Henley frowned.“Dancing?”He glanced around them.“That would certainly look odd—and likely start talk.But if you insist.”He halted his footwork and stepped back slightly.
“No!”she answered, then lowered her tone.“No, keep dancing.I didn’t mean…” She gave a deep sigh.
He couldn’t help but chuckle at her exasperated expression.
“Communication isn’t your forte tonight.And I find that interesting.”
She didn’t hold back her glare.“I’m trying.You’re making it exceedingly difficult.”
“And here I thought I was being amenable and accommodating.”He hitched a shoulder.“You were telling me to stop… clearly, I misunderstood what to stop, so would you please clarify?”
“Doing what you were doing,” she answered after a moment.
“Dancing?”He blinked.
He was certain he actually did understand what she meant, but this was too much fun.
“No, not dancing.What is your obsession with ending the dance?I thought you requested this one?”she said, then plastered on a smile as if trying to appear composed.
“You’re not fooling anyone with that smile.Your eyes are angry,” he whispered.
“Because Iamangry,” she bit out through clenched teeth.
“I’d like to know why, so I can make amends.I do not wish for your anger to be directed at me.”
“Then…” She stopped, collected her thoughts, then nodded.“Did you or did you not nearly come to blows with your brother today?”she asked with clarity.
“Ah, that.I dodged out of the way.Thank you for your concern, but Edwin was never a good aim.He was also…” He paused.“Never mind.I avoided the situation and left—thus why I arrived first.”He shrugged.
She blinked, then the most adorable wrinkle formed in her brow.“You didn’t try to hit him?”
“Why would I?Lady Anna, I’ve been clear from the beginning.I’m quite sure my actions have spoken louder than my words.And while I am more prone to take action rather than mince words, I do not engage in fisticuffs for anything but sport—and even that is rare.A fact that is now a secret only you know, and I trust you to keep it.Because of my actions last year and their consequences, I am remarkably cautious about what I do with my fists, and I can promise you this—” He leaned in, momentarily distracted by the scent of lavender clinging to the air around her.“If Ihadcome to blows with my brother, you’d certainly see the evidence of it.”He met her eyes, darting between them before letting his gaze linger on her lips.
“I…” She paused, then licked her lips, her pink tongue darting out before she glanced away.Her shoulders rose and fell with a deep breath.“I never said you hit him.Just that you thought of it.”
He gave a soft laugh.“Lady Anna, there’s rarely a day that goes by that Idon’twant to lay my brother out—but that only proves my self-control, since I haven’t.”
At this, she frowned once more.“So, now I have the discerning job of figuring out which one of you is telling the truth.”She shook her head.“I never expected a season to be so complicated.”
“Life is rarely simple, Lady Anna.But in that is the glory—the beauty.”He smiled.“You are not simple.You’re complex, layered, nuanced—a billion secrets waiting to be uncovered.”Henley glanced down, then back up to meet her eyes.“You’re complicated, but what a glorious puzzle.”
“I believe that was a compliment.”She narrowed her eyes.
“It was indeed.Far more charming than just saying you look lovely in green.”He intentionally kept eye contact, letting her know he already had her gown’s color memorized.
She met his gaze, then lifted her chin.“I’ll give you that.You’re correct—itisrather insulting when someone merely notices the color of your gown, as if that’s the most intelligent thing they can say.”She gave a delicate shudder.“However, I cannot figure you out, Lord Allendale.”
“Now it’s my turn to wonder ifthat’sa compliment,” he flirted.
She gave a half-hearted grin.“I wonder the same.”
“Perhaps I should make myself clearer?”he asked, allowing his gaze to flick to her lips.
“You wouldn’t dare,” she whispered.
He tipped his chin.“Would or wouldn’t I?”he asked, curious what she’d say.
“You wouldn’t… I’d be ruined.”
