“Yes.As much as I can under the circumstances.”
“Regardless, I wanted you aware since you are more intimately acquainted with last year’s situation.”
“Thank you, it is appreciated.How is your sister taking the news?”Gabriel asked before he could think better of it.
Henley snorted.“She’s irritated.”
“That sounds about right.”Gabriel chuckled, already imagining her expression in learning the news.
Her brow would arch, her lips twisting in that wry, defiant way that made his heart stutter, as if she could scold the world itself into submission.
“You know her well,” Henley remarked.
“I’ll be sure to add to that irritation and ask for a waltz, with your permission,” Gabriel tested.
Henley met his gaze with an amused expression.“At your own risk.”
“Don’t I know it?”Gabriel replied with quick wit, but the meaning was deep.The risk was not merely her sharp tongue but the way she dismantled his carefully crafted façade with a single glance.
The risk was great, the risk to his heart.
He followed Henley back to his family and watched Lady Peregrine as he approached, studying her for any indication of her feelings toward him, even if it was merely irritation.
Anything was better than indifference.
Indifference was what began the rift between his parents.
It was the catalyst that led to defiance, and then deception.
And that deception ended in his father’s demise.
His heart thick with memories, he nearly missed the softening of Lady Peregrine’s expression when she first saw him.
Hope swelled, overwhelming everything else in his heart, and he offered a tentative smile.It was not the polished grin of a rake, but a raw, unguarded gesture that left him exposed, a confession he dared not voice.
Never had he felt so out of his element.
He was known for his charm, his wit, his ability to seduce with words and a look.
Hell, he’d used those very charms on her, multiple times.
But… this was different.
Because it mattered.
And it was real.
No playing, no examples to be made… just honesty.
And he felt naked.
Her expression quickly shuttered, and she glanced away.
With a deep breath, he forced the charm that usually came so naturally.
“Lady Anna, Lady Peregrine.”He bowed, then took Lady Peregrine’s hand, lifting it to his lips.He watched as Lady Peregrine met his gaze then, her eyes widening as he gripped her hand a little firmer than necessary, his thumb, hidden under her palm, rubbing deliciously along her skin as he kissed the air above her wrist.The touch was a secret shared in the crowded ballroom, a silent promise that sent heat coursing through his veins.Her eyes darkened, then narrowed as if suspicious.
He couldn’t resist the grin that spread across his features.“Would you honor me with a dance, Lady Peregrine?”He didn’t release her hand, and when she tugged slightly, he held firm, the grin at his lips growing.Her resistance only fueled his desire to draw her closer, to see how far her boldness would carry her.
