“Is this all you do in Brighton, then?” She gestured around the quiet room. Mother had settled back into her book. “No tea, no port? Just sitting around, looking at each other?”
I straightened, defensive, until I saw the tease in her smile. “Well, typically it’s the cotillion instead of the waltz.”
She snorted, relaxing on the sofa.
“Or we often play cards.”
She tilted her head. “Oh? Where are these cards you speak of? Or better yet, do you have a box of letters?”
She wanted to play? With me? “You want to play the alphabet game? Like we are children?”
She raised a brow, then nodded.
The hour was late, and I knew I should excuse myself and rest. But Anna’s eyes found mine, bright and hopeful.
All I could see was that tempting smile of hers. Those full, alluring lips.
I, a man starved, and she, everything good.
She’d been so upset after encountering Lennox in the library. Perhaps she was scared to retire with nothing but her own thoughts.
If she wanted, I could be a friend. I could help calm her mind.
I rose from my spot, a challenge she quickly met, and while I retrieved the box of ivory letters from the side table, she moved the tea cart next to the sofa and flopped back in her spot.
I sat across from her, the tea cart between us. A far cry from the elegant furniture in her own drawing room. And yet, she settled in, her shoulders relaxed. A little smile on her face. I dumped the smooth letters, each carefully carved in ivory, out on the flat surface and mixed them all with a hand.
“First to five,” Anna said. Then, “You’re peeking!”
I jerked my gaze to hers. “I am not!”
“Yes, you are,” she said, aghast, but humored. “You’relooking at the letters while you mix them. You’ll know where theAis, and that ischeating, Graham.”
“I amnot.” I laughed. “And besides, we have three sets mixed together, so there are threeA’s. Calm yourself, woman. What’re the categories, then? Color, animal, profession ... ?”
“Color first, then animal, then profession. What else? Size?”
I snapped my fingers. “Four-letter word.”
“No, no! The last is always the longest word you can spell.”
Without thinking, I glanced down.
Anna’s hands flew up, covering the letters. “You. Are. A. Cheat!”
I bit my lip to keep from laughing. “That was an accident.”
Anna leveled me with a stern gaze that was more endearing than she could ever know. “Keep your eyes on me,” she commanded, stirring the letters a few times more.
I swallowed hard as I watched her. Brown, honey-colored eyes. Skin as smooth as butter. Why hadn’t she accepted any of the many offers of marriage that had come her way? She’d had more than her fair share. More than she needed to findsomeoneworthy. Though who could ever be worthy of that smirk? Those clever eyes. Worthy enough to be chosen byherfor a lifetime.
“Very well.” Her hands stilled over the letters. “The first one to spell a color wins the first round. Are you ready?”
I nodded, eyes still set upon hers.
“On your mark.” She dipped her chin. “Begin.”
She lifted her hands and immediately picked out anA.“You felt it,” came my ignited accusation as I stole aB,U, and searched for anL.
