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He wasn’t the handsomest man, but he was pleasant to look at. And as her mother made the introductions, they had a perfunctory conversation, before she found herself being pulled onto the dance floor.
They danced, talking little, though his gaze was steadfastly on hers as he spun her about. She never lacked for words to say with Ethan and even though Kingsley seemed nice enough, she found her tongue tied as she looked up at him. The words just wouldn’t come.
“That dress is a beautiful color on you,” Kingsley murmured, clearing his throat as his gaze traveled down her again.
“Thank you,” she replied, appreciating the compliment but not sure what else to say. Searching about, she finally murmured, “It’s nice to be dancing by the doors where the air is cooler.” But hearing her own words out loud made her cringe. The weather? That’s what she wished to discuss?
“It is,” he said. “You dance beautifully.”
“Thank you,” she said again, wondering if she ought to compliment him back. What might she say? Your neck cloth is well tied? Your height is admirable? They were the only words that came to mind. She didn’t find him particularly handsome or interesting. He didn’t make her happy, or angry, or irritated. Not like someone else she knew…
Natalie understood all the reasons Ethan was the wrong choice, but his company was always interesting. Thrilling even.
Lord Kingsley was not that.
He was not a man that she might fall in love with, she knew that. But as she glanced about the crowd, searching for something to say, her eyes met the blazing gaze of Ethan. He stood with his arms crossed, his feet wide as he watched them dance, his body looking as though it were made of stone.
A little thrill ran down her spine to see him this way. Was he jealous? He looked angry, at least.
She glanced up through her lashes at Kingsley. “I’m happy to dance with you as well, my lord.”
The man gave her a beaming smile, his shoulders growing straighter as he swung her about with extra flourish.
A quick glance at Ethan revealed that his jaw appeared hard enough to cut stone and his eyes blazed. He was jealous.
It gave her no small measure of satisfaction to see him like this. She batted her eyes at Kingsley and he pulled her closer still.
His proximity did not send thrills of excitement down her body, nor did her breath catch, and her pulse was decidedly not racing. Still, he seemed nice enough and she ought to at least get to know him.
Her mother would approve wholeheartedly, and he was neither fat nor old, he didn’t smell, and his company was not offensive. But some part of her still cried for more. She looked back at Ethan, his gaze fixed upon them.
The dance ended and she let out a long breath. “Thank you, my lord. That was very pleasant.”
“I agree,” he answered, seeming to drink her in. “Perhaps later—”
“Excuse me,” Ethan rumbled from her left, “but the next dance is mine.”
That’s when her heart began to thump wildly in her chest. She looked over at him, trying not to notice how handsome he was, or remember how good he felt. “Thank you again, Lord Kingsley.”
“The pleasure was mine.” And then he took her hand and placed it in Ethan’s.
Jealousy stabbed through him like a hot knife. The plan was wrong…
He could see that. Teaching her small misdeeds, that was one thing. But helping her to court other men? No self-respecting rake would ever complete such a task. He was a man, after all, even if he was a derelict one, and he did not help women find other men, especially beautiful ones. No. What rakes did was take beautiful women for themselves.
He knew all the ways his logic was faulty. Taking Natalie in any form could mean marriage. Hell, what he’d done with that stunt in the library would see him in the marriage noose if anyone found out.
But his pride would not allow him to watch other men court her.
Which was why, after a single turn about the ballroom, he maneuvered them toward the one set of open doors that led to the patio beyond. He took advantage of the open doors meant to cool the room, which had grown hot even in January thanks to the large crowd.
Slipping outside, he quickly pulled Natalie into the shadows. It was a maneuver he was remarkably adept at.
“What are you doing?” she gasped.
“Isn’t this the plan? Misdeeds?”
She shook her head. “We’ve completed that part of the evening. I thought—”
