Merely a Miss by Catherine Gayle

Author:Catherine Gayle [Gayle, Catherine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Romance
Publisher: Catherine Gayle
Published: 2016-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

“You waltz very well, Your Grace.” Jane’s heart beat a frantic pace as they traversed the ballroom. Between the music and the proximity of him, she had somehow lost control over her body’s reactions.

“Peter,” he said quietly. That odd look was back in his eyes—the look he’d been giving her since the concert a few evenings before. “Call me Peter.”

“All right. You waltz very well, Peter. It surprises me a bit since it is rather a new dance, and your sisters tell me you haven’t been to many balls in recent years.”

Everything between them had been odd since that night, in fact. He had kept his promise—or had it been a threat?—of staying close to her. But the animosity between them had settled, at least for the most part.

Instead, a new tension existed. No—she had better be out with the truth of it. She was only lying to herself. This tension wasn’t new. Far from it, in fact. It had been there since the very first ball of the Season. Ever since he had kissed her in the gardens.

Only now, it had intensified.

When they were in each other’s presence, heat radiated between them and threatened to burn her at the core. She had the simultaneous desires in his presence to run as far from him as possible and to get as near as possible. The two ideas constantly warred with each other to dominate.

Right this moment, in fact, this tension took on new proportions. There was something about their nearness as they waltzed, with his arm about her waist and his hand holding her hand—with their bodies brushing against each other, his hard planes and angles firm against her softer, smoother curves.

It was a miracle she could breathe.

Then he laughed at her with his eyes. That joy in his eyes was such a lovely change from the hard, cold look they so often held when he looked upon her.

But, oh dear, she must have been woolgathering. Drat, why could she not keep her head about her when she was with him?

“I apologize. What did you say?” Heat rose in Jane’s face, and she had absolutely no means to stop it. “I was woolgathering, I suppose.”

“I can see that.” He grinned, a wolfish, amused sort of grin with a sparkle in his eye. “I said that my sisters are correct. Since Mary passed, I have rarely gone to balls other than when Mama has dragged me. Until this Season, that is.”

“Mary was your wife? Sarah and Joshua’s mother?” Such a very sad thing for those children to lose their mother while they were still so young. Jane had grown quite fond of them in her time in London—Sarah, in particular. The little girl was a treasure.

“Yes. She was my duchess.” Peter’s eyes lost their laughter, and she longed for it to return.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.” Even his arms had tightened about her a little. “You must have loved her very much.”

His eyes became vacant, a bit distant.

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