One Naughty Night by Laurel McKee

Author:Laurel McKee
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Historcal romance
ISBN: 9781455505470
Publisher: www.dpgroup/forum/
Published: 2012-05-21T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Lily surveyed the main salon of the Devil’s Fancy from the doorway of the dining room. It was the perfect scene, a sea of feathered and jeweled masks that flowed through the amber-lit rooms on a cloud of bright laughter and fashionable clothes.

A masked ball was a fine idea, a way to bring in potential new members with the promise of mystery and secret delights. And Dominic was always a master at setting a scene, even offstage. Lily examined the tapestries of red and amber that fluttered over the walls, the red silk drapes on the card tables, the faint, shimmering clouds of incense that perfumed the air. It looked like an exotic, expensive underworld.

But the smoke and the swirl of masks made her feel dizzy. She hadn’t been sleeping well since the night she brought James home. Waiting for word from Aidan or for fresh threats from Tom. Trying to appear normal and cheerful for her family. It was all taking a toll on her.

Planning this party had helped. She threw herself into the preparations, ordering rare delicacies and exotic flowers and sending out the invitations. And now it all looked perfect.

She twisted the ebony handle of her fan between her hands as she watched the crowd. Dominic played cards with a mystery lady, a woman in black satin and lace that matched her sleekly coiled black hair. She leaned close to him, laughing as she studied the cards in her hand, and Dominic watched her with a small frown on his face as if he were bemused by her. Dominic was never bemused by a woman; he was always so firmly in control.

Lily almost smiled. It served her brother right to have a woman turn him around for once. He had been a growling bear ever since that day in the park when they saw Aidan. She wondered who the lady was.

Lily turned and made her way back into the dining room to make sure there was still plenty of lobster patties and pâté left. She plucked a shimmering red strawberry from the cornucopia of hothouse fruit and took a nibble of it. Sweet juice flowed over her tongue, and she smiled at its summery taste. She had almost forgotten what such simple little pleasures felt like.

“You look beautiful tonight,” a man whispered darkly in her ear.

She whirled around and found herself staring up into Aidan’s eyes behind a black silk mask. He didn’t smile, but his eyes were a bright, merry blue. He reached for her hand and slowly tasted the strawberry on her fingertips, left bare by her lace mitts. She went very still at the touch of his lips.

“Thank you,” she said.

“How have you been?” he asked. He let go of her hand to lightly trace her lace-trimmed sleeve over her shoulder.

“Well enough. James has gone off to the seaside for a few days with my mother and Isabel, so that is one less worry.”

Aidan nodded. “He’s young. Hopefully he’s learned his lesson.”

Lily stared up at him, studying the hard-set line of his jaw and the sensual curve of his lower lip.

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