Their last shop was the jewelry store. The salesman showed her many pairs of necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. She carefully chose ones that would match her new dresses.
“There is another necklace, which I believe you would like,” the man said. He produced a box from under the counter and opened it up. Inside, nestled in a bed of satin, was a necklace encrusted with blue diamonds.
Joanna’s breath caught as she looked at it. “It’s beautiful,” she said. As if she were transfixed, she reached out to touch one of the gems.
“This necklace is truly one of a kind,” the jeweler said. “These oval-cut blue diamonds range in size from half a carat to ten carats. They are held together with a strand of pure gold.”
Joanna blinked and pulled her hand back. “This is lovely. Truly. But I think it’s too much?—”
“You should put it on,” Evan interrupted. “I want to see it on you.”
She bit her lip and nodded. “I suppose there is no harm in trying it on.”
Evan took the necklace from the jeweler as Joanna positioned herself in front of the mirror. He stood close enough to her to inhale her perfume, which was a delightful mix of lavender and lilac.
He carefully draped the necklace around her neck. As he fastened the clasp into place, his fingers brushed against her soft, cool skin. Her breath hitched slightly from the touch, which sent a fresh wave of desire through him.
Joanna stared at her reflection, a slight smile on her face as she looked at the jewels, which sparkled in the light.
“We will take it,” Evan said.
She turned to look up at him, eyes wide. “No, really, I cannot?—”
“You like it, do you not?”
“Yes, of course I do.”
He smiled. “Then I want to see you wearing it at the ball. I think it would look absolutely stunning combined with your new gown.”
She blushed and nodded slowly. He unclasped the necklace for her, careful not to brush her skin again, for fear of truly losing his mind. He turned to the jeweler and handed the necklace back to him. “We will take the necklace.”
The man beamed. “Excellent, Your Grace.” He wrapped up their purchases for them, and they left the shop.
Once they were outside, Joanna turned to him. “Thank you,” she said. “For all of this. It’s truly amazing. I am sorry I cannot buy all of these for myself, and I promise you can have all of them back when this is over. It’s only fair.”
He didn’t like the idea of her returning the presents at the end of the Season. It left a bad taste in his mouth. So he simply smiled. “You don’t have to worry about that,” he said. “As long as I am courting you, you don’t have to worry about what things cost. Just if you enjoy them.”
She bit her lip, which was a nervous habit that was quickly becoming distracting for him. “But I should worry about them. It’s too much.”
“Is it really so bad that I want to dress you up in beautiful things?” Without realizing it, he moved closer to her. Her maid was busy arranging the packages with all of their purchases into his carriage, so she wasn’t paying attention. “I want the lady on my arm to look like a goddess. I think that’s a worthy investment. Don’t you?”
He leaned down, wondering how nice it would feel to kiss her soft, plump lips.
Let me kiss you, my dear. I think I will go mad if I don’t kiss you at least once before we must say goodbye forever.
CHAPTER 16
Athrill of excitement ran down Joanna’s spine as she noticed what he was about to do. She breathed in the musky scent of his cologne as his eyes half-closed and he focused his gaze on her lips. He reached up and brushed a strand of hair out of her face, his warm fingers barely touching her, but sending a thrill of excitement through her all the same. Her face felt warm, and for a moment, she thought about letting him kiss her. She wanted to know what it would feel like.
But at the last moment, she came to her senses and pushed him away as hard as she could. “Please, Your Grace,” she said, her voice slightly breathless. “The rules. You must remember them.” She would do well to remember them herself. She was already in danger of growing attached to him even without indulging in kisses.
He nodded, looking a little shaken up. He touched his fingers to his lips, as if they had actually kissed. “My apologies. I… forgot myself for a moment.”
“Those moments are few and far between for you, I suspect.”
“Yes. They only seem to happen around you. It’s quite vexing.” He looked at the waiting carriage. “Shall we? We should probably return you to your home. It is getting quite late.” The sky was beginning to darken, and she knew it was almost evening.
She nodded and allowed him to help her into the carriage by holding out his hand for her. His hand felt warm and strong under hers, and his thumb brushed over the back of her fingers. She desperately wished she were not wearing gloves so she could feel his fingers on her bare skin. After she was settled in the carriage, she took a deep breath to calm herself as the duke got into the carriage himself.
