He stood, and though I couldn’t see his face, I recognized the set of his shoulders and the way he held himself.
It was Alec.
I paused and a part of me wanted to turn and walk away. I wanted him to feel the rejection I’d just felt by him in the ballroom. And put my feelings for him behind me. Forever.
Yet—I could never do that to him.
“Keira.” His voice was low, but it traveled toward me and caressed my heart. It was the way he said it—tender and gentle.
I moved aside the branches and slipped into the little shelter. The orchestra music filtered into the garden, and the torches danced in the breeze, but here, the light didn’t reach us.
I stopped just inside the cover but didn’t approach him.
“Hello, Keira.”
“Hello, Alec.”
“You stole the show tonight. You’re a graceful dancer. All those hours of practice were worth the effort.”
I didn’t respond, my heart still sore from seeing him with Annabelle.
“I should get back.” I turned to leave, but he moved forward and took hold of my hand.
Memories of when he’d stopped me on Christmas evening resurfaced and my heart pounded as I turned back to him.
“Don’t go yet.”
My breathing was shallow as he stood close to me, his hand still grasping mine.
“Why not?” I asked, my pain making me bold. “You had no interest in acknowledging me or dancing with me earlier. Why should I stay here now?”
“I’m sorry.”
I waited for him to explain himself, but he didn’t, so I started to leave again.
He held my hand, gently pulling me closer to him. “Please, Keira.”
“I should return to George.” I wanted to make Alec as jealous as I’d been when I saw him with Annabelle. “He proposed to me tonight.”
Alec stiffened. “You cannot marry him.”
“Why not?”
“You know why.” His voice was hard. “Aunt Maude has different plans for you.”
“Let me go, Alec.” I tried pulling my hand away from him. “What do you want?”
His lips were pressed together, as if he was holding back, fighting an internal battle. Finally, he whispered, “You.”
My breath caught as tears filled my eyes. “Is this another lesson? Will I admit that I’m in love with you and you’ll laugh and tell me it was all a game of flirtation that I must learn before going to Europe?”
It was his turn to look surprised as he dropped my hand. “You’re in love with me?”
Tears fell and I banished them with the back of my hand.
“Oh, Keira.”
The way he said it was exactly how I’d said it to George, and it meant the exact same thing.
