A Timeless Romance Anthology: All Regency Collection by Anna Elliott & Sarah M. Eden & Carla Kelly & Josi S. Kilpack & Annette Lyon & Heather B. Moore

Author:Anna Elliott & Sarah M. Eden & Carla Kelly & Josi S. Kilpack & Annette Lyon & Heather B. Moore [Anna Elliott & Sarah M. Eden & Carla Kelly & Josi S. Kilpack & Annette Lyon & Heather B. Moore]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mirror Press
Published: 2015-01-03T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Two

Rossen Martin was mesmerized by the fire that lit Reggie’s striking blue eyes— eyes he had dreamed about for so long. Her passion was something he had loved in her when they were young and glad to say had not been extinguished in the intervening years. He moved toward her, aching to hold her in his arms again, to touch her skin, which still looked soft and youthful— she had not spent the better part of fifteen years on a ship or a battlefield, as he had. She took a step back from him, and tightened her jaw even more.

“Reggie,” he said, almost laughing her name as something akin to giddiness overtook him. He had been in Himley only a few days before learning about the ball and devising his plan to surprise her here, perhaps even lead her to a dance— in public, this time. “It is so good to see you.”

“Good to see me?” she repeated, dropping her hands to her hips, which only further defined her figure. She had grown from child to woman, and he could scarcely contain the feelings seeing her stirred within him. Her honey hair was piled on her head with a few soft curls to frame her face. She was an absolute vision except for her expression, which was hard as stone. “I have not seen you for fifteen years, Ross— Mr. Martin. And I have no desire to see you now.” She pointed to the door again. “Get out.”

Though Ross had preferred the fantasy of Reggie falling into his arms and professing her continued love for him, he had known he would have to explain himself at some point. “I realize we need to talk of all that’s happened, but can’t we, for the moment, simply enjoy being face to face again? It has been so long, yet seeing you makes it seem as though it was just yesterday that we made our promises to each other.”

Her nostrils flared, and her hands dropped from her hips as her shoulders came up. “It was not yesterday,” she said in clipped sharp words. “It was fifteen years ago.”

She advanced toward him, but he just smiled, entertaining the idea of her perhaps now falling into his arms— though her fire was quite invigorating to see. Her temper had been a trial for her parents, but never for him. It was yet one more thing he loved about her.

When she was within a foot of him, she raised both hands, but instead of falling into his embrace, she pushed against his chest— hard. Hard enough that he stumbled backward, catching his foot on the leg of a decorative table and causing a metal bowl of flowers to crash to the floor as he fumbled in an attempt to keep himself upright. No sooner had he caught his balance than she slammed her hands against his chest again, catching him unawares a second time, and sending him sprawling to the ground.

She was yelling, but in