crowd, he turned to the plants. “You can come out.”
Natalie emerged, the color high in her cheeks as she gave him a saucy smile. “That was fun.”
He rumbled out a laugh and linked her hand into his arm. “Saucy minx.”
“We both know I’m not.”
He cocked a brow. “Your mother thinks you’re playing hard to get because you know I like a challenge.”
“I’m not playing anything,” she huffed, her cheeks growing even brighter as irritation colored them.
He stopped. “I know that. It’s one of the things I like about you.”
Her brows lifted. “You like that?”
“I do. Just as I like how only I seem to get to see your salty side. Makes a man feel special.”
Her fingers softened on his arm, her body moving closer. “It does?”
“Most certainly.” He meant the words far more than he ought.
“In that case, I’d like to escape the crowd for a moment. Any ideas?”
