Citit - The Christmas Countess by Adrienne Basso

Author:Adrienne Basso [Basso, Adrienne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Charlotte sat at her dressing table and stared at herself in the mirror. Her evening gown was a cream-colored creation that brought out the rosy hue in her cheeks. The flattering neckline allowed her to showcase a single strand of perfectly matched pearls with a diamond clasp, a gift from her parents on her twenty-first birthday. Her hairstyle was a cascading mound of soft, dark curls accented with a single satin ribbon woven through the design.

Was it possible? She looked almost…pretty. She shut her eyes at the fanciful notion, then quickly opened them. Amazingly, the same attractive woman was still reflected in the mirror. Yet Charlotte did not believe this fleeting glimpse of beauty she found came from her outward appearance. It was not the result of a gown of a flattering shade, nor a hairstyle that was softer and more youthful.

The beauty came from within. It came, she was convinced, from the kiss she had shared this afternoon with Daniel Tremaine. Her first kiss. The most perfect kiss in the world.

It was still difficult to believe it had actually happened. ’Twas a moment void of reality, a dream, a secret longing come to life. For her, Daniel’s kiss was a perfect treasure, a memory that she could hold in her heart and cherish. A memory that she could revisit, a moment that she could relive, when the loneliness and emptiness in her life became too strong.

Charlotte sighed. Raising her hand she slowly skimmed her fingertips over her lips, remembering every sensation, every feeling. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined the delicious sensations that would claim her body, the emotional fullness that would embrace her heart when he held her close. When his lips claimed hers.

Daniel’s kiss had been the most wondrous event in her dull, staid life. It had been enchanting, intoxicating and far more spectacular than anything she had ever experienced. Or hoped to experience.

For one brief, enchanting moment, it felt as if anything were possible. For the first time in her life, Charlotte dared to believe that she could indeed achieve the secrets of her heart. She could somehow miraculously find the love she had always craved, but had long ago ceased dreaming she would be lucky enough to share.

Fluttering with a sudden dash of nerves, Charlotte cleared her throat. Too much thinking, too much wishing and too much hoping was dangerous. Her heart, so fragile and innocent, was vulnerable. It would take very little for it to shatter.

She shook her head sternly, telling herself that she had to be mistaken, had to be reading too much into the kiss. Leaning forward, Charlotte studied herself more closely in the mirror, then released another sigh of confusion. She saw nothing in her reflection that would inspire passion, nothing that would entice a man as handsome and accomplished as Daniel Tremaine to kiss her.

Charlotte made an impatient sound, annoyed with herself for being so fanciful and impractical. It was just a kiss! One of many for him, no doubt.

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