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Luke shrugged. “Yes, but then I found Haversham and there was no reasonreally.”
Juliet laughed. “Once a rake…” But then she noticed something across the room and said, “Oh, look! Felicity and Fin havearrived.”
A bit of irritation flashed in Marc’s eyes at that, but he said nothing. Luke must have noticed it too because he said, “As long as you don’t waltz with his wife, I’m sure he won’t knock you to the groundagain.”
“You are far from amusing,” Marc grumbled. Then he seemed to shake the darkness from his thoughts and his attention returned to Caroline. “Not that it matters. There’s only one lady I intend to waltz with tonight.” Then he offered herhishand.
Caroline bit back a smile even as she slid her hand into his. A delicious set of tingles raced across her skin, and her core pulsed at the contact. “They’re not playing a waltz, Marc.” And they weren’t. A lively reel was taking place in the middle of the room at the moment, and they were undoubtedly too late tojoinit.
“No.” He agreed with a shake of his head. “Though I am certain we are quite capable of entertaining ourselves until they do.” Then he glanced back over his shoulder at Luke. “Should you feel like crashingyourfist into Carraway’s face in the meantime, however, I would thoroughly enjoywatchingthat.”
“Youknowhe’s my brother-in-law,” Lukereturned.
“Indeed. He’ll never see itcoming.”
Luke laughed at that. “Any idea the kind of strife that would cause ‘round the dinnertable?”
“Familial entanglements I’ve been fortunate enough to avoid.” Then he slid Caroline’s hand to the crook of his arm and led her away from her brother and sister-in-law to stroll the perimeter of theballroom.
“Must you cause discourse wherever you go?” she asked when it was just the twoofthem.
“I’ve been told it’s part of my charm.” Then he grinned down at her. “You are lovely this evening, my dear, asalways.”
Caroline’s belly fluttered. “Andyouare trouble, asalways.”
“Well,” he began dryly, “when you find something you’regoodat…”
And then she did laugh. “Honestly, I have no idea what to do withyou,Marc.”
“No?” He frowned slightly. “Well, I could certainly provide you with a list. Though, I would suggest you start with kissing me. In a veryfriendlyway, of course. I know where you stand on thematter.”
“What about in anotso friendly way?” Caroline asked, feeling a bit emboldened all of asudden.
Marc’s step faltered and he looked down at her as though she was a foreign species he hadn’t encountered before. “I beg yourpardon?”
Caroline bit her bottom lip as her newfound bravery began to dissolve slightly. Was she really going to act on Juliet’s suggestions? She wanted to. The pulsing in her core told her very firmly that she wanted to, but she’d never done anything like this before. How did one go about propositioning a dangerous and notorious rake? She was completely out of her element. She shook her head and with it the course of their conversation. “Were you and Luke discussing me? I thought I heard my name overthedin.”
Marc resumed his pace and said matter-of-factly. “Indeed,wewere.”
But then he said nothing else, so Caroline asked, “Is that all you meantosay?”
“What exactly would you like for me to say?” He towed her closer to him so Lord Ambelcotte could pass them by from the oppositedirection.
Talking with him was often a chore. He knew exactly what she wanted to know, and he was just being stubborn. Again. “Well, I’d like to know what you were sayingaboutme.”
There was a wicked twinkle in his light eyes as he said, “AndIshould like to pull each of those little roses from your hair until it’s completely unbound about your shoulders. And then I think I should like to unbutton the back of your very pretty dress until the whole thing pools at your feet.Andthen—”
“You are exasperating.” Heavens, it was hot in here all of asudden.
“And you are tempting me beyond all reason in that dress.” A genuine smile spread across his face. “Now what was it you meant about a not so friendly kiss, Caroline? I am finding it quite difficult to focus onanythingelse.”
Well, shehadopened that door. So she mustered up her courage a bit. What was the most shocking thing she could say? Something to level the field between them as he always said something so shocking she couldn’t think straight. “I’ve decided that you’reright,Marc.”
“About whatexactly?”
She tipped back her head to meet his gaze straight on. “Well, itishardly fair that I’ve seen you without a stitch, but you haven’tseenme.”
Apparently, that was shocking enough. Marc’s blue eyes rounded in complete surprise. And that was quite a heady experience as she’d never seen that exact expression on his face before. Caroline quiteenjoyedit.
