what he wanted to do. Her mouth was enough to distract anyone with two eyes. It was held in a tight little pout, which just begged to be opened.
He shook the thoughts from his head and abruptly turned away. Thoughts like that had no place in his mind right now. He needed to be concentrating on work, his impending marriage, anything rather than the beautiful creature dancing with him. She would be nothing but trouble anyway. Newberrys were notorious for their opinionated family members, and from meeting her, he could tell she was already forming many opinions of her own about him and the rest of London.
And who hates London, of all places? Of course, he hadn’t actually helped the situation much, since he verbally ostracized her for ordering coffee instead of tea, but he couldn’t help himself. She was so cocky and ignorant.
He twirled her around once more and kissed her hand. “Until we meet again, America,” he said while bowing deeply in front of her.
Kessen’s chest was rising and falling as if she had just run a marathon. He knew she wasn’t out of shape. One could tell she worked out on a daily basis with the way her dress was hugging her. No, she was furious—at him. If he didn’t fix this, she was going to make a fool of herself in front of everyone, and her grandmother would suffer the consequences.
He suppressed a smirk before grabbing her hand and tucking it again into his own. “How about another walk?”
“I’d rather not.”
“I’m not giving you a choice.”
“There’s a shock,” she grumbled, yet followed him outside to the gardens again.
“Not that I’m one for scolding,” he volunteered. “I feel the need to remind you that you have a reputation to uphold as a Newberry. Your grandmother is exceedingly proud of you, though I can’t see the many reasons why. You should try to conceal your emotions better. You Americans have always struggled with wearing your hearts on your sleeves.”
She rolled her eyes. “Funny. According to you, I don’t have a heart.” Her head tilted to the side, adding to the sarcasm, but also making her neck look like the most graceful thing Christian had seen in years. Her skin was just the right amount of tan against the moon. He found himself holding his hand back so he wouldn’t reach out to touch her skin.
He turned around again and swallowed, regaining his lost composure. “My opinion doesn’t matter.”
“Finally something we agree on,” she interjected.
He sighed.
She laughed.
And then he touched her.
He shouldn’t have; he knew it was a bad idea, but he had forgotten his place, and she had stepped directly in front of him. Did she think he was made of steel? He was a red-blooded male after all, and what normal man wouldn’t take this opportunity?
****
He was touching her. Why was he touching her? Worse, why did she like it? His hands no longer had gloves on them as they reached around her neck and stilled. It was as if he were trying to see how big her neck was, which was not romantic at all, except for the fact his eyes were dark as the night sky when he looked into hers. The heat from his hands sent waves of pleasure all the way down to her toes.
She inwardly cursed, for her mind and body had betrayed her. She tried to pull away, but found her legs wouldn’t respond to the message her brain was relaying to them. Instead, she waited for him to say something, but he seemed frozen in place, as if their very touch froze a moment in time for only the two of them to enjoy.
She jumped when she heard a rustling in the bushes. A small white bunny hopped a few feet away, breaking the spell and making her realize how stupid she had been. Hook, line, and sinker, she fell for his trick. His touch nearly undid her. Her head whipped back to his, and before she had time to think about it, her hand met his cheek with passionate intensity.
“What’s wrong with you? You can’t just go about trying to seduce people in gardens! It’s
He shook the thoughts from his head and abruptly turned away. Thoughts like that had no place in his mind right now. He needed to be concentrating on work, his impending marriage, anything rather than the beautiful creature dancing with him. She would be nothing but trouble anyway. Newberrys were notorious for their opinionated family members, and from meeting her, he could tell she was already forming many opinions of her own about him and the rest of London.
And who hates London, of all places? Of course, he hadn’t actually helped the situation much, since he verbally ostracized her for ordering coffee instead of tea, but he couldn’t help himself. She was so cocky and ignorant.
He twirled her around once more and kissed her hand. “Until we meet again, America,” he said while bowing deeply in front of her.
Kessen’s chest was rising and falling as if she had just run a marathon. He knew she wasn’t out of shape. One could tell she worked out on a daily basis with the way her dress was hugging her. No, she was furious—at him. If he didn’t fix this, she was going to make a fool of herself in front of everyone, and her grandmother would suffer the consequences.
He suppressed a smirk before grabbing her hand and tucking it again into his own. “How about another walk?”
“I’d rather not.”
“I’m not giving you a choice.”
“There’s a shock,” she grumbled, yet followed him outside to the gardens again.
“Not that I’m one for scolding,” he volunteered. “I feel the need to remind you that you have a reputation to uphold as a Newberry. Your grandmother is exceedingly proud of you, though I can’t see the many reasons why. You should try to conceal your emotions better. You Americans have always struggled with wearing your hearts on your sleeves.”
She rolled her eyes. “Funny. According to you, I don’t have a heart.” Her head tilted to the side, adding to the sarcasm, but also making her neck look like the most graceful thing Christian had seen in years. Her skin was just the right amount of tan against the moon. He found himself holding his hand back so he wouldn’t reach out to touch her skin.
He turned around again and swallowed, regaining his lost composure. “My opinion doesn’t matter.”
“Finally something we agree on,” she interjected.
He sighed.
She laughed.
And then he touched her.
He shouldn’t have; he knew it was a bad idea, but he had forgotten his place, and she had stepped directly in front of him. Did she think he was made of steel? He was a red-blooded male after all, and what normal man wouldn’t take this opportunity?
****
He was touching her. Why was he touching her? Worse, why did she like it? His hands no longer had gloves on them as they reached around her neck and stilled. It was as if he were trying to see how big her neck was, which was not romantic at all, except for the fact his eyes were dark as the night sky when he looked into hers. The heat from his hands sent waves of pleasure all the way down to her toes.
She inwardly cursed, for her mind and body had betrayed her. She tried to pull away, but found her legs wouldn’t respond to the message her brain was relaying to them. Instead, she waited for him to say something, but he seemed frozen in place, as if their very touch froze a moment in time for only the two of them to enjoy.
She jumped when she heard a rustling in the bushes. A small white bunny hopped a few feet away, breaking the spell and making her realize how stupid she had been. Hook, line, and sinker, she fell for his trick. His touch nearly undid her. Her head whipped back to his, and before she had time to think about it, her hand met his cheek with passionate intensity.
“What’s wrong with you? You can’t just go about trying to seduce people in gardens! It’s
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