Feet eating up the lawn, he stopped an arm’s length away, the sight of her tentative smile loosening the worst of the tangles.
The breeze caught a wisp of her hair where it fell softly against a rosy cheek.
“Hello,” he said.
She laughed, that hair catching the corner of her mouth.
Damn it, now he couldn’t stop staring at her lips.
“Hello,” she said back.
He fought to keep his hands to himself. Why must she be so distracting? “That’s not what I meant to say.”
“It wasn’t?”
“I meant to walk you home.”
“That’s an action, not a phrase,” she teased as she tucked her hair behind her ear. “Unless you meant to say, ‘May I escort you home?’”
Percy’s chest—and groin—went tight watching her slender fingers play with her hair. “I would never be so well-mannered.”
“Would you say, ‘Ishallescort you home’? Because I like a man who takes initiative.”
“Danny.”
“The mere fact you would bring me home at all negates your call to ungentlemanliness.”
Percy lost his fight and reached for her, running a knuckle down her cheek and across those lips, refusing to hope. “What are you really doing here?”
“You didn’t come to me.” Miss Composure fiddled with her fingers, the action innocent and self-conscious and entirely charming. “I waited, you see, and I don’t like waiting. I won’t be one of those women who sit around waiting for a man to call. I’ve had man after man call, and I sat there like I am supposed to, but I won’t do it anymore. Er—what I’m supposed to, I mean. Not that I have men parading through my drawing room... I’m saying this all wrong.”
Percy couldn’t believe his ears. “You’re babbling.”
She nodded. “I’m aware, and it’s embarrassing, but I have something to say, and I refuse to stop until I say it.”
“I’m listening.” Percy strained not to miss a single, rushed word.
“I want you.Icame to call onyou. And I must tell you, I don’t envy men the anxiety of it all.” She dropped her hands and nodded with satisfaction. “Now that I’ve said my piece, I’ll be going.”
She turned on her heel.
She made it to the treeline before Percy took off after her, his heart pounding.
“Wait!” Percy tripped over a root in the dark, the moonlight not extending to the forest floor.
Danny marched on as if night vision was among her many talents.
Percy struggled along, his brain racing. “Would you stop?”
“Leave your audience wanting more,” she said,notstopping.
“This isn’t theatre.” Percy cursed at another tree root. “I’m not wearing the right shoes to chase you.”
“Exactly!”
Percy glanced up at her triumphant expression, seeing she’d mercifully stopped, and he took a moment to catch his breath.
“Now you see,” she said, “I am the chase-e... chaser?”
