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They entered the carriage and made the short journey to the Prices’ home.
As they worked their way through the queue of partygoers, Natalie noticed that several men glanced her way, holding her in their sights as she passed, whispers following her.
Her mother leaned back from her place on Ethan’s arm. “Everyone has noticed the attention you are getting from two very influential men.”
She drew in a deep breath before leaning closer. Seize opportunity. “I know. Trust me to capitalize on it,” she whispered.
Her mother’s eyes widened and then she gave Natalie a glowing smile. Making their way into the ballroom, her mother drifted off to speak with her friends as Ethan tucked her hand into his arm. “Capitalize on my attention?” he said.
“That’s what I’m supposed to do, is it not?”
His jaw turned hard as granite. “Is that why you spend so much time with Kingsley?”
She turned to him, catching his gaze for a long look as she attempted to decide what to say. He was jealous of the other man, that much was clear. “Are you asking me if I care about him?”
Ethan leaned close. “I thought you were going to find a man to stave off your mother’s matchmaking attempts. Is that what Kingsley is? Your safe marriage bet?”
She nipped at her lip. “No. I’ve changed my mind.”
“Again?”
Discreetly, she bumped his hip with hers, pushing him away. “I got scared, as I am wont to do, and thought to just find some safe match to keep my mother from tying me to a complete toad. But I’ve decided that with as much as I risk with you, I might was well try for it all.”
“All?”
She didn’t even dare use the L word in Ethan’s company. Would he see the raw want in her eyes if she did?
For some reason, Ethan wanted to hear the word on her lips.
Love.
He’d known that her entire journey with him had been about discovering the elusive emotion. If someone had asked him a month ago, he’d have likely told them the feeling didn’t exist.
He’d never been loved himself. Not by his father or mother that he knew of. Perhaps they had, but he’d been too young to remember. And he’d certainly not been loved by his uncle.
He’d watched the Smith brothers marry, each so protective of their new lady, one could only assume they’d fallen.
But he’d never expected to feel that way himself. Still, time away from Natalie had sharpened his thoughts and his feelings. She brought out the best in him, made him a better man.
And he brought out the parts of herself that she’d hidden away. He was watching her grow, strengthen, and that was glorious. Warmth filled his chest, making him ache. He wanted to pull her close, tuck her against him, but instead he moved closer to her ear. “You’re looking for what, Natalie? Tell me. If you can’t say it, how can you grasp it?”
Her cheeks flushed and she turned her face away. “I think it’s best we leave what I want alone.”
“Why?”
“Because,” she huffed, her mouth pressing into a firm line. “I only need to know what it is you require from me, and you only need to know—”
“What if I want to know more?” He was pushing into new territory past their bargain and into a real relationship. But he couldn’t stop the words and he didn’t even know if he wished to.
Her gaze snapped back to his. “Ethan.” His name fell from her lips like a plea.
“Yes, love?” Rather than encourage him to stop, his name on her lips only made him shift closer, partially blocking her from the crowd.
“Don’t tease me,” she said, her brow slashing down into a hard line.
“I would never.”
“Yes, you would,” she said. “You’ve been teasing me since you first met me.”
