“And who encouraged me to reconnect with who I am?” she teased.
Gabriel merely nodded in concession and followed her deep into the gardens. He was more than surprised when she led him to the lake and paused on the bank.
She turned to face him, placing one hand on his shoulder and keeping the other in his.
“Sibyl?” he prompted.
“Do you recall our first dance at the Livingston ball?”
“I recall that ball well.” He raised an eyebrow. “I pleasured you in their?—”
“Yes,” she said quickly, her flush visible even in the scant light.
Gabriel’s thoughts drifted once again.
I am falling for my wife. I am seeing her as the beautiful woman she is, both inside and out.
“Yes, you did, and you changed my world forever. But before that, our first dance was…”
It was clear she was struggling to describe it properly, so Gabriel offered, “Awkward? Stiff?”
“Both.” Sibyl laughed. “I remember being too scared to get close to you, not knowing where to place my hands without crossing the boundaries. But… I would like to have our second first dance.”
“That does not make sense.”
“It makes perfect sense. Now, hold my waist.”
“Ah, soyouare giving the commands now?” He smirked at her.
Sibyl smirked back. “Yes. I am the Duchess of Stonehelm, and I will use my authority to demand that you immediately put your hand on my waist.”
Gabriel did, a little aroused by her commanding tone, even if he was the one who loved to take control. He liked her boldness; he enjoyed knowing that he was bringing it out in her.
“Have you always been this bold?”
Sibyl laughed softly. “No. But you… You have changed me, Gabriel.”
Gabriel wanted to tell her,You have changed me too,but he didn’t get a chance, not when she nodded at him and led them into the first steps. His stomach fluttered.
“Tell me something I do not know about you,” Sibyl demanded as their feet moved across the grass. “Wait?—”
She paused, surprising him again when she slipped off her shoes and impatiently gestured for him to do the same.
“Sibyl—”
“Just… please?”
It was the softness of her voice, devoid of the boldness from earlier. This was a plea, something that came from a place Gabriel hadn’t seen enough.
“I am a lady who has grown from a girl who buried herself in the cheesiest romance novels,” Sibyl told him quietly, as if she knew he was questioning their presence there. “And I would like to dance with my husband beneath the moonlight on the bank of this lake, barefoot and honest. Will you help me have that?”
“I will give you anything you want.”
“Then dance with me, Gabriel,” she murmured.
Once again, they began to dance.
This time was not like the last. Last time was like playing the pianoforte out of tune: the chords were known, but they were clunky, yet still played through the motions. This… this was a sweeping melody, swift and practiced without even trying.
