He should have kissed Miss Lillian Prim when he had the chance. She deserved nothing less after hitting him with snow. Three times.
By mistake.
Then by design.
Then by mischief.
Seth wasn’t sure he’d ever met a more worthy opponent, including all the men he’d dealt with in his life.
Yes, he should have dismissed the fact she was Crispin’s sister and given in to his desire to pull her warm velvet-covered body close to his chest and kiss her. Long. Deep. Slow. He sure as hell had wanted to and was even on the brink of doing it, but because of her kindness to his nephews, he’d decided to be a gentleman instead of a scoundrel and took his leave. And how did she thank him for his noble act? A snowball to the back and, what seemed at the time, an innocent and easy challenge to win.
But it wasn’t.
Why?
Because he was infatuated with her.
He’d caught sight of her the moment she walked into the drawing room. Probably because he’d been watching for her. She’d had the brashness to seek him out with her clear blue eyes and give him a devilishly radiant smile before joining her sister whom she favored so much they could have been twins.
If he’d thought her lovely and desirable this morning when she wore a cap that completely covered her hair, with cheeks that were kissed by the wind and a smile that could light up the night sky, tonight she was dazzling. She’d tempt a saint. And he was no saint.
Candlelight made her wavy hair look like the richest of honey flowing from a glass jar. Thick, golden, and shiny. Delicate, wispy curls fell across her forehead and down the sides of her rosy, petal-soft cheeks. A blue velvet ribbon adorned the crown of her head.
Seth sipped his claret and looked at Miss Prim over the rim of his glass—again. It was some consolation that he’d caught her glancing at him a time or two, too. Though admittedly, not as often or as thoroughly as he was staring at her.
After a time, she moved away from her sister and over to a couple of ladies who stood near the blazing fireplace. With every step she took, the thin, flowing fabric of her pale blue dress fluttered seductively against her long slender legs. Her stroll to the other side of the room was slow, confident, and desperately appealing to all his senses.
The neckline of her bodice swept invitingly low, showing a rise of pillow-soft breasts barely hidden under a layer of lace that was surely meant to tempt as well as give a peek about what lay beneath. She wore no jewelry other than dangling gold earrings that winked and sparkled at him every time she moved her head.
Damnation, everything about her enticed him.
The drawing room was noisy with guests. Only a few, like Seth, would be staying over until after Boxing Day. Viscount Fieldingham and his ladyship and Mr. and Mrs. Jasper Edgeworth were among the few. Both wives, he’d learned, were good friends of the duchess. Most in attendance were from the village or other manor houses in the area and only attending for the evening.
Another guest was Crispin’s uncle, Mr. Archmond Nash. He had cornered Seth when he first entered the room and had been happily telling him stories from his stint in the British Royal Navy for the past quarter of an hour. Seth was content to let the man do the talking. That way he could continue watching Miss Prim while appearing to converse with Mr. Nash. It didn’t matter to either of them that soon after their conversation began, Seth realized he wasn’t fooling the cagey gentleman. Their unspoken arrangement was working for both of them. Mr. Nash had a captive audience to hear his battle stories and Seth had a cover to watch his prey.
Earlier in the afternoon, when he’d wanted to have some instructions for the lads delivered to Miss Prim for their lessons on the morrow, he’d discovered she was staying in the main section of the estate. On the same floor with the duke and duchess. Not in the guest wing where Seth was housed. Obviously Crispin was taking no chances with his sister-in-law’s innocence.
Seth couldn’t blame him. Miss Prim was captivating and too bold for her own good.
Since she had stirred his curiosity, anger, and his desire in the few minutes he’d spent with her, he had no doubt she’d roused all those emotions and probably more in other gentlemen as well. Offers for her hand must have been pouring in for her during the Season, yet she wasn’t betrothed. Obviously, she hadn’t met her match. For an instant, the thought that perhapshehad entered Seth’s mind.
He quickly banished that.
Mr. Nash was winding down his story about slashing rains, gale-force winds, and waves as high as a castle that had battered his ship by the time Crispin joined them. Not long after, Mr. Nash excused himself and headed over to the very person who had monopolized Seth’s thoughts—Miss Prim.
Enough of watching her,he thought as he turned to face the duke, who was similar to Seth in height and build. And like Seth, Crispin wore his power, prestige, and breeding like a comfortable second skin.
“You might have thought you were hiding it,” Crispin said, “but I’ve noticed you can’t keep your eyes off Lillian.”
Seth took another sip of his wine. “I learned the hard way that it’s best not to turn your back on that one.”
Crispin’s eyes narrowed. “That sounds as if something might have happened between the two of you. Is there something you need to tell me?”
Seth shrugged and said, “Only that we met earlier in the day.”
“She must have made quite an impression on you.”
An indelible one.
