predated Connor. He only hoped she wouldn't mind his using the biggest social event of the year to accomplish his deed.
The thought of simply asking Alexandra to marry him had briefly crossed his mind. But her background and the walls she had thrown up between them in the last week made him realize he would be wasting his time. His proposal would only raise her suspicions, and he certainly didn't need the lady anymore skeptical than she was.
The plan had been set, the entrapment laid out, and now all he needed was his soontobe bride's cooperation. Somehow he had to get her alone. Preferably outside in the garden where they would be found. He had yet to determine how to accomplish his task. But once she was in his arms, if their lone kiss was any indication, nature would take its course.
She stood by a potted palm tree on the edge of the dance floor next to her aunt. Purposefully, he strode toward his prey, vowing she was not going to get away this time. For this woman to fall for his deception would require all his seductive prowess, but he had every confidence she would be his after tonight.
Her bluegreen gown shimmered in the glow from the lamps. The lace of her dress dipped to expose the creamy whiteness of her breasts, the cloth fitting snugly down to her small waist. The urge to run his hands down the satin fabric clinging to her curves curled his fists. Soon, very soon, he would have his fill and then some.
She turned as he approached, her lips turned up slightly. Heat pooled in his lower anatomy. The woman's smile had the ability to make his blood quicken faster than any of his previous paramours. Damn, but he could not remember a time he had been so enthralled with a woman. Not since Georgiana.
He bowed low over her hand, pressing his lips against her gloves. As he raised up slowly, her green eyes sparkled like emeralds, staring at him speculatively.
"Would you care to dance?" he asked, his eyes noting the diamonds that hung around her neck. Light reflected from the stones, drawing his gaze to her bosom. He longed to taste where the necklace lay.
She tilted her head and gazed at him a long moment before considering her answer, her aunt gently nudging her with her hand. Finally, Alexandra answered, "Yes, thank you."
Clasping her hand, he led her out onto the dance floor. Though he longed to pull her close and feel her trembling body against his, he knew she would not respond in kind, so he resisted.
She turned her head sideways and gave him a coquettish grin. "You seem perplexed tonight, Mr. Manning."
He smiled and nodded his head. What could he say? He was baffled that one kiss had made her more skittish than a newborn colt. She was mysterious and different from any woman he had ever experienced, and he wanted to know more of her. "If I seem that way, it's only because a certain young woman is leading me on a merry chase. A chase she seems to be enjoying."
Alexandra smiled, then clucked with her tongue. "Who would do such a thing to a gentleman like yourself? A gentleman known for his generosity of time and experience with the ladies."
His brows raised and he shrugged. "Most of which gossip has overblown to the point it is fiction, not fact, Mrs. Thurston."
Her smile disappeared. "Scandal can be deadly, can it not?"
"Yes. That's why I choose not to listen to idle prattle, except , of course, when it's about you."
"Most of which is fiction, not fact."
He threw back his head and laughed. "Using my own words against me. You're a mean woman, Mrs. Thurston."
"No. I am a practical woman." She took a deep breath. "And because I'm a practical woman, I must tell you that further association with you is not in my best interest."
Stunned, Connor managed to keep his feet moving without stepping all over her toes."Why? Are you afraid, Mrs. Thurston? Afraid of the feelings that one kiss evoked?"
She stiffened in his arms. "Of course not. Your kiss did not affect me in any way."
Connor remarked, "Forgive me for
The thought of simply asking Alexandra to marry him had briefly crossed his mind. But her background and the walls she had thrown up between them in the last week made him realize he would be wasting his time. His proposal would only raise her suspicions, and he certainly didn't need the lady anymore skeptical than she was.
The plan had been set, the entrapment laid out, and now all he needed was his soontobe bride's cooperation. Somehow he had to get her alone. Preferably outside in the garden where they would be found. He had yet to determine how to accomplish his task. But once she was in his arms, if their lone kiss was any indication, nature would take its course.
She stood by a potted palm tree on the edge of the dance floor next to her aunt. Purposefully, he strode toward his prey, vowing she was not going to get away this time. For this woman to fall for his deception would require all his seductive prowess, but he had every confidence she would be his after tonight.
Her bluegreen gown shimmered in the glow from the lamps. The lace of her dress dipped to expose the creamy whiteness of her breasts, the cloth fitting snugly down to her small waist. The urge to run his hands down the satin fabric clinging to her curves curled his fists. Soon, very soon, he would have his fill and then some.
She turned as he approached, her lips turned up slightly. Heat pooled in his lower anatomy. The woman's smile had the ability to make his blood quicken faster than any of his previous paramours. Damn, but he could not remember a time he had been so enthralled with a woman. Not since Georgiana.
He bowed low over her hand, pressing his lips against her gloves. As he raised up slowly, her green eyes sparkled like emeralds, staring at him speculatively.
"Would you care to dance?" he asked, his eyes noting the diamonds that hung around her neck. Light reflected from the stones, drawing his gaze to her bosom. He longed to taste where the necklace lay.
She tilted her head and gazed at him a long moment before considering her answer, her aunt gently nudging her with her hand. Finally, Alexandra answered, "Yes, thank you."
Clasping her hand, he led her out onto the dance floor. Though he longed to pull her close and feel her trembling body against his, he knew she would not respond in kind, so he resisted.
She turned her head sideways and gave him a coquettish grin. "You seem perplexed tonight, Mr. Manning."
He smiled and nodded his head. What could he say? He was baffled that one kiss had made her more skittish than a newborn colt. She was mysterious and different from any woman he had ever experienced, and he wanted to know more of her. "If I seem that way, it's only because a certain young woman is leading me on a merry chase. A chase she seems to be enjoying."
Alexandra smiled, then clucked with her tongue. "Who would do such a thing to a gentleman like yourself? A gentleman known for his generosity of time and experience with the ladies."
His brows raised and he shrugged. "Most of which gossip has overblown to the point it is fiction, not fact, Mrs. Thurston."
Her smile disappeared. "Scandal can be deadly, can it not?"
"Yes. That's why I choose not to listen to idle prattle, except , of course, when it's about you."
"Most of which is fiction, not fact."
He threw back his head and laughed. "Using my own words against me. You're a mean woman, Mrs. Thurston."
"No. I am a practical woman." She took a deep breath. "And because I'm a practical woman, I must tell you that further association with you is not in my best interest."
Stunned, Connor managed to keep his feet moving without stepping all over her toes."Why? Are you afraid, Mrs. Thurston? Afraid of the feelings that one kiss evoked?"
She stiffened in his arms. "Of course not. Your kiss did not affect me in any way."
Connor remarked, "Forgive me for
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