He kept his gaze on her when she turned to face him. Those gray eyes hit him like a sledgehammer. He knew, without a doubt, she would be beautiful behind her mask.
“True, it is, but conformity is so boring,” was her lilting reply. “Besides, it’s my party, I should be able to choose what I wish to wear to it.”
“Ah, the birthday girl herself. Happy birthday then.”
“Thank you.”
he watched as she finished the champagne and when she reached to grab another from a passing waiter, he reached out and took her hand in his. “May I have this dance, milady? As the birthday girl, you shouldn’t be standing here all alone drinking champagne.”
Chapter 5
Kyleigh
The moment she turned to the man who’d approached her and looked into his green eyes she knew it was him. Lauchlan. She’d not seen him in eight years. He’d certainly filled out from the lanky boy he’d been the day he’d winked at her where she hid behind the bushes in the hollow.
The moment he touched her hand, she felt a connection to him. If asked she couldn’t have explained it, but she knew it was there.
“May I have this dance, milady? As the birthday girl, you shouldn’t be standing here all alone drinking champagne.”
Her heart soared at his request. “I would be delighted.”
She let him lead her to the area set aside for dancing. When he pulled her close, she rested her cheek against his shoulder and closed her eyes. She breathed in the scent of his cologne, and beneath it was something else—something that had heat pooling low in her body.
“This is nice. I’m very glad you came tonight,” she murmured.
“You know who I am?”
She could hear the surprise in his voice. “You’re Lauchlan. I’d recognize those eyes anywhere. I’ve not seen you in years. I’d assumed your family moved away.”
“No. My father sent me to boarding school and when I returned, I began helping him with our family’s business. It’s kept me very busy.”
“Well, I’m glad you took the time to come all the same.” She lifted her face from his chest so she could look him in the eye. She felt like she could happily get lost in his eyes.
“I’m going to kiss you.” His voice was gruff, husky.
“Please do,” she whispered.
Her eyes drifted closed when their lips touched and everyone around them disappeared. She felt him pull her closer to him, his arms tightened around her, and her own arms lifted to wrap around his neck.
“Shit, Lock, we gotta go!”
The voice next to them broke their kiss and Kyleigh stood there feeling dazed.
“What?”
“We gotta go! They figured out who we were and her father is on his way over right now.”
“Fuck. I’m sorry,. I have to go.”
She felt his fingers brush her cheek and then he was gone.
“KYLEIGH ELSPETH MACLELLAN!”
The rage in her father’s voice scared her as much as it puzzled her. he’d already seen her dress so what was he so angry about?
Before she could ask what was wrong, her father gripped her arm and all but dragged her away from the garden and her own party. She noticed her older brothers were following behind them.
“Father, you’re hurting me.” She tried, without success, to get through his anger but he ignored her. When they reached the study, and he let her go, she rubbed her arm where bruises were already forming.
