Blast.Her face heated as if she was standing directly in front of a fireplace. Why did he have to say such things and make her feel so… so…
Alive.
She spun and narrowed her gaze on him. “You need to cease this ridiculous play, my lord.”
He headed toward her. “I didn’t realize my pursuit was just a game to you.”
“Not to me,” she corrected. “If I thought you were sincere, I might be more inclined to encourage your suit, but after the spectacle I just witnessed, I know this is nothing more than a game toyou.”
He stilled. “What are you referring to?”
She stared at him. “You can actually stand there and claim innocence when it was quite obvious that you were deliberately baiting Lord Everly by your absurd display of manly pride.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw and he took another step closer to her until they were only a hair’s breadth away from one another. “Be careful, Miss Hargrove, when it comes to accusing me of something that might be misconstrued.”
“Am I wrong?” she challenged. “I thought it was quite apparent that you were doing your best to prove something to the rest of the world. Unfortunately, if you were trying to ensure the rest of the assemblage that you were the better man, you were sadly lacking.”
He smiled slowly, dangerously. “Is that so?” he murmured. He reached out and grasped her upper arms. “Did you ever think, Miss Hargrove, that I was merely trying to curryyourfavor and no one else?”
Dulcenia inhaled sharply. “Don’t say such things!”
“Why not? When they are true.”
He lowered his head and she ceased breathing. Her eyes closed, anticipating the moment his lips touched hers, but when they didn’t fully descend, her lids fluttered back open. He was staring intently at her. “Ask me.”
“Wh... what?”
The gleam in his blue eyes was pure deviltry. “Ask me to kiss you.”
While Dulcenia might have yearned for it, craved it even, she was not about to debase herself. “No,” she stated firmly.
He ran the tip of his tongue along his bottom lip and her focus was riveted on the motion. “Are you quite sure?” he taunted further. “All you have to do is say… ‘kiss me,’ and I am yours.”
The temptation to give in to his demands was so strong that Dulcenia nearly opened her mouth and allowed the words to flow freely. Instead, she used all of her will power to step back out of his embrace. “I told you already, my lord, that I don’t play games. Good day.”
She swept out of the stables.
Chapter Six
Dulcenia was grateful when the seating arrangements were altered that evening for dinner. While Lord Dalhousie was seated across from her, still entirely too close for her peace of mind, Lord Everly had been placed beside her. The duchess had come to her chamber just before she was due to head downstairs to the parlor and wanted to ensure that the change would be acceptable to her.
“Of course, Your Grace,” Dulcenia had said without hesitation.
The duchess had taken her hand. “I appreciate your kindness in this situation. While we are overjoyed that Lord Everly accepted our invitation, I knew he might feel a bit out of sorts with so many people he didn’t know.” She smiled gently. “He’s a bit of a recluse, you see, but since he spoke so fondly of you this afternoon, it was the perfect solution to ease his entrée for the rest of the guests.”
Dulcenia had been surprised at that news. “But we only played a simple game of battledore.”
The duchess had smiled once again. “Lord Everly doesn’t speak highly of many, and when he does, you may be assured that his respect has been earned.”
Dulcenia was still contemplating the duchess’ words when she walked into the parlor that evening. She spied Lord Dalhousie immediately, but when he would have moved from his position among a group of guests, she located Lord Everly and walked toward him instead. She definitely felt safer and more composed with the other man, and when he’d greeted her with a warm smile, she instantly relaxed. When it came time to retreat to the dining room, she also accepted his arm, ignoring the blistering way the marquess’ glare followed their departure.
Even now, when Dulcenia was conversing with Lord Everly and trying to be polite and pay attention to him, she could feel those blue eyes boring into her from across the table. It unnerved her to the point she had been forced to consume a full glass of wine and begin another.
“Lord Dalhousie doesn’t seem pleased at being usurped. I should hate to endure those daggers for the next sennight or more.” Lord Everly murmured to her.
Dulcenia glared across the table at the marquess who was currently engaged in conversation with Lady Jane Allen. However, his focus soon returned to her.
When their gazes clashed, she hastily turned to Lord Everly with a confident smile. “I wouldn’t worry about him. He was invited to this house party by Lady Osbourne to purposely see if we would suit, but I’m afraid that won’t be the case.”
